Recognition Guide Warships of the Second World War
Kriegsmarine — Submarine

German submarine U-544

Type IXC/40 submarine

Displacement
1,126 long tons (1,144 t)
Length
76.76 m (251.8 ft)
Beam
6.86 m (22.5 ft)
Speed
18.3 knots (33.9 km/h, 21.1 mph)
Complement
48
Main gun
105 mm (4.1 in)

Service

  1. Kriegsmarine as U-5445 May 1943 — 16 January 1944256 days of the war
Type IXC/40 submarine Particulars
Name
U-544
Builder
Deutsche Werft, Hamburg
Ordered
5 June 1941
Laid down
8 July 1942
Launched
17 February 1943
Commissioned
5 May 1943
Fate
Sunk on 16 January 1944 (1944)
Status
Wreck

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-544 was a Type IXC/40 submarine built for the Kriegsmarine. Deutsche Werft, Hamburg laid her keel on 8 July 1942. She entered service on 5 May 1943, having been launched on 17 February 1943.

Her class ran to 142 ships. 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 256 days of the Second World War.

She was sunk on 16 January 1944, at 40°30′N 37°20′W. 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
  • 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