NAVYPEDIA

Ships

Name	No	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comp	Fate
N41 (ex-U3017)	1948- S...		Deschimag, Bremen, Germany	1944	5.11.1944	1/1945 // 6.1945	BU 11.1949
U2518			Blohm & Voss, Hamburg, Germany	1944	4.10.1944	11/1944 // 6.1945	to France 2.1946 (Roland Morillot)

Technical data

Max speed, kts, kn	15.6 / 17.2
Displacement standard, t	---
Displacement normal, t	1621 / 1819
Length, m	76.7
Breadth, m	8.00
Draught, m	5.30
No of shafts	2
Machinery	2 MAN diesels / 2 electric motors + 2 electric motors for slow running
Power, h. p.	4000 / 5000 + 226
Fuel, t	diesel oil 253
Endurance, nm(kts)	15500(10) / 340(5)
Armament	2 x 2 - 20/65 C/38, 6 - 533 TT (bow, 23 torpedoes or 17 torpedoes + 12 mines)
Electronic equipment	FuMO61 or FuMO65 radar, SU-Apparat, TAG sonars, GHG, Balkon-Gerät hydrophones, FuMB 3 Bali, FuMB 6 Palau ECM suites
Complement	57
Diving depth operational, m	135

Standard scale images

Project history

The most perfect submarines of the Second World War and one of the most revolutionary designs in shipbuilding history. The decision on designing was accepted in April, 1943 after abandoning of XVIII series with hydrogen perioxide turbines. New boats were designed on their basis, but with replacement of experimental machinery by traditional diesel-electric with much increased battery capacity. The design concept provided for new boats ability to be in underwater position, never surfacing during all campaign.

Double-hulled; outer hull and fin structure had new streamlined forms, with a minimum of appendages; the pressure hull 28-31mm thick had "eight"-form cross-section amidships. Operational diving depth was 135 m, maximum 200m; minimum diving time was 18sec. Main motors worked on the screw through dropping reduction gear. Besides them, two "crouching" motors ensuring 6kts speed.

Modernizations

None

Naval service

Ex-German submarines of XXI-type were used for ASW experiments.