German submarine U-534 facts for kids
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|} The German submarine U-534was a U-boat(a type of submarine) used by Germany's navy, the Kriegsmarine, during World War II. It was a Type IXC/40 model, built in 1942 in Hamburg. The U-534is special because it's one of only four German World War II submarines still preserved today. Another famous one is the U-505in Chicago. U-534was mostly used for training and didn't sink any enemy ships. However, it did shoot down two British aircraft. On 5 May 1945, a Royal Air Forcebomber sank the U-534near the Danish island of Anholt. Many years later, in 1993, the submarine was brought up from the seabed. Since 2009, you can see it on display in Birkenhead, England, as part of the U-boat Storymuseum.
Contents
| History | |
|---|---|
 Nazi Germany |
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| Name | U-534 |
| Ordered | 10 April 1941 |
| Builder | Deutsche Werft AG, Hamburg |
| Yard number | 352 |
| Laid down | 20 February 1942 |
| Launched | 3 September 1942 |
| Commissioned | 3 December 1942 |
| Fate |
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| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Type IXC/40 submarine |
| Displacement |
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| Length |
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| Beam |
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| Height | 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in) |
| Draught | 4.67 m (15 ft 4 in) |
| Installed power |
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| Propulsion |
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| Speed |
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| Range |
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| Test depth | 230 m (750 ft) |
| Complement | 4 officers, 44 enlisted |
| Armament |
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| Service record | |
| Part of: |
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| Commanders: | Kptlt. Herbert Nollau |
| Operations: | One training patrol, two combat patrols. |
| Victories: | No ships sunk. Two British aircraft shot down |
- Anti-Aircraft Weapons
- Anti-Sonar Tricks
- Bringing the Submarine Up: Salvage
- Becoming a Museum Ship
- Gallery
- Images for kids
Submarine Design and Features
German Type IXC/40 submarines like U-534 were a bit bigger than earlier models. When it was on the surface, U-534 weighed about 1,144 tonnes. When it was underwater, it weighed 1,257 tonnes.
The submarine was about 76.76 meters (251 feet) long overall. Its main strong hull, called the pressure hull, was 58.75 meters (192 feet) long. The submarine was 6.86 meters (22 feet) wide and 9.60 meters (31 feet) tall. It needed 4.67 meters (15 feet) of water to float.
How it Moved
The U-534 had two powerful diesel engines for moving on the surface. These engines produced 4,400 horsepower. For moving underwater, it used two electric motors that made 1,000 horsepower. It had two propellers to push it through the water.
The submarine could travel at a top speed of 18.3 knots (about 34 km/h or 21 mph) on the surface. Underwater, it was slower, reaching 7.3 knots (about 13.5 km/h or 8.4 mph).
It could travel a very long distance on the surface, about 13,850 nautical miles (25,650 km or 15,940 miles) at 10 knots. Underwater, its range was much shorter, about 63 nautical miles (117 km or 73 miles) at 4 knots. The U-534 could dive to a depth of 230 meters (750 feet).
Weapons and Crew
The U-534 was armed with six torpedo tubes. Four were at the front (bow) and two were at the back (stern). It carried 22 torpedoes.
For fighting on the surface, it had a 10.5 cm (4.1 inch) deck gun with 180 rounds. It also had anti-aircraft guns to shoot down planes: a 3.7 cm (1.5 inch) gun and a twin 2 cm (0.79 inch) gun.
The submarine needed a crew of 48 people to operate it. This included 4 officers and 44 enlisted sailors.
Submarine's Journey: Service History
After it was built, the U-534 was sent to the 4th U-boat Flotilla in Stettin. Here, it was used for training and testing new weapons, like the Zaunkoenig T-5 acoustic torpedo. This training period lasted until February 1943.
Later, some changes were made to the submarine, like removing its main gun and adding more anti-aircraft guns. In June 1943, it was moved to the 2nd U-boat Flotilla.
