German submarine U-38 (1938)

U-37, (an identical U-boat to U-38) at Lorient in 1940. Note the twin rudders
History
Nazi Germany
Name:	U-38
Ordered:	29 July 1936
Builder:	DeSchiMAG AG Weser, Bremen
Yard number:	943
Laid down:	15 April 1937
Launched:	9 August 1938
Commissioned:	24 October 1938
Fate:	Scuttled on 5 May 1945 west of Wesermünde and later broken up in 1948
General characteristics
Class and type:	Type IXA submarine
Displacement:	1,032 t (1,016 long tons) surfaced 1,153 t (1,135 long tons) submerged
Length:	76.50 m (251 ft) o/a 58.75 m (192 ft 9 in) pressure hull
Beam:	6.51 m (21 ft 4 in) o/a 4.40 m (14 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height:	9.40 m (30 ft 10 in)
Draught:	4.70 m (15 ft 5 in)
Installed power:	4,400 PS (3,200 kW; 4,300 bhp) (diesels) 1,000 PS (740 kW; 990 shp) (electric)
Propulsion:	2 shafts 2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors
Range:	10,500 nmi (19,400 km; 12,100 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced 65–78 nmi (120–144 km; 75–90 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth:	230 m (750 ft)
Complement:	4 officers, 44 enlisted
Armament:	6 × torpedo tubes (4 bow, 2 stern) 22 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedoes 1 × 10.5 cm SK C/32 naval gun (180 rounds) 1 × 3.7 cm (1.5 in) SK C/30 AA gun 1 × twin 2 cm FlaK 30 AA guns
Service record
Part of:	Kriegsmarine: 6th U-boat Flotilla 24 October 1938 – 31 December 1939 2nd U-boat Flotilla 1 January 1940 – 30 November 1941 24th U-boat Flotilla 1 December 1941 – 31 March 1942 21st U-boat Flotilla 1 April 1942 – 30 November 1943 4th U-boat Flotilla 1 December 1943 – 28 February 1945 5th U-boat Flotilla 1 March 1945 – 5 May 1945
Identification codes:	M 20 675
Commanders:	Kptlt. Heinrich Liebe Heinrich Schuch Oblt.z.S. Ludo Kregelin Oblt.z.S. Helmut Laubert Oblt.z.S. Paul Sander Oblt.z.S. Goske von Möllendorff Oblt.z.S. Herbert Kühn K.Kapt. Georg Peters
Operations:	11
Victories:	35 ships sunk for a total of 188,967 GRT One ship damaged for a total of 3,670 GRT

German submarine U-38 was a Type IXA U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine that operated during World War II.

Her keel was laid down on 15 April 1937, by DeSchiMAG AG Weser of Bremen as yard number 943. She was launched on 9 August 1938 and commissioned on 24 October with Kapitänleutnant Heinrich Liebe in command.

U-38 conducted eleven patrols, as part of several flotillas. During her career, she sank over 30 enemy vessels and damaged a further one. U-38 ranks as one of the most successful U-boats in World War II. She was scuttled west of Wesermünde (modern Bremerhaven) on 5 May 1945. Throughout the war, the U-Boat suffered no losses among her crew.

As one of the eight original German Type IX submarines, later designated IXA, U-38 had a displacement of 1,032 tonnes (1,016 long tons) when at the surface and 1,153 tonnes (1,135 long tons) while submerged. The U-boat had a total length of 76.50 m (251 ft), a pressure hull length of 58.75 m (192 ft 9 in), a beam of 6.51 m (21 ft 4 in), a height