German submarine U-217

"U-217" redirects here. For the isotope of uranium (U-217 or ²¹⁷U), see Uranium-217.

German submarine U-217 was a Type VIID mine-laying U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-217
Ordered	16 February 1940
Builder	Germaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number	649
Laid down	30 January 1941
Launched	15 November 1941
Commissioned	31 January 1942
Fate	Sunk, 5 June 1943, by US carrier-borne aircraft
General characteristics
Class and type	Type VIID submarine
Displacement	965 tonnes (950 long tons) surfaced 1,080 t (1,060 long tons) submerged
Length	76.90 m (252 ft 4 in) o/a 59.80 m (196 ft 2 in) pressure hull
Beam	6.38 m (20 ft 11 in) o/a 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height	9.70 m (31 ft 10 in)
Draught	5.01 m (16 ft 5 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	16–16.7 knots (29.6–30.9 km/h; 18.4–19.2 mph) surfaced 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph) submerged
Range	11,200 nmi (20,700 km; 12,900 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced 69 nmi (128 km; 79 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth	200 m (660 ft) Crush depth: 220–240 m (720–790 ft)
Crew	4 officers, 40 enlisted
Armament	5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern) 12 × torpedoes or 26 × TMA or 39 × TMB tube-launched mines 5 × vertical launchers with 15 SMA mines 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds) 1 × 20 mm AA (4,380 rounds)
Service record[1][2]
Part of:	5th U-boat Flotilla 31 January – 31 July 1942 9th U-boat Flotilla 1 August 1942 – 5 June 1943
Identification codes:	M 47 721
Commanders:	Kptlt. Kurt Reichenbach-Klinke 31 January 1942 – 5 June 1943
Operations:	3 patrols: 1st patrol: 14 July – 16 October 1942 2nd patrol: 24 November 1942 – 23 February 1943 3rd patrol: 19 April – 5 June 1943
Victories:	3 merchant ships sunk (10,651 GRT)

Design

As one of the six German Type VIID submarines, U-217 had a displacement of 965 tonnes (950 long tons) when at the surface and 1,080 tonnes (1,060 long tons) while submerged.^[3] She had a total length of 76.90 m (252 ft 4 in), a pressure hull length of 59.80 m (196 ft 2 in), a beam of 6.38 m (20 ft 11 in), a height of 9.70 m (31 ft 10 in), and a draught of 5.01 m (16 ft 5 in). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 supercharged four-stroke, six-cylinder 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 AEG GU 460/8-276 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 shaft horsepower (760 PS; 560 kW) 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).^[3]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 16–16.7 knots (29.6–30.9 km/h; 18.4–19.2 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 69 nautical miles (128 km; 79 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 11,200 nautical miles (20,700 km; 12,900 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-217 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), twelve torpedoes, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and an anti-aircraft gun, in addition to five mine tubes with fifteen SMA mines. The boat had a complement of between forty-four.^[3]

Service history

She was laid down on 30 January 1941, launched on 15 November and commissioned on 31 January 1942, U-217 served with the 5th U-boat Flotilla in a training capacity before moving on to the operational 9th flotilla on 1 August 1942 until she was sunk. U-217 completed three patrols and sank three ships totalling 10,651 gross register tons (GRT).

She was sunk on 5 June 1943 in the mid-Atlantic with all hands by depth charges dropped by Grumman TBF Avengers from the escort carrier Bogue (CVE-9). The wreck lies at 30°18′N 042°50′W, near the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.

Wolfpacks

U-217 took part in two wolfpacks, namely:

• Pirat (30 July – 3 August 1942)
• Trutz (1 – 5 June 1943)

Summary of raiding history

Date	Name	Nationality	Tonnage (GRT)	Fate[4]
19 August 1942	Sea Gull D	United Kingdom	75	Sunk
14 December 1942	Etna	Sweden	2,619	Sunk
3 February 1943	Rhexnor	United Kingdom	7,957	Sunk

References

1. Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIID boat U-217". German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net. Retrieved 14 December 2009.
2. Helgason, Guðmundur. "War Patrols by German U-boat U-217". German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net. Retrieved 14 December 2009.
3. Gröner 1991, pp. 66–67.
4. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-217". German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net. Retrieved 29 December 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). Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945]. Der U-Boot-Krieg (in German). Vol. IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
• Bishop, Chris (2006). Kriegsmarine U-Boats, 1939-45. London: Amber Books. ISBN 978-1-904687-96-2.
• Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.

External links

• Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIID boat U-217". German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
• Hofmann, Markus. "U 217". Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 – u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 30 January 2015.