German submarine U-44 (1939)

U-37, (an identical U-boat to U-44) at Lorient in 1940
History
Nazi Germany
Name:	U-44
Ordered:	21 November 1936
Builder:	AG Weser, Bremen
Yard number:	949
Laid down:	15 September 1938
Launched:	5 August 1939
Commissioned:	4 November 1939
Fate:	Sunk by a mine on 13 March 1940 off the coast of the Netherlands. All crew members were lost
General characteristics
Class and type:	Type IXA submarine
Displacement:	1,032 t (1,016 long tons) surfaced 1,153 t (1,135 long tons) submerged
Length:	76.50 m (251 ft) o/a 58.75 m (192 ft 9 in) pressure hull
Beam:	6.51 m (21 ft 4 in) o/a 4.40 m (14 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height:	9.40 m (30 ft 10 in)
Draught:	4.70 m (15 ft 5 in)
Installed power:	4,400 PS (3,200 kW; 4,300 bhp) (diesels) 1,000 PS (740 kW; 990 shp) (electric)
Propulsion:	2 shafts 2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors
Range:	10,500 nmi (19,400 km; 12,100 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced 65–78 nmi (120–144 km; 75–90 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth:	230 m (750 ft)
Complement:	4 officers, 44 enlisted
Armament:	6 × torpedo tubes (4 bow, 2 stern) 22 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedoes 1 × 10.5 cm (4.1 in) deck gun (180 rounds) 1 × 3.7 cm (1.5 in) AA gun 1 × twin 2 cm FlaK 30 AA guns
Service record
Part of:	Kriegsmarine: 6th U-boat Flotilla
Identification codes:	M 13 206
Commanders:	Kptlt. Ludwig Mathes 4 November – 13 March 1940
Operations:	Two 1st patrol: 6 January – 9 February 1940 2nd patrol: 13 March 1940
Victories:	Eight ships sunk, total 30,885 GRT

German submarine U-44 was a Type IXAU-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine that operated during World War II. She was ordered in November 1936 and laid down in September 1938 in Bremen. She was launched in August 1939 and commissioned in November.

During her service in the Kriegsmarine, U-44 conducted only two war patrols and sank a total of eight enemy vessels for a loss of 30,885 GRT. On 13 March 1940, she struck a mine that was located in field Number 7 off the north coast of the Netherlands. All 47 of her 's crew members went down with the submarine.

U-44 was ordered by the Kriegsmarine on 21 November 1936 (as part of Plan Z and in violation of the Treaty of Versailles). She was laid down on 15 September 1938 by AG Weser, in Bremen as yard number 949. U-44 was launched on 5 August 1939 and commissioned on 4 November of that same year under the command of Kapitänleutnant Ludwig Mathes.

As one of the eight original German Type IX submarines, later designated IXA, U-44 had a displacement of 1,032 tonnes (1,016 long tons) when at the surface and 1,153 tonnes (1,135 long tons) while submerged. The U-boat had a total length of 76.50 m (251 ft), a pressure hull length of 58.75 m (192 ft 9 in), a beam of 6.51 m (21 ft 4 in), a height of 9.40 m (30 ft 10 in), and a draught of 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in). The submarine was powered by two MAN M 9 V 40/46 supercharged four-stroke, nine-cylinder diesel engines producing a total of 4,400 metric horsepower (3,240 kW; 4,340 shp) for use while surfaced, two Siemens-Schuckert 2 GU 345/34 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 1,000 metric horsepower (740 kW; 990 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.92 m (6 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).