German submarine U-3 (1935)

U-1, the first Type II boat
History
Nazi Germany
Name:	U-3
Ordered:	2 February 1935
Builder:	Deutsche Werke, Kiel
Cost:	1,500,000 Reichsmark
Yard number:	238
Laid down:	11 February 1935
Launched:	19 July 1935
Commissioned:	6 September 1935
Struck:	1 August 1944 at Gotenhafen
Fate:	Stricken, August 1944. Scrapped 1945
Badge:
General characteristics
Class and type:	IIA coastal submarine
Displacement:	254 t (250 long tons) surfaced 303 t (298 long tons) submerged 381 t (375 long tons) total
Length:	40.90 m (134 ft 2 in) (o/a) 27.80 m (91 ft 2 in) (pressure hull)
Beam:	4.08 m (13 ft 5 in) (o/a) 4.00 m (13 ft 1 in) (pressure hull)
Height:	8.60 m (28 ft 3 in)
Draught:	3.83 m (12 ft 7 in)
Installed power:	700 PS (510 kW; 690 shp) (diesels) 360 PS (260 kW; 360 shp) (electric)
Propulsion:	2 × propeller shafts 2 × 0.85 m (2 ft 9 in) three-bladed propellers 2 × diesel engines 2 × double-acting electric motors
Range:	1,050 nmi (1,940 km; 1,210 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) surfaced 35 nmi (65 km; 40 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth:	80 m (260 ft)
Complement:	3 officers, 22 men
Armament:	3 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes 5 × torpedoes or up to 12 TMA or 18 TMB 1 × 2 cm (0.79 in) anti-aircraft gun
Service record
Part of:	Kriegsmarine U-Boat Training Flotilla 21st U-boat Flotilla
Commanders:	Oblt.z.S. Hans Meckel 6 August 1935 - 29 September 1937 Ernst-Günter Heinicke 30 September 1937 - July 1938 Kptlt. Joachim Schepke 29 October 1938 - 2 January 1940 Gerd Schreiber 3 January - 28 July 1940 Kptlt. Helmut Franzke 29 July - 10 November 1940 Kptlt. Otto von Bülow 11 November 1940 - 2 July 1941 Oblt.z.S. Hans-Hartwig Trojer 3 July 1941 - 2 March 1942 Oblt.z.S. Joachim Zander 3 March - 19 September 1942 Oblt.z.S. Herbert Zoller 1 October - 18 May 1943 Oblt.z.S. Ernst Hartmann 19 May 1943 - 9 June 1944 Lt.z.S. Hermann Neumeister 10 June - 16 July 1944
Operations:	Five: 1st patrol: 4–8 September 1939 2nd patrol: 13–24 September 1939 3rd patrol: 27 September - 3 October 1939 4th patrol: 16–29 March 1940 5th patrol: 12–19 April 1940
Victories:	Two ships sunk, total of 2,348 GRT

German submarine U-3 was a Type IIA U-boat laid down at the Deutsche Werke in Kiel on 11 February 1935 as yard number 238. She was commissioned into the Kriegsmarine on 6 August 1936 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See (Oblt.z.S.) Hans Meckel.

U-3 carried out a total of five combat patrols; she sank two ships while under the command of Joachim Schepke. During April 1940, she was part of the fleet that supported the German invasion of Norway, Operation Weserübung.

As the Type II submarines were too small for combat duty in the Atlantic Ocean, she was assigned to the Baltic for training duties with the 21st U-boat Flotilla, a training outfit.

U-3 is known to have had three emblems; one was an oak leaf, with an anchor and a knife or dagger. She also shared this emblem with U-29, U-120, U-747, U-1274 and U-1308.

German Type II submarines were based on the Finnish submarine Vesikko. U-3 had a displacement of 254 tonnes (250 long tons) when at the surface and 303 tonnes (298 long tons) while submerged. Officially, the standard tonnage was 250 long tons (250 t), however. The U-boat had a total length of 40.90 m (134 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 27.80 m (91 ft 2 in), a beam of 4.08 m (13 ft 5 in), a height of 8.60 m (28 ft 3 in), and a draught of 3.83 m (12 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two MWM RS 127 S four-stroke, six-cylinder diesel engines of 700 metric horsepower (510 kW; 690 shp) for cruising, two Siemens-Schuckert PG VV 322/36 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 360 metric horsepower (260 kW; 360 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 0.85 m (3 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 80–150 metres (260–490 ft).