German submarine U-587

History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-587
Ordered	16 January 1940
Builder	Blohm & Voss, Hamburg
Yard number	563
Laid down	31 October 1940
Launched	23 July 1941
Commissioned	11 September 1941
Fate	Sunk on 27 March 1942 in the North Atlantic in position 47°21′N 21°39′W / 47.350°N 21.650°W, by depth charges from Royal Navy surface ships.
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;
Speed	17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced; 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged;
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); 1 x 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 AA gun;
Service record
Part of:	6th U-boat Flotilla; 11 September 1941 – 27 March 1942;
Identification codes:	M 19 451
Commanders:	K.Kapt. Ulrich Borcherdt; 11 September 1941 – 27 March 1942;
Operations:	2 patrols:; 1st patrol:; 8 – 31 January 1942; 2nd patrol:; 12 February – 27 March 1942;
Victories:	4 merchant ships sunk ; (22,734 GRT); 1 auxiliary warship sunk ; (655 GRT);

German submarine U-587 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 31 October 1940 by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg as yard number 563, launched on 23 July 1941 and commissioned on 11 September 1941 under Korvettenkapitän Ulrich Borcherdt.

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-587 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.^[2] 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 Brown, Boveri & Cie GG UB 720/8 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).^[2]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph).^[2] When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nautical miles (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-587 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and a 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.^[2]

Service history

The boat's short service career began on 11 September 1941 with training, followed by active service on 1 January 1942 as part of the 6th U-boat Flotilla. It ended just 3 months later when she was sunk in the North Atlantic.

In two patrols she sank four merchant ships, for a total of 22,734 gross register tons (GRT), plus one auxiliary warship sunk.

Wolfpacks

U-587 took part in one wolfpack, namely:

Robbe (15 – 24 January 1942)

Fate

U-587 was sunk on 27 March 1942 in the North Atlantic in position 47°21′N 21°39′W / 47.350°N 21.650°W / 47.350; -21.650; depth charged by Royal Navy vessels HMS Grove, Aldenham, Volunteer and Leamington. There were no survivors.

Summary of raiding history

Date	Ship Name	Nationality	Tonnage (GRT)	Fate^[3]
24 February 1942	Anadara	United Kingdom	8,009	Sunk
6 March 1942	Hans Egede	Greenland	900	Sunk
8 March 1942	HMS Northern Princess	Royal Navy	655	Sunk
9 March 1942	Lily	Greece	5,719	Sunk
23 March 1942	Diala	United Kingdom	8,106	Sunk

References

^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-587". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 25 June 2014.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.
^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-587". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 25 June 2014.

Bibliography

Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). German U-boat commanders of World War II : a biographical dictionary. Translated by Brooks, Geoffrey. London, Annapolis, Md: Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-186-6.
Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). Der U-Boot-Krieg, 1939-1945: Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945] (in German). Vol. IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
Edwards, Bernard (1996). Dönitz and the Wolf Packs - The U-boats at War. Cassell. pp. 137, 138, 167–169. ISBN 0-304-35203-9.
Gröner, Eric; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). German Warships 1815-1945: U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
Sharpe, Peter (1998). U-Boat Fact File. Great Britain: Midland Publishing. ISBN 1-85780-072-9.

External links

Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-587". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 29 December 2014.

[uboatnet-1] Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-587". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 25 June 2014.

[FOOTNOTEGröner199143–46-2] Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.

[3] Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-587". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 25 June 2014.

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