Recognition Guide Warships of the Second World War
Kriegsmarine — Submarine 1938

German submarine U-46 (1938)

Type VIIB U-boat

German submarine U-46 (1938)
UK Government — http://www.iwmcollections.org.uk/ — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons Plate — 1938 U 52, a Type VIIB submarine. Unknown date.

Service

  1. Kriegsmarine as U-462 November 1938 — October 19431,518 days of the war
Type VIIB U-boat Particulars
Name
U-46
Pennant / hull number
1938
Builder
Germaniawerft, Kiel
Ordered
21 November 1936
Laid down
24 February 1937
Launched
10 September 1938
Commissioned
2 November 1938
Decommissioned
October 1943
Fate
Scuttled on 5 May 1945 (1945)
Status
Wreck

Specifications

Displacement, surfaced
741 long tons (753 t)
Displacement, submerged
843 long tons (857 t)
Length
66.5 m (218.2 ft) OA
Beam
6.2 m (20.3 ft)
Draught
4.74 m (15.6 ft)
Speed
17.9 knots (33.2 km/h, 20.6 mph)
Range
8,700 nmi (16,112 km)
Main gun
88 mm (3.5 in)

U-46 was a submarine of the Type VIIB U-boat, operated by the Kriegsmarine. She carried the pennant number 1938. Germaniawerft, Kiel laid her keel on 24 February 1937. She entered service on 2 November 1938, having been launched on 10 September 1938.

24 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 741 long tons surfaced and 843 long tons submerged. She measured 66.5 m (218 ft) long with a beam of 6.2 m (20 ft). Her designed speed was 17.9 knots.

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

She was in commission for 1,518 days of the Second World War. She was decommissioned in October 1943.

She was scuttled on 5 May 1945, at 54°50′N 9°29′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 × supercharged diesel engines totalling 2800 - 3200 PS surfaced
  • 2 × electric engines totalling 750 PS submerged
Armament
  • 5 × 53.3 cm torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern)
  • 14 torpedoes or 26 TMA or 39 TMB mines
  • 1 × 8.8 cm SK C/35 naval gun with 220 rounds
  • 1 × 2 cm C/30 anti-aircraft gun

Sister ships

Sources