German submarine U-541 facts for kids
_receiving_the_surrender_of_the_German_submarine_U-541_in_the_Atlantic_Ocean_on_11_May_1945_(80-G-319661).jpg)
U-541 surrendering on 11 May 1945
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Quick facts for kids History |
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 Nazi Germany |
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| Name | U-541 |
| Ordered | 5 June 1941 |
| Builder | Deutsche Werft, Hamburg |
| Yard number | 362 |
| 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 |
| 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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| Identification codes: | M 51 083 |
| Commanders: |
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| Operations: |
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| Victories: | 1 merchant ship sunk (2,140 GRT) |
The German submarine U-541 was a special type of U-boat used by Nazi Germany's navy, the Kriegsmarine, during World War II. It was built in Hamburg and started its service on March 24, 1943, with Kurt Petersen as its captain.
U-541 was first used for training. Later, it joined different groups of U-boats for real missions. This submarine went on four patrols and managed to sink one enemy ship. It also worked with other U-boats in groups called wolfpacks.
At the end of the war, U-541 surrendered on May 12, 1945, in Gibraltar. It was later moved to Northern Ireland and was sunk on January 5, 1946, as part of an operation to get rid of captured U-boats.
Contents
The U-541 Submarine: What it Was Like
U-541 was a Type IXC/40 submarine. These were a bit bigger than earlier models.
Size and Weight
When U-541 was on the surface, it weighed about 1,144 tons. When it was underwater, it weighed 1,257 tons. The submarine was about 76.76 meters (251 feet) long. Its main body, called the pressure hull, was 58.75 meters (192 feet) long. It was 6.86 meters (22 feet) wide and 9.60 meters (31 feet) tall. The part of the boat that was underwater, its draught, was 4.67 meters (15 feet).
Engines and Speed
The submarine had two powerful diesel engines for moving on the surface. These engines produced a lot of power, about 4,400 horsepower. When underwater, it used two electric motors that made about 1,000 horsepower. It had two propellers, each about 1.92 meters (6 feet) wide.
U-541 could travel at a top speed of 18.3 knots (about 33.9 km/h or 21.1 mph) on the surface. Underwater, its top speed was 7.3 knots (about 13.5 km/h or 8.4 mph). It could travel a long way without needing to refuel. On the surface, it could go 13,850 nautical miles (about 25,650 km or 15,930 miles) at a slower speed. Underwater, it could travel 63 nautical miles (about 117 km or 72 miles) at 4 knots.
How Deep it Could Go
This U-boat could dive to depths of up to 230 meters (750 feet).
Crew and Weapons
The U-541 had a crew of 48 people, including 4 officers and 44 sailors. It was armed with:
- Six torpedo tubes (four at the front and two at the back).
- 22 torpedoes, which are underwater missiles.
- One large deck gun for fighting ships on the surface.
- Two anti-aircraft guns (a 3.7 cm gun and a twin 2 cm gun) to defend against airplanes.
Missions of U-541
U-541 completed four patrols during its time in service.
First Patrol: Into the Atlantic
U-541 started its first mission from Kiel, Germany, on November 4, 1943. It sailed through the area between Iceland and the Faroe Islands, known as the GIUK gap, and then went into the wide Atlantic Ocean. This patrol ended on January 9, 1944, when the submarine arrived at Lorient, a port on the French coast.
Second and Third Patrols: North America and a Sinking
For its second mission, U-541 traveled towards the eastern coast of North America.
During its third mission, the submarine successfully sank a ship called the Livingston. This happened northeast of Louisbourg, Nova Scotia.
While preparing to attack a group of ships in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, a Canadian warship, HMCS Norsyd, spotted U-541 and started firing. The submarine had to dive quickly to escape. For two days, four frigates, a minesweeper, and planes from the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) hunted U-541, but it managed to get away.
On May 26, 1944, U-541 stopped a Portuguese ship called the Serpa Pinto in the middle of the Atlantic. The U-boat captain told the crew and passengers to leave their ship in lifeboats. The German U-boat waited for permission from its headquarters to sink the ship. After waiting all night, the German Admiral Karl Dönitz said no to sinking the ship. So, the U-boat left, and the people returned to their ship.
Fourth Patrol: The Final Mission
The last patrol for U-541 began in Horten Naval Base in Norway on April 7, 1945. This mission ended with the submarine's surrender in Gibraltar on May 12, 1945, just after the war in Europe ended.
The End of U-541
After surrendering, U-541 was taken to Lisahally in Northern Ireland. It was part of an operation called Deadlight, where many captured German U-boats were sunk. U-541 was sunk on January 5, 1946, at the coordinates 55°38′N 07°35′W / 55.633°N 7.583°W.
Working in Wolfpacks
U-541 was part of four wolfpacks, which were groups of U-boats that hunted enemy ships together:
- Coronel (December 4 – 8, 1943)
- Coronel 2 (December 8 – 14, 1943)
- Coronel 3 (December 14 – 17, 1943)
- Borkum (December 18 – 26, 1943)
Ships Sunk by U-541
U-541 sank one merchant ship during its patrols:
| Date | Ship Name | Nationality | Tonnage (GRT) |
Fate |
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| 3 September 1944 | Livingston |  United Kingdom |
2,140 | Sunk |
