German submarine U-133 (1941)

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-133.

German submarine U-133 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 21 August 1940 by Vegesacker Werft, Bremen-Vegesack as yard number 12, launched on 28 April 1941 and commissioned on 5 July that year. U-133 sank with all hands lost after striking a mine off Aegina island Greece on 14 March 1942. In 1986 the professional divers Efstáthios "Státhis" Baramátis and Theófilos Klímis spotted by chance a wreck at a depth of 74 meters that was identified as an unknown German submarine.^{[citation needed]} Almost ten years later, in the mid-90s, the same wreck was further identified by Greek divers as the U-133.

History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-133
Ordered	7 August 1939
Builder	Vegesacker Werft GmbH, Bremen-Vegesack
Cost	4,760,000 Reichsmark
Yard number	12
Laid down	21 August 1940
Launched	28 April 1941
Commissioned	5 July 1941
Fate	Sunk, 14 March 1942
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:	7th U-boat Flotilla 5 July – 31 December 1941 23rd U-boat Flotilla 1 January – 14 March 1942
Identification codes:	M 43 319
Commanders:	Kptlt. Hermann Hesse 5 July 1941 – 1 March 1942 Kptlt. Eberhard Mohr 2 – 14 March 1942
Operations:	3 patrols: 1st patrol: 22 October – 26 November 1941 2nd patrol: a. 16 – 26 December 1941 b. 28 – 29 December 1941 c. 1 – 22 January 1942 3rd patrol: 14 March 1942
Victories:	1 warship sunk (1,920 tons)

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-113 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.^[1] 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 MAN M6V 40/46 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).^[1]

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).^[1] 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-113 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.^[1]

Summary of raiding history

Date	Name	Nationality	Tonnage[Note 1]	Fate[2]
17 January 1942	HMS Gurkha	Royal Navy	1,920	Sunk