German submarine U-568

History
Nazi Germany
Name:	U-568
Ordered:	24 October 1939
Builder:	Blohm & Voss, Hamburg
Yard number:	544
Laid down:	27 April 1940
Launched:	6 March 1941
Commissioned:	1 May 1941
Fate:	Sunk 29 May 1942 in the Mediterranean Sea NE of Tobruk in position 32°42′N 24°53′E / 32.700°N 24.883°E / 32.700; 24.883, by RN ships HMS Hero, Eridge and Hurworth.
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:	3rd U-boat Flotilla 1 May – 1 August 1941 - Training 3rd U-boat Flotilla 1 August – 31 December 1941 29th U-boat Flotilla 1 January – 29 May 1942
Commanders:	Kptlt. Joachim Preuss 1 May 1941 – 29 May 1942
Operations:	1st patrol: 3 August 1941 – 10 September 1941 2nd patrol: 9 October – 7 November 1941 3rd patrol: 4 December 1941 – 17 January 1942 4th patrol: 2–30 March 1942 5th patrol: 21–29 May 1942
Victories:	1 merchant ship sunk (6,023 GRT) 2 warships sunk (1,850 tons) 1 warship damaged (1,630 tons)

German submarine U-568 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 27 April 1940 by Blohm & Voss in Hamburg as yard number 544, launched on 6 March 1941 and commissioned on 1 May 1941 under Kptlt. Joachim Preuss.

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-568 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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