German submarine U-80 (1941)

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-80.

German submarine U-80 was a Type VIIC submarine of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. She was laid down at the Bremer Vulkan Vegesacker Werft in Bremen as yard number 8 on 17 April 1940, launched on 11 February 1941 and commissioned on 8 April under Oberleutnant zur See Georg Staats.

History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-80
Ordered	25 January 1939
Builder	Bremer Vulkan, Bremen-Vegesack
Yard number	8[1]
Laid down	17 April 1940[1]
Launched	11 February 1941
Commissioned	8 April 1941[1]
Fate	Sunk on 28 November 1944, in a diving accident[1]
General characteristics
Class & 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	2 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (bow) 14 × G7e 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:	1st U-boat Flotilla 8 – 30 April 1941 26th U-boat Flotilla 1 May 1941 – 31 March 1942 24th U-boat Flotilla 1 April 1942 – 31 August 1943 23rd U-boat Flotilla 1 September – 30 November 1943 21st U-boat Flotilla 1 December 1943 – 28 November 1944
Identification codes:	M 37 498
Commanders:	Oblt.z.S. Georg Staats 8 April – 5 October 1941 Oblt.z.S. Hans Benker 6 October 1941 – 4 May 1942 Oblt.z.S. Oskar Curio 5 May – 22 November 1942 Lt.z.S. / Oblt.z.S. Hans-Adolf Isermeyer 23 November 1942 – 30 September 1943 Oblt.z.S. / Kptlt. Hans Keerle 1 October 1943 – 28 November 1944
Operations:	None
Victories:	None

U-80 spent her career as a training boat, first with the 1st U-boat Flotilla, then the 26th, 24th, 23rd and 21st flotillas. She sank or damaged no ships, but was herself sunk in a diving accident west of Pillau (now Baltiysk in modern Russia), on 28 November 1944.

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-80 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 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).^[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-80 was fitted with two 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes at the bow, 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]