May 1944 Patrol
On 8 May 1944, U-534 began its first operational mission. It sailed with two other U-boats, U-853 and U-857, to report on the weather near Greenland. This first war patrol faced problems like an oil leak and very bad weather in the North Atlantic.
August 1944 Patrol
On 11 August, an enemy aircraft attacked the U-534, but the submarine was not damaged. Two days later, it was attacked again by two Halifax bombers. The U-534's guns caused heavy damage to the planes. The submarine then safely reached Bordeaux, France. There, it was fitted with a Schnorchel, a device that allowed it to run its diesel engines and get fresh air while submerged.
The second patrol started on 25 August 1944. The U-534 had to escape the Allied forces blocking the port of Lorient in France to get back to a friendly port. On 25 August, the new Schnorchel was used for the first time. However, exhaust gases leaked into the submarine, and some crew members fainted.
When the submarine surfaced for air, a Wellington bomber spotted it. The U-534's gunners quickly shot down this plane on 27 August. On 28 October, the submarine arrived in Kiel, Germany. It was then moved to the 33rd U-boat Flotilla and underwent a major repair and upgrade. This kept it out of action until 1 May 1945.
Final Days: May 1945
In the early morning of 5 May 1945, Admiral Dönitz ordered a partial surrender of German forces. The U-534 was told that the fighting had stopped south of a certain line. However, later that day, it was sunk by a British aircraft.
Anti-Aircraft Weapons
The U-534 had a special twin 3.7 cm Flakzwilling M43U anti-aircraft gun. This was one of the best AA (anti-aircraft) weapons used by Germany's navy. This type of gun mount, called the DLM42, was mostly used on larger Type IX U-boats because it was too heavy for the smaller Type VII U-boats. The 3.7 cm Flak M42U was the naval version of this gun, used to protect submarines from air attacks.
Anti-Sonar Tricks
Just above the propeller on the right side of the U-534 was a special chute called a Pillenwerfer. This device could release a decoy called Bold. A decoy is something that tricks the enemy.
The Bold decoy worked by creating a screen of bubbles in the water. This happened when a chemical called calcium hydride reacted with seawater. The bubbles would make a false target for enemy sonar, making it harder for them to find the real submarine.
Bringing the Submarine Up: Salvage
The U-534 rested on the seabed for almost 41 years. In 1986, a Danish wreck hunter named Aage Jensen found it at a depth of 67 meters (220 feet).
Soon after, the wreck hunters contacted Karsten Ree, a Danish millionaire. He agreed to pay for the submarine to be brought to the surface. There were many rumors in the news that the submarine might contain Nazi gold, which made the story very exciting. However, when the U-534 was raised on 23 August 1993, it turned out there was nothing unusual inside.
Becoming a Museum Ship
In 1996, the U-534 was moved to Birkenhead, England. It became part of the Warship Preservation Trust's collection at Birkenhead Docks. This museum closed in 2006.
However, in 2007, the Merseytravel transport authority bought the submarine. They wanted to display it at the Woodside Ferry Terminal.
To make it easier and cheaper to move the huge submarine to its new home, engineers had to cut it into five pieces. Two of these pieces were later joined back together. Now, the U-534 is displayed in these separate sections. This allows visitors to see inside the submarine without actually having to go inside it.
The process of cutting the U-534 began on 6 February 2008, using a special diamond wire cutter. On 10 March 2008, the heavy sections, some weighing up to 240 tonnes, were moved by a floating crane. The "U-boat Story" exhibition, where the U-534 is displayed, opened on 10 February 2009.
Gallery
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U-534 at the Historic Warships Museum, Birkenhead, Merseyside
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Part of the hull and conning tower of U-534
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U-534 in situ at the U-534 visitors centre at Woodside
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Aft starboard side showing depth charge damage and Pillenwerfer chute (rectangular hole)
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Forward port side showing hydroplanes & torpedo tubes
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U-534 conning tower
Images for kids
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U-534 under attack by an RAF Liberator, from 86 Squadron
