History | |
---|---|
![]() |
|
Name: | U-652 |
Ordered: | 9 October 1939 |
Builder: | Howaldtswerke, Hamburg |
Yard number: | 801 |
Laid down: | 5 February 1940 |
Launched: | 7 February 1941 |
Commissioned: | 3 April 1941 |
Fate: | Scuttled, 2 June 1942 |
General characteristics | |
Class and type: | Type VIIC submarine |
Displacement: |
|
Length: |
|
Beam: |
|
Height: | 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in) |
Draught: | 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in) |
Installed power: |
|
Propulsion: |
|
Speed: |
|
Range: | |
Test depth: |
|
Complement: | 4 officers, 40–56 enlisted |
Armament: |
|
Service record | |
Part of: |
|
Commanders: |
|
Operations: |
|
Victories: |
German submarine U-652 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 5 February 1940 at the Howaldtswerke yard at Hamburg, launched on 7 February 1941, and commissioned on 3 April 1941 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Georg-Werner Fraatz.
Attached to 3rd U-boat Flotilla based at Kiel, U-652 completed her training period on 30 June 1941 and was assigned to front-line service. In September 1941 she was involved in the "Greer Incident", attacking and being counter-attacked by the supposedly neutral American destroyer Greer (DD-145), an incident that brought the United States closer to war with Germany. U-652 was transferred to 29th U-boat Flotilla based at La Spezia, Italy on 1 January 1942. The U-boat was scuttled on 2 June 1942.
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-652 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 Siemens-Schuckert GU 343/38–8 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).