German submarine U-57 (1938)

History
Nazi Germany
Name:	U-58
Ordered:	17 June 1937
Builder:	Deutsche Werke, Kiel
Yard number:	256
Laid down:	14 September 1937
Launched:	3 September 1938
Commissioned:	29 December 1938
Fate:	Sunk in a collision, September 1940; raised and repaired, scuttled, May 1945
General characteristics
Class and type:	IIC
Type:	Coastal submarine
Displacement:	291 t (286 long tons) surfaced 341 t (336 long tons) submerged
Length:	43.90 m (144 ft 0 in) o/a 29.60 m (97 ft 1 in) pressure hull
Beam:	4.08 m (13 ft 5 in) (o/a) 4.00 m (13 ft 1 in) (pressure hull)
Height:	8.40 m (27 ft 7 in)
Draught:	3.82 m (12 ft 6 in)
Installed power:	700 PS (510 kW; 690 bhp) (diesels) 410 PS (300 kW; 400 shp) (electric)
Propulsion:	2 shafts 2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors
Range:	1,900 nmi (3,500 km; 2,200 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) surfaced 35–42 nmi (65–78 km; 40–48 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth:	80 m (260 ft)
Complement:	3 officers, 22 men
Armament:	3 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes 5 × torpedoes or up to 12 TMA or 18 TMB mines 1 × 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun
Service record
Part of:	5th U-boat Flotilla 1st U-boat Flotilla 22nd U-boat Flotilla 19th U-boat Flotilla
Commanders:	Oblt.z.S. Claus Korth 29 December 1938 – 4 June 1940 Oblt.z.S. Erich Topp 5 June – 15 September 1940 Wilhelm Eiseke 11 January 1941 – 16 May 1943 Oblt.z.S. Walter Zenker 17 May 1943 – 31 July 1944 Oblt.z.S. Peter Kühl 1 August 1944 – May 1945
Operations:	Eleven: 1st patrol: 3–5 September 1939 2nd patrol: 5–18 September 1939 3rd patrol: 25 October – 5 November 1939 4th patrol: 12–23 November 1939 5th patrol: 7–16 December 1939 6th patrol: 16–25 January 1940 7th patrol: 8–25 February 1940 8th patrol: 14–29 March 1940 9th patrol: 4 April – 7 May 1940 10th patrol: a. 15–20 July 1940 b. 22 July – 7 August 1940 11th patrol: 14 August – 3 September 1940
Victories:	Eleven ships sunk, total 48,053 GRT one auxiliary warship sunk 8,240 GRT two ships damaged, total 10,403 GRT one ship declared a total loss

German submarine U-57 was a Type IIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine that served in the Second World War. She was built by Deutsche Werke in Kiel as yard number 256. Ordered on 17 June 1937, she was laid down on 14 September, launched on 3 September 1938 and commissioned on 29 December under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Claus Korth.

U-56 was initially part of the 5th U-boat Flotilla during her training period, until 31 December 1939, when she was reassigned to the 1st U-boat Flotilla for operations. She carried out eleven war patrols, sinking eleven ships for a total 48,053 gross register tons (GRT) and one auxiliary warship of 8,240 GRT; she also damaged two vessels totalling 10,403 GRT; one ship was declared a total loss (10,191 GRT).

German Type IIC submarines were enlarged versions of the original Type IIs. U-57 had a displacement of 291 tonnes (286 long tons) when at the surface and 341 tonnes (336 long tons) while submerged. Officially, the standard tonnage was 250 long tons (250 t), however. The U-boat had a total length of 43.90 m (144 ft 0 in), a pressure hull length of 29.60 m (97 ft 1 in), a beam of 4.08 m (13 ft 5 in), a height of 8.40 m (27 ft 7 in), and a draught of 3.82 m (12 ft 6 in). The submarine was powered by two MWM RS 127 S four-stroke, six-cylinder diesel engines of 700 metric horsepower (510 kW; 690 shp) for cruising, two Siemens-Schuckert PG VV 322/36 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 410 metric horsepower (300 kW; 400 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 0.85 m (3 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 80–150 metres (260–490 ft).

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