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Home » U-Boat Types » Type II
Type II U-Boat
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First launched in June 1935, the Type II were the first U-boats commissioned in German yards after the repudiation of the Versailles Treaty. Unknown to other nations at that time, Germany had already begun construction for 12 new Type II U-boats as early as 1934. It was not until the signing of the Anglo-German Naval Agreement in February 1935 that construction began to be undertaken publicly. By June 15 1935, the first class of the Type II was launched.
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Small and cramped, the Type II were coastal boats intended principally for training, but because of the shortage of available boats, they were later relegated to war duties. With a crew of 25, the boats had limited range and carried enough provisions for three to four weeks, but frequently returned to port after expending their supply of torpedoes.
Due to their small size and heavy rolling on the sea, the Type IIs quickly earned the nickname Dugout Canoes. Although of limited use in the open ocean, some remarkable successes were accomplished early in the war by U-boat aces such as Otto Kretschmer. The Type II also earned the respect and admiration of the crew due to its high maneuverability, rapid diving time and durability. Later in the war, due to the ever increasing need for training new crews, all Type II U-boats were withdrawn from combat duties and assigned to full-time training.
A total of 50 Type II U-boats were built during the war. There are four variants, Type IIA, IIB, IIC and IID.
Type IIA
The Type IIA was a single hull, all welded boat with internal ballast tanks. Compared to the other variants, it had a smaller bridge and could carry the German G7a, G7e torpedoes as well as TM-type torpedo mines. There was a single periscope in the conning tower with serrated net cutters in the bow. The net cutters were adopted from World War 1 boats but were quickly discontinued during World War 2.
Type IIB
The Type IIB was a lengthened version of the Type IIA. Three additional compartments were inserted amidships which were fitted with additional diesel tanks beneath the control room. The range was increased to 1,800 nautical miles at 12 knots. Diving time was also improved to 30 seconds.
Type IIC
The Type IIC was a further lengthened version of the Type IIB with an additional two compartments inserted amidships to accomodate improved radio room facilities and a second periscope. The additional diesel tanks beneath the control room was further enlarged, extending the range to 1,900 nautical miles at 12 knots.
Type IID
The Type IID had additional saddle tanks fitted to the sides of the external hull. These saddle tanks were used to accomodate additional diesel storage tanks. The diesel oil would float atop the saddle tanks and as the oil is consumed, sea water would gradually fill the tanks to compensate for the positive buoyancy. The range was nearly doubled to 3,450 nautical miles at 12 knots and enabled the Type II to operate around the British Isles. A further development was the propellers were fitted with Kurt nozzles, intended to improve propulsion efficiency.
Technical Specification
| Type IIA | Type IIB | Type IIC | Type IID | |
| Role | Coastal U-boat | Coastal U-boat | Coastal U-boat | Coastal U-boat |
| Displacement Surfaced Submerged | 253.8 tons 301.1 tons | 278.9 tons 328.5 tons | 291 tons 341 tons | 314 tons 364 tons |
| Dimensions Length Beam Draught | 134.2ft (40.9m) 13.4ft (4.1m) 12.5ft (3.8m) | 140.1ft (42.7m) 13.4ft (4.1m) 12.8ft (3.9m) | 144.0ft (43.9m) 13.5ft (4.1m) 12.5ft (3.8m) | 144.4ft (44.0m) 16.4ft (5.0m) 12.8ft (3.9m) |
| Top speed Surfaced Submerged | 13.0 knots 6.9 knots | 13.0 knots 7.0 knots | 12.0 knots 7.0 knots | 12.7 knots 7.4 knots |
| Maximum range Surfaced Surfaced Submerged Submerged | 1,050nm at 12kt 2,000nm at 8kt 35nm at 4kt 71nm at 2kt | 1,800nm at 12kt 3,900nm at 8kt 35nm at 4kt 71nm at 2kt | 1,900nm at 12kt 4,200nm at 8kt 35nm at 4kt 71nm at 2kt | 3,200nm at 12kt 5,680nm at 8kt 56nm at 4kt |
| Crush depth Crash dive time | 328ft (100m) 35secs | 328ft (100m) 30secs | 328ft (100m) 25secs | 328ft (100m) 25secs |
| Weapons Bow tubes Stern tubes Torpedo capacity Mines Guns Ammunition | Three 21 inch None Six TMA, TMB 20mm Twin Flak 850 rounds | Three 21 inch None Six TMA, TMB 20mm Twin Flak 1,000 rounds | Three 21 inch None Six TMA, TMB 20mm Twin Flak 1,000 rounds | Three 21 inch None Six TMA, TMB 20mm Twin Flak 1,000 rounds |
| Officers and crew | 3 + 22 = 25 | 3 + 22 = 25 | 3 + 22 = 25 | 3 + 22 = 25 |
| Total built | 6 | 20 | 8 | 16 |
| First launch | June 15, 1935 | June 29, 1935 | Sept 3, 1939 | May 18, 1940 |
As an expert and enthusiast, I have a wide range of knowledge on various topics, including the Battle of the Atlantic and U-Boat types. I can provide you with information related to these concepts. Let's dive into it!
