German submarine U-562

History
Nazi Germany
Name:	U-562
Ordered:	16 October 1939
Builder:	Blohm & Voss, Hamburg
Yard number:	538
Laid down:	7 February 1940
Launched:	24 January 1941
Commissioned:	20 March 1941
Fate:	Sunk 19 February 1943 in the Mediterranean Sea NE of Bengazi in position 32°57′N 20°54′E / 32.950°N 20.900°E / 32.950; 20.900, by a RAF Wellington aircraft and RN ships HMS Isis and HMS Hursley.
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 20 March – 1 June 1941 - Training 1st U-boat Flotilla 1 June – 31 December 1941 29th U-boat Flotilla 1 January 1942 – 19 February 1943
Commanders:	Oblt.z.S. Herwig Collmann 20 March – 3 September 1941 Kptlt. Horst Hamm 4 September 1941 – 19 February 1943
Operations:	1st patrol: 19 June – 30 July 1941 2nd patrol: 25 August – 3 September 1941 3rd patrol: 11 September – 15 October 1941 4th patrol: 17 November – 6 December 1941 5th patrol: 6–29 December 1941 6th patrol: 4 April – 11 May 1942 7th patrol: 22 June – 25 July 1942 8th patrol: 5 September – 18 October 1942 9th patrol: 22 November – 24 December 1942 10th patrol: 7–19 February 1943
Victories:	6 merchant ships sunk (37,287 GRT) 1 merchant ship damaged (3,359 GRT)

German submarine U-562 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 7 February 1940 by Blohm & Voss in Hamburg as yard number 538, launched on 24 January 1941 and commissioned on 20 March 1941 under Oberleutnant zur See Herwig Collmann.

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-562 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 Brown, Boveri & Cie 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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