German submarine U-46 (1938)

U-52, a typical Type VIIB boat
History
Nazi Germany
Name:	U-46
Ordered:	21 November 1936
Builder:	Germaniawerft, Kiel
Cost:	4,439,000 Reichsmark
Yard number:	581
Laid down:	24 February 1937
Launched:	10 September 1938
Commissioned:	2 November 1938
Decommissioned:	1 October 1943
Fate:	Scuttled on 4 May 1945
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
Draught:	4.74 m (15 ft 7 in)
Propulsion:	2 × supercharged diesel engines totalling 2,800–3,200 PS (2,100–2,400 kW; 2,800–3,200 bhp) surfaced 2 × electric engines totalling 750 PS (550 kW; 740 shp) submerged
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, 40–56 enlisted
Sensors and processing systems:	Gruppenhorchgerät
Armament:	5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern) 14 torpedoes or 26 TMA or 39 TMB mines 1 × 8.8 cm SK C/35 naval gun with 220 rounds 1 × 2 cm (0.79 in) anti-aircraft gun
Service record
Part of:	Kriegsmarine: 7th U-boat Flotilla 2 November – 31 August 1939 7th U-boat Flotilla 1 September – 31 December 1939 7th U-boat Flotilla 1 January 1940 – 1 September 1941 26th U-boat Flotilla 2 September – 31 March 1942 24th U-boat Flotilla 1 April – 1 July 1942 24th U-boat Flotilla 1 September 1942 – 1 October 1943
Commanders:	Kptlt. Herbert Sohler 2 November – 21 May 1940 Kptlt. Engelbert Endrass 22 May – 24 September 1941 Oblt.z.S. Peter-Ottmar Grau October – 19 November 1941 Oblt.z.S. Konstantin von Puttkamer 20 November – March 1942 Oblt.z.S. Kurt Neubert March – April 1942 Ernst von Witzendorff 20 April – May 1942 Lt.z.S. Franz Saar May – June 1942 Oblt.z.S. Joachim Knecht August 1942 – 30 April 1943 Oblt.z.S. Erich Jewinski 1 May – October 1943
Operations:	Thirteen 1st patrol: 19 August – 15 September 1939 2nd patrol: 3 October – 7 November 1939 3rd patrol: 19 December 1939 – 10 January 1940 4th patrol: 29 February – 1 March 1940 5th patrol: 11 March – 23 April 1940 6th patrol: 1 June – 1 July 1940 7th patrol: 8 August – 6 September 1940 8th patrol: 23–29 September 1940 9th patrol: 13–29 October 1940 10th patrol: 12 February – 4 March 1941 11th patrol: 15 March – 10 April 1941 12th patrol: 15 May – 13 June 1941 13th patrol:26 July – 26 August 1941
Victories:	20 ships sunk, total 85,792 GRT; two auxiliary warships sunk, for 35,284 GRT; four ships damaged, for 25,491 GRT; one ship declared a total loss, for 2,080 GRT

German submarine U-46 was a Type VIIB U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. She had a highly successful career during the war.

German Type VIIB submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIA submarines. U-46 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).

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.9 knots (33.2 km/h; 20.6 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph). When submerged, the boat could operate for 90 nautical miles (170 km; 100 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,700 nautical miles (16,100 km; 10,000 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-46 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.