Recognition Guide Warships of the Second World War
Kriegsmarine — Submarine

German submarine U-541

Type IXC/40 submarine

German submarine U-541
Unknown author — U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command photo 80-G-319661 — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons Plate The Royal Navy destroyer HMS Malcolm (I19) receiving the surrender of the German submarine U-541 in the Atlantic Ocean, west of Cape St. Vincent, Spain, on 11 May 1945. The photo was taken from a U.S. Navy Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina of Patrol Bombing Squadron 63 (VPB-63), piloted by Lieutenant W.D. Ray, from Naval Air Station Port Lyautey, Morocco. Note the retrobomb anti-submarine rockets under

Service

  1. Kriegsmarine as U-54124 March 1943 — 12 May 1945780 days of the war
Type IXC/40 submarine Particulars
Name
U-541
Builder
Deutsche Werft, Hamburg
Ordered
5 June 1941
Laid down
5 June 1942
Launched
5 January 1943
Commissioned
24 March 1943
Fate
Surrendered on 12 May 1945 at Gibraltar; transferred to Lisahally in Northern Ireland. Sunk on 5 January 1946 (1945)
Status
Unknown

Specifications

Displacement, surfaced
1,126 long tons (1,144 t)
Displacement, submerged
1,237 long tons (1,257 t)
Length
76.76 m (251.8 ft) OA
Beam
6.86 m (22.5 ft)
Draught
4.67 m (15.3 ft)
Speed
18.3 knots (33.9 km/h, 21.1 mph)
Range
13,850 nmi (25,650 km)
Complement
48
Main gun
105 mm (4.1 in)

U-541 was a Type IXC/40 submarine built for the Kriegsmarine. Her keel was laid at Deutsche Werft, Hamburg on 5 June 1942. She entered service on 24 March 1943, having been launched on 5 January 1943.

She was one of 142 ships of her class. The class followed the Type I and was succeeded by the Type XXI.

The boat displaced 1,126 long tons surfaced and 1,237 long tons submerged. She measured 76.8 m (252 ft) long with a beam of 6.9 m (23 ft). Her designed speed was 18.3 knots, and she carried a complement of 48.

Her main battery was one 105 mm (4.1 in) guns.

She was in commission for 780 days of the Second World War.

She was transferred on 12 May 1945.

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
  • 4400 PS (diesels)
  • 1000 PS (electric)
Armament
  • 6 × torpedo tubes (4 bow, 2 stern)
  • 22 × 53.3 cm torpedoes
  • 1 × 10.5 cm SK C/32 deck gun (180 rounds)
  • 1 × 3.7 cm SK C/30 AA gun
  • 1 × twin 2 cm FlaK 30 AA guns

Sister ships

117 more in the class

Sources

  • Facts harvested from German submarine U-541 on Wikipedia. Figures only — no wording is taken from it.
  • Photograph: Unknown author — U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command photo 80-G-319661 — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons