German submarine U-45 (1938)

U-45 conducting speed trials in 1938. Note her number on the conning tower, it was removed at the beginning of the war
History
Nazi Germany
Name:	U-45
Ordered:	21 November 1936
Builder:	Germaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number:	580
Laid down:	23 February 1937
Launched:	27 April 1938
Commissioned:	25 June 1938
Fate:	Sunk, 14 October 1939, southwest of Ireland. 38 dead, no survivors.
General characteristics
Class and type:	Type VIIB U-boat
Displacement:	753 t (741 long tons) surfaced 857 t (843 long tons) submerged
Length:	66.50 m (218 ft 2 in) o/a 48.80 m (160 ft 1 in) pressure hull
Beam:	6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height:	9.50 m (31 ft 2 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
Range:	8,700 nmi (16,112 km; 10,012 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)surfaced 90 nmi (170 km; 100 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph)
Test depth:	230 m (750 ft). Calculated crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft)
Complement:	4 officers, 40 to 56 enlisted
Sensors and processing systems:	Gruppenhorchgerät
Armament:	5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern) 14 torpedoes or 26 TMA mines or 39 TMB mines 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds) 1 × 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun
Service record
Part of:	Kriegsmarine: 7th U-boat Flotilla (Front Boat)
Commanders:	Kptlt. Alexander Gelhaar
Operations:	Two: 1st patrol: 19 August – 15 September 1939 2nd patrol: 9–14 October 1939
Victories:	Two ships sunk, total tonnage 19,313 GRT

German submarine U-45 was a Type VIIB U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. She was ordered on 21 November 1936 and laid down on 23 February 1937 at Germaniawerft in Kiel as yard number 580. She was launched on 27 April 1938 and commissioned on 25 June 1938 under the command of Kapitänleutnant (Kptlt.) Alexander Gelhaar.

German Type VIIB submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIA submarines. U-45 had a displacement of 753 tonnes (741 long tons) when at the surface and 857 tonnes (843 long tons) while submerged. She had a total length of 66.50 m (218 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 48.80 m (160 ft 1 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.50 m (31 ft 2 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 BBC GG UB 720/8 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).