Battle of the Atlantic
The Battle of the Atlantic was a major naval campaign during World War II, primarily fought between the Allies (led by the United Kingdom) and Germany. It lasted from 1939 to 1945 and aimed to control the Atlantic Ocean's shipping routes. The German U-Boats played a significant role in this battle, targeting Allied convoys and attempting to disrupt the flow of supplies to Britain.
U-Boat Types
During World War II, Germany developed and deployed various types of U-Boats (submarines) for different purposes. One of these types was the Type II U-Boat.
Type II U-Boat
The Type II U-Boats were the first U-boats commissioned in German yards after the repudiation of the Versailles Treaty. Construction for 12 new Type II U-boats began as early as 1934, but it was not publicly acknowledged until the signing of the Anglo-German Naval Agreement in February 1935. The first class of Type II U-boats was launched on June 15, 1935 .
The Type II U-boats were small and cramped, initially intended for coastal training purposes. However, due to the shortage of available boats, they were later used for war duties. These U-boats had a crew of 25 and limited range, carrying provisions for three to four weeks. They frequently returned to port after expending their supply of torpedoes. Despite their limitations, some remarkable successes were achieved by U-boat aces such as Otto Kretschmer.
The Type II U-boats earned the nickname "Dugout Canoes" due to their small size and heavy rolling on the sea. However, they were highly maneuverable, had rapid diving times, and were durable, earning the respect and admiration of their crews .
During the war, a total of 50 Type II U-boats were built, with four variants: Type IIA, IIB, IIC, and IID. Each variant had specific modifications and improvements. For example:
- Type IIA: It had a smaller bridge, could carry German G7a and G7e torpedoes, and had a single periscope in the conning tower.
- Type IIB: It was a lengthened version of the Type IIA, with additional compartments and improved range and diving time.
- Type IIC: It was a further lengthened version of the Type IIB, with additional compartments for improved radio room facilities and a second periscope.
- Type IID: It had additional saddle tanks for increased diesel storage, nearly doubling the range, and was fitted with Kurt nozzles to improve propulsion efficiency.
Each variant had its own specifications, including displacement, dimensions, top speed, maximum range, crush depth, and armament. Here is a summary of the specifications for each variant:
Type IIA:
- Displacement (Surfaced/Submerged): 253.8 tons / 301.1 tons
- Dimensions: Length 134.2ft (40.9m), Beam 13.4ft (4.1m), Draught 12.5ft (3.8m)
- Top Speed (Surfaced/Submerged): 13.0 knots / 6.9 knots
- Maximum Range (Surfaced/Submerged): 1,050nm at 12kt / 2,000nm at 8kt
- Crush Depth: 328ft (100m)
- Armament: Three 21-inch bow tubes, none stern tubes, six torpedoes, TMA and TMB mines, 20mm Twin Flak guns with 850 rounds.
Type IIB:
- Displacement (Surfaced/Submerged): 278.9 tons / 328.5 tons
- Dimensions: Length 140.1ft (42.7m), Beam 13.4ft (4.1m), Draught 12.8ft (3.9m)
- Top Speed (Surfaced/Submerged): 13.0 knots / 7.0 knots
- Maximum Range (Surfaced/Submerged): 1,800nm at 12kt / 3,900nm at 8kt
- Crush Depth: 328ft (100m)
- Armament: Three 21-inch bow tubes, none stern tubes, six torpedoes, TMA and TMB mines, 20mm Twin Flak guns with 1,000 rounds.
Type IIC:
- Displacement (Surfaced/Submerged): 291 tons / 341 tons
- Dimensions: Length 144.0ft (43.9m), Beam 13.5ft (4.1m), Draught 12.5ft (3.8m)
- Top Speed (Surfaced/Submerged): 12.0 knots / 7.0 knots
- Maximum Range (Surfaced/Submerged): 1,900nm at 12kt / 4,200nm at 8kt
- Crush Depth: 328ft (100m)
- Armament: Three 21-inch bow tubes, none stern tubes, six torpedoes, TMA and TMB mines, 20mm Twin Flak guns with 1,000 rounds.
Type IID:
- Displacement (Surfaced/Submerged): 314 tons / 364 tons
- Dimensions: Length 144.4ft (44.0m), Beam 16.4ft (5.0m), Draught 12.8ft (3.9m)
- Top Speed (Surfaced/Submerged): 12.7 knots / 7.4 knots
- Maximum Range (Surfaced/Submerged): 3,200nm at 12kt / 5,680nm at 8kt
- Crush Depth: 328ft (100m)
- Armament: Three 21-inch bow tubes, none stern tubes, six torpedoes, TMA and TMB mines, 20mm Twin Flak guns with 1,000 rounds.
These specifications varied among the different variants, allowing for different capabilities and operational roles.
I hope this information provides you with a good overview of the Type II U-Boats used during World War II. If you have any further questions, feel free to ask!
