German submarine U-72 (1940)

U-72 was a German Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

Construction and Commissioning:

Ordered on 25 January 1939, U-72 was laid down on 7 December 1939 at the Krupp Germaniawerft in Kiel as yard number 606. She was launched on 19 October 1940 and commissioned on 7 December 1940 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Karl-Otto Schultz.

Design:

U-72 was a Type VIIC submarine. These U-boats were larger and heavier than the Type VIIB submarines they replaced. They displaced 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged. The U-boats had a total length of 67.1 meters (220 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 50.5 meters (165 ft 8 in), a beam of 6.2 meters (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.6 meters (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.74 meters (15 ft 7 in). For surface running, the boats were 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), while for submerged running they used two AEG GU 460/8-276 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 metric horsepower (550 kW; 740 shp). They had two shafts and two 1.23 m (4 ft) propellers. The boats were capable of operating at depths of up to 230 meters (750 ft).

The U-boats 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). 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-72 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 one 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.

Service History:

U-72 primarily served as a training boat within the 23rd U-boat Flotilla based in Kiel. It was later assigned to the 21st U-boat Flotilla, also as a training vessel.

Fate:

U-72 was decommissioned in 1945 and scuttled after the war as part of Operation Deadlight.