German submarine U-561

History
Nazi Germany
Name:	U-561
Ordered:	16 October 1939
Builder:	Blohm & Voss, Hamburg
Yard number:	537
Laid down:	28 February 1940
Launched:	23 January 1941
Commissioned:	13 March 1941
Fate:	Sunk by torpedoes fired from Royal Navy MTB-81 on 12 July 1943 at position 38°16′N 15°39′E / 38.267°N 15.650°E / 38.267; 15.650 in the Straits of Messina.
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 or 26 TMA mines 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds) various AA guns
Service record
Part of:	1st U-boat Flotilla 13 March – 1 June 1941 - Training 1st U-boat Flotilla 1 June 1941 – 31 January 1942 23rd U-boat Flotilla 1 February – 12 July 1943
Commanders:	Kptlt. Robert Bartels 13 March 1941 – 5 September 1942 Kptlt. Heinz Schomburg 5 September 1942 – 18 June 1943 Oblt.z.S. Fritz Henning 19 June – 12 July 1943
Operations:	1st patrol: 25 May – 1 August 1941 2nd patrol: 20 August – 20 September 1941 3rd patrol: 1–26 November 1941 4th patrol: 3–22 January 1942 5th patrol: 26 January – 20 February 1942 6th patrol: 4 April – 5 May 1942 7th patrol: 11–25 June 1942 8th patrol: 2–24 July 1942 9th patrol: 12 September – 4 October 1942 10th patrol: 7–14 November 1942 11th patrol: 25 November – 18 December 1942 12th patrol: 23 December 1942 – 15 January 1943 13th patrol: 11–28 March 1943 14th patrol: 22 April – 3 June 1943 15th patrol: 10–12 July 1943
Victories:	5 merchant ships sunk 17,146 GRT 1 merchant ship damaged 4,043 GRT 1 merchant ship total loss 5,062 GRT

German submarine U-561 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 28 February 1940 by Blohm & Voss in Hamburg as yard number 537, launched on 23 January 1941 and commissioned on 13 March 1941 under Kapitänleutnant Robert Bartels (German Cross in Gold).

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-561 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 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).

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