German submarine U-39 (1938)
German World War II submarine / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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German submarine U-39 was a Type IXA[3] U-boat of the Kriegsmarine that operated from 1938 to the first few days of World War II.[1]
U-37, (an identical U-boat to U-39) at Lorient in 1940 | |
History | |
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Nazi Germany | |
Name | U-39 |
Ordered | 29 July 1936 |
Builder | AG Weser, Bremen |
Yard number | 944 |
Laid down | 2 June 1937 |
Launched | 22 September 1938 |
Commissioned | 10 December 1938 |
Fate | Sunk on 14 September 1939 north-west of Ireland. No dead and 44 or 43 survivors (sources vary)[1][2] |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Type IXA submarine |
Displacement | |
Length |
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Beam |
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Height | 9.40 m (30 ft 10 in) |
Draught | 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) |
Installed power |
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Propulsion |
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Speed |
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Range |
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Test depth | 230 m (750 ft) |
Complement | 4 officers, 44 enlisted |
Armament |
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Service record | |
Part of: |
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Identification codes: | M 12 679 |
Commanders: |
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Operations: |
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Victories: | No ships sunk or damaged |
She was ordered by the Kriegsmarine on 29 July 1936 as part of the re-armament program (Aufrüstung) in Germany, which was illegal under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles. The keel for U-39 was laid down on 2 June 1937, by DeSchiMAG AG Weser of Bremen. She was commissioned on 10 December 1938 with Kapitänleutnant Gerhard Glattes in command.[1]
On 14 September 1939, just 27 days after she began her first patrol, U-39 attempted to sink the British aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal by firing two torpedoes at her. Due to a technical defect the torpedoes exploded before reaching their target. The U-39 was immediately hunted down by three British destroyers and disabled with depth charges. After the crew managed to resurface with the then sinking submarine all members were captured during the evacuation.[4][2]
U-39 was the first German U-boat to be sunk in World War II.[5]