German submarine U-18 was a Type IIB U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. It was laid down 10 July 1935 and commissioned on 4 January 1936. It served in many U-boat flotillas during its service.
U-18 being re-assembled at Galați, Romania
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History | |
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Nazi Germany | |
Name | U-18 |
Ordered | 2 February 1935 |
Builder | |
Yard number | 548 |
Laid down | 10 July 1935 |
Launched | 7 December 1935 |
Commissioned | 4 January 1936 |
Fate | Scuttled 25 August 1944 at Constanţa in the Black Sea[1] |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Type IIB coastal submarine |
Displacement | |
Length |
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Beam |
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Height | 8.60 m (28 ft 3 in) |
Draught | 3.90 m (12 ft 10 in) |
Installed power |
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Propulsion |
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Speed |
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Range |
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Test depth | 80 m (260 ft) |
Complement | 3 officers, 22 men |
Armament |
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Service record | |
Part of: |
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Identification codes: | M 23 452 |
Commanders: |
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Operations: |
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Victories: |
German Type IIB submarines were enlarged versions of the original Type IIs. U-18 had a displacement of 279 tonnes (275 long tons) when at the surface and 328 tonnes (323 long tons) while submerged. Officially, the standard tonnage was 250 long tons (254 t), however.[2] The U-boat had a total length of 42.70 m (140 ft 1 in), a pressure hull length of 28.20 m (92 ft 6 in), a beam of 4.08 m (13 ft 5 in), a height of 8.60 m (28 ft 3 in), and a draught of 3.90 m (12 ft 10 in). The submarine was powered by two MWM RS 127 S four-stroke, six-cylinder diesel engines of 700 metric horsepower (510 kW; 690 shp) for cruising, two Siemens-Schuckert PG VV 322/36 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 460 metric horsepower (340 kW; 450 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 0.85 m (3 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 80–150 metres (260–490 ft).[2]
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph).[2] When submerged, the boat could operate for 35–42 nautical miles (65–78 km; 40–48 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 3,800 nautical miles (7,000 km; 4,400 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph). U-18 was fitted with three 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes at the bow, five torpedoes or up to twelve Type A torpedo mines, and a 2 cm (0.79 in) anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of twenty-five.[2]
While a training boat, U-18 sank at 0954 hrs on 20 November 1936 in Lübeck Bay, after a collision with T-156. Eight men died and 12 survived. It was raised on 28 November 1936. It returned to service on 30 September 1937. On 3 September 1939 it attacked a Polish submarine, most probably ORP_Sęp, but missed.[3] Starting late 1942 she served in the 30th U-boat Flotilla, after being transported in sections along the Danube to the Romanian port of Galați. She was then re-assembled by the Romanians at the Galați shipyard and sent to the Black Sea.[4]
On 20 August 1944, in a Soviet air raid on the Romanian harbor of Constanţa in the Black Sea, U-18 was damaged and as a result was deemed not seaworthy and was scuttled on the 25th.[1]
The boat was raised by the USSR in late 1944. It was sunk for target practice by the Soviet submarine M-120 on 26 May 1947 off Sevastopol (also sunk that day was the former U-24).
Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage[Note 1] | Fate[5] |
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18 November 1939 | Parkhill | United Kingdom | 500 | Sunk |
24 January 1940 | Bisp | Norway | 1,000 | Sunk |
29 August 1943 | TSC-11 Dzhalita | Soviet Navy | 400 | Sunk |
30 August 1943 | SKA-0132 | Soviet Navy | 56 | Damaged |
18 November 1943 | Josif Stalin | Soviet Union | 7,745 | Damaged |
44°12′N 28°41′E / 44.200°N 28.683°E