Recognition Guide Warships of the Second World War
Kriegsmarine — Submarine 1940

German submarine U-71 (1940)

Type VIIC submarine

German submarine U-71 (1940)
RAAF Photographer — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons Plate — 1940 BAY OF BISCAY. 1942-06-05. OUTWARD BOUND GERMAN U71 UNDER ATTACK BY MACHINE GUN FIRE FROM A SUNDERLAND CAPTAINED BY FLIGHT OFFICER S. R. C. WOOD OF NO. 10 SQUADRON RAAF HAD BEEN FORCED TO SURFACE BY DEPTH CHARGES FROM THE SUNDERLAND. THE SUBMARINE HAD REGAINED TRIM WITH ITS BOWS AWASH AND, ALTHOUGH SEVERELY DAMAGED, WAS ABLE TO RETURN TO ITS BASE AT LA PALLICE, BORDEAUX, BECAUSE THE SUNDERLAND HAD

Service

  1. Kriegsmarine as U-7114 December 1940 — 2 May 19451,600 days of the war
Type VIIC submarine Particulars
Name
U-71
Pennant / hull number
1940
Builder
Germaniawerft, Kiel
Ordered
25 January 1939
Laid down
21 December 1939
Launched
31 October 1940
Commissioned
14 December 1940
Fate
Scuttled on 2 May 1945 (1945)
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-71 was a Type VIIC submarine built for the Kriegsmarine. She carried the pennant number 1940. Germaniawerft, Kiel laid her keel on 21 December 1939. Launched on 31 October 1940, she entered service on 14 December 1940.

She was one of 612 ships of her class. 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 1,600 days of the Second World War.

She was scuttled on 2 May 1945. 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 or 26 TMA mines
  • 1 × 8.8 cm deck gun (220 rounds)
  • 1 × 2 cm C/30 anti-aircraft gun

Sister ships

587 more in the class

Sources