German submarine U-97 (1940)

History
Nazi Germany
Name:	U-97
Ordered:	30 May 1938
Builder:	Germaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number:	602
Laid down:	27 September 1939
Launched:	15 August 1940
Commissioned:	28 September 1940
Fate:	Sunk on 16 June 1943, by an Australian aircraft
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
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:	Kriegsmarine: 7th U-boat Flotilla (Training) 7th U-boat Flotilla (Operational Boat, 11 patrols) 24th U-boat Flotilla (Training) 22nd U-boat Flotilla (Schoolboat)
Commanders:	Kptlt. Udo Heilmann Oblt.z.S. Friedrich Bürgel Kptlt. Hans-Georg Trox
Operations:	Thirteen 1st patrol: 17 February – 7 March 1941 2nd patrol: 20 March – 10 April 1941 3rd patrol: 1–30 May 1941 4th patrol: 2 July – 8 August 1941 5th patrol: 20 September – 27 October 1941 6th patrol: 23 December – 9 January 1942 7th patrol: 12–31 January 1942 8th patrol: 14–30 March 1942 9th patrol: 5 April – 12 May 1942 10th patrol: 15 June – 4 July 1942 11th patrol: 22 July 1942 – 4 August 1942 12th patrol: 22 July 1942 – 10 April 1943 13th patrol: 5–16 June 1943
Victories:	15 ships sunk for a total of 64,404 GRT One auxiliary warship sunk - of 6,833 GRT One ship damaged - of 9,718 GRT

German submarine U-97 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during the Second World War. She carried out thirteen patrols during her career, sinking sixteen ships and damaging a seventeenth. She was a member of two wolfpacks.

U-97 was sunk on 16 June 1943 while operating in the Mediterranean Sea, west of Haifa. She was depth charged by an Australian aircraft.

U-97 was laid down at the Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft in Kiel as yard number 602. She was launched on 15 August 1940 and commissioned on 28 September under the command of Kapitänleutnant Udo Heilmann.

Serving with the 7th U-boat Flotilla, U-97 completed training in late 1940 and early 1941 before commencing operations.

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-97 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 AEG GU 460/8–27 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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