Recognition Guide Warships of the Second World War
Kriegsmarine — Submarine

German submarine U-455

Type VIIC submarine

German submarine U-455
Kramer — This image was provided to Wikimedia Commons by the German Federal Archive (Deutsches Bundesarchiv) as part of a cooperation project . The German Federal Archive guarantees an authentic representation only using the originals (negative and/or positive), resp. the digitalization of the originals as provided by the Digital Image Archive — CC BY-SA 3.0 de — Wikimedia Commons Plate

Service

  1. Kriegsmarine as U-45521 August 1941 — 5 April 1944958 days of the war
Type VIIC submarine Particulars
Name
U-455
Builder
Deutsche Werke AG, Kiel
Ordered
16 January 1940
Laid down
3 September 1940
Launched
21 June 1941
Commissioned
21 August 1941
Fate
Sunk on 5 April 1944 in southeast of Genoa (1944)
Status
Wreck

Specifications

Displacement, surfaced
757 long tons (769 t)
Displacement, submerged
857 long tons (871 t)
Length
67.1 m (220.1 ft) OA
Beam
6.2 m (20.3 ft)
Draught
4.74 m (15.6 ft)
Speed
17.7 knots (32.8 km/h, 20.4 mph)
Range
8,500 nmi (15,742 km)
Main gun
88 mm (3.5 in)

U-455 was a Type VIIC submarine, operated by the Kriegsmarine. Her keel was laid at Deutsche Werke AG, Kiel on 3 September 1940. Launched on 21 June 1941, she entered service on 21 August 1941.

612 ships of the class were built. The class followed the Type UB III, Vetehinen class and was succeeded by the Type XXI (Late-war replacement).

The boat displaced 757 long tons surfaced and 857 long tons submerged. She measured 67.1 m (220 ft) long with a beam of 6.2 m (20 ft). Her designed speed was 17.7 knots.

Her main battery was one 88 mm (3.5 in) guns.

She was in commission for 958 days of the Second World War.

She was sunk on 5 April 1944, at 44°19′N 9°03′E. The wreck survives.

Written from the harvested record. Every figure above is sourced; the wording is this site's own.

Armament and machinery

Armament and machinery
Propulsion
  • 2 shafts
  • 2 × diesel engines
  • 2 × electric motors
Power
  • 2800 - 3200 PS (diesels)
  • 750 PS (electric)
Armament
  • 5 × 53.3 cm torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern)
  • 14 × torpedoes
  • 1 × 8.8 cm deck gun (220 rounds)
  • 1 × 3.7 cm Flak M42 AA gun
  • 2 × 2 cm C/30 AA guns

Sister ships

587 more in the class

Sources

  • Facts harvested from German submarine U-455 on Wikipedia. Figures only — no wording is taken from it.
  • Photograph: Kramer — This image was provided to Wikimedia Commons by the German Federal Archive (Deutsches Bundesarchiv) as part of a cooperation project . The German Federal Archive guarantees an authentic representation only using the originals (negative and/or positive), resp. the digitalization of the originals as provided by the Digital Image Archive — CC BY-SA 3.0 de — Wikimedia Commons