Type II submarine

Type II submarine. The Type II U-boat was a class of small, coastal submarines built for the Kriegsmarine in the 1930s. Designed as a stopgap to train crews and develop tactics while larger boats were developed, these vessels saw extensive service in the early years of World War II. Often referred to as "canoes" or "dugouts" due to their size, they formed a critical foundation for Germany's U-boat arm.

Design and development

The design was heavily influenced by the Finnish Vesikko and the German CV 707 submarine, which were developed through clandestine cooperation between Kriegsmarine officials and the Finnish Navy to circumvent the restrictions of the Treaty of Versailles. Under the leadership of the Marineamt and engineers from AG Weser and Deutsche Werke, the Type II was conceived as a simple, quick-to-build coastal boat. Its primary roles were training, coastal defense, and operational testing in the confined waters of the Baltic Sea and North Sea. The design prioritized ease of construction and handling, featuring a single-hull construction, modest dimensions, and a relatively simple propulsion system combining MAN diesel engines and Siemens electric motors. This development program, managed by the Oberkommando der Marine, was a direct precursor to the more famous Type VII submarine and Type IX submarine that would later dominate the Battle of the Atlantic.

Service history

Upon the outbreak of World War II, Type II boats were immediately pressed into combat, forming the backbone of the U-boat force during the opening phases of the conflict. They conducted patrols from bases like Wilhelmshaven and Kiel, laying mines off the coasts of Britain and engaging Allied shipping in the English Channel and North Sea. Notable early actions included operations by flotillas such as the 1st U-boat Flotilla and the 3rd U-boat Flotilla. However, their limited range and endurance made them unsuitable for the mid-Atlantic campaigns. As the war progressed and larger U-boats entered service, most Type IIs were withdrawn from front-line duty by 1941. They were subsequently relegated to training roles with units like the 21st U-boat Flotilla and the 22nd U-boat Flotilla in the Baltic Sea, where they trained crews for the Atlantic U-boat campaign. Several were also used for transport missions in the Black Sea after being shipped overland to support operations against the Soviet Union.

Variants

The class was built in four main variants, each incorporating incremental improvements. The initial **Type IIA** boats, built at Deutsche Werke in Kiel, were the shortest and had only two bow torpedo tubes. The **Type IIB**, constructed by Flender Werke in Lübeck and others, featured a lengthened hull for increased fuel capacity and range. The **Type IIC**, built by Germaniawerft in Kiel, introduced a slightly wider hull and improved internal arrangements. The final production model was the **Type IID**, which included external saddle tanks that significantly increased fuel storage and submerged displacement, giving it the greatest range of the series. All variants shared the same basic armament and propulsion philosophy, with modifications focused on extending operational endurance and improving seakeeping.

Operators

The primary and only major wartime operator was Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine. Following Germany's defeat in World War II, surviving boats were distributed among the victorious Allies as war reparations. The Soviet Navy received several boats, incorporating them into the Baltic Fleet for testing and training purposes. The Royal Navy and the United States Navy also took possession of examples for technical evaluation. One boat, U-2367, was famously scuttled in the Baltic Sea in 1945, later raised by the West German Bundesmarine, and recommissioned as *Hai* in 1957, serving until its loss in a tragic accident in 1966.

Specifications

* **Displacement:** 254 tonnes surfaced; 303 tonnes submerged (Type IID: 314/364 tonnes) * **Length:** 40.9 m (IIA) to 43.97 m (IID) * **Beam:** 4.08 m (IIA/C) to 4.92 m (IID) * **Propulsion:** 2 × MAN diesel engines (700 bhp); 2 × Siemens electric motors (360 shp) * **Speed:** 13 knots surfaced; 6.9 knots submerged * **Range:** 1,600 nmi at 8 knots surfaced (IIB); 3,450 nmi at 8 knots surfaced (IID) * **Test depth:** 150 m (estimated) * **Complement:** 22–25 officers and men * **Armament:** 3 × 53.3 cm bow torpedo tubes (5 torpedoes or 12 TMA naval mines); 1 × 2 cm C/30 anti-aircraft gun

Category:Submarine classes Category:World War II submarines of Germany