German submarine U-437

History

Nazi Germany
Name:	U-437
Ordered:	16 October 1939
Builder:	Schichau-Werke, Danzig
Yard number:	1479
Laid down:	16 April 1940
Launched:	26 July 1941
Commissioned:	25 October 1941
Fate:	Damaged by British bombs in Norway, October 1944. Stricken, broken up, 1946
General characteristics
Class and type:	Type VIIC submarine
Displacement:	769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced 871 t (857 long tons) submerged
Length:	67.10 m (220 ft 2 in) o/a 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in) pressure hull
Beam:	6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height:	9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught:	4.74 m (15 ft 7 in)
Installed power:	2,800–3,200 PS (2,100–2,400 kW; 2,800–3,200 bhp) (diesels) 750 PS (550 kW; 740 shp) (electric)
Propulsion:	2 shafts 2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors
Speed:	17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged
Range:	8,500 nmi (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth:	230 m (750 ft) Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft)
Complement:	4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Armament:	5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern) 14 × torpedoes 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds) various AA guns
Service record
Part of:	6th U-boat Flotilla 25 October 1941 – 10 April 1942 6th U-boat Flotilla 1 April 1942 – 5 October 1944
Commanders:	Kptlt. Werner-Karl Schultz 25 October 1941 – 20 December 1942 Kptlt. Hermann Lanby 21 December 1942 – 5 October 1944
Operations:	1st patrol: 4–16 April 1942 2nd patrol: 29 April – 18 May 1942 3rd patrol: 6 June – 12 August 1942 4th patrol: 17 September – 15 November 1942 5th patrol: 4 February – 30 April 1943 6th patrol: 26 – 30 April 1943 7th patrol a. 24–25 July 1943 b. 1–3 August1943 c. 18–19 September 1943 d. 23–25 September 1943 e. 26 September – 19 November 1943 8th patrol: a. 20–22 January 1943 b. 29–31 January 1944 c. 2 February – 3 April 1944 9th patrol: 6–15 June 1944 10th patrol: 9–13 August 1944 11th patrol: 23 August – 21 September 1944
Victories:	None

German submarine U-437 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

She carried out eleven patrols, but sank no ships.

She was a member of sixteen wolfpacks.

She was damaged by British bombs in Norway in October 1944 and stricken; she was broken up in 1946.

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-437 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged. She had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2,800 to 3,200 metric horsepower (2,060 to 2,350 kW; 2,760 to 3,160 shp) for use while surfaced, two AEG GU 460/8–27 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 metric horsepower (550 kW; 740 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m (4 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph). When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nautical miles (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-437 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and an anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.

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