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German submarine U-191 was a Type IXC/40 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine built for service during World War II.
| History | |
|---|---|
 Nazi Germany | |
| Name | U-191 |
| Ordered | 4 November 1940 |
| Builder | DeSchiMAG AG Weser, Bremen |
| Yard number | 1037 |
| Laid down | 2 November 1941 |
| Launched | 3 July 1942 |
| Commissioned | 20 October 1942 |
| Fate | Sunk on 23 April 1943 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Type IXC/40 submarine |
| Displacement | |
| Length |
|
| Beam |
|
| Height | 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in) |
| Draught | 4.67 m (15 ft 4 in) |
| Installed power |
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| Propulsion |
|
| Speed |
|
| Range |
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| Test depth | 230 m (750 ft) |
| Complement | 4 officers, 44 enlisted |
| Armament |
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| Service record[1] | |
| Part of: |
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| Identification codes: | M 49 103 |
| Commanders: |
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| Operations: |
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| Victories: |
1 merchant ship sunk (3,025 GRT) |
She was ordered on 4 November 1940 from DeSchiMAG AG Weser Bremen, laid down on 2 November 1941, and launched on 3 July 1942.[2] She was commissioned under Kapitänleutnant Helmut Fiehn on 20 October 1942 and underwent crew training and work-ups until 31 March 1943.
German Type IXC/40 submarines were slightly larger than the original Type IXCs. U-191 had a displacement of 1,144 tonnes (1,126 long tons) when at the surface and 1,257 tonnes (1,237 long tons) while submerged.[3] The U-boat had a total length of 76.76 m (251 ft 10 in), a pressure hull length of 58.75 m (192 ft 9 in), a beam of 6.86 m (22 ft 6 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.67 m (15 ft 4 in). The submarine was powered by two MAN M 9 V 40/46 supercharged four-stroke, nine-cylinder diesel engines producing a total of 4,400 metric horsepower (3,240 kW; 4,340 shp) for use while surfaced, two Siemens-Schuckert 2 GU 345/34 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 1,000 shaft horsepower (1,010 PS; 750 kW) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.92 m (6 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).[3]
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 18.3 knots (33.9 km/h; 21.1 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph).[3] When submerged, the boat could operate for 63 nautical miles (117 km; 72 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 13,850 nautical miles (25,650 km; 15,940 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-191 was fitted with six 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and two at the stern), 22 torpedoes, one 10.5 cm (4.13 in) SK C/32 naval gun, 180 rounds, and a 3.7 cm (1.5 in) SK C/30 as well as a 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of forty-eight.[3]
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U-191 took part in several wolfpack operations in the North Atlantic. On 21 April 1943, she achieved her only success, torpedoing and sinking the 3,025 GRT Norwegian merchant ship Scebli, killing two of Scebli's crew. Two days later U-191 was attacked and sunk by the Royal Navy destroyer Hesperus off the coast of Greenland south-east of Cape Farewell with the loss of her entire crew of 55.[2]
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