U-Boote Type XXI

Production of German Type XXI submarine was special, it consisted of nine modules that were manufactured in different parts of germany. Subsequently, the modules on barges, shipped to special assembly plants where modules were welded together and submarines assembled. This production method proved to be highly effective but fortunes of war had long since turned and U-boats failed to have any significance in the war.

Type XXI weighed 1,800 tons submerged and can achieve a speed of 17 knots, which was 11 knots faster than its predecessor type VII C. Unlike all previous submarines were XXI without dækskanon and closed-command tower. It was armed with six torpedo tubes, all in the shoulder and the submarine could carry 23 torpedoes.

The first type XXI submarine were transferred to the Kriegsmarine in June 1944, and until the end of the war, a total of 120 completed paragraph.

As the war progressed, the Allies bombetugter against German industrial cities intensified, this was largely to influence the construction process. Notably 17 went completely finished submarines lost during bombing while they were at the wharf.

There was only done two operational raids with Type XXI submarines. One was the U-2511 as on April 30, 1945 departed from the base in Bergen. The goal was the Caribbean sea, but the way it was discovered by an allied aircraft off the coast of Scotland. The submarine left off effortlessly away, but on 3 May the British cruiser HMS Suffolk in their sights at a distance of only 600 meters. The submarine had  short time before the received message on war end and instead of attacking, dived D-2511 under the cruiser and escaped unseen away.

Type XXI were its predecessors far superior, it could be submerged approaching an Allied convoy, firing all its torpedoes during 20 min. and then, still submerged, list away using its special creep motors.

After the war the Germans raised in 1958, U-2540 in the Baltic Sea and enabled it. It was part of the German navy and remained operational until 1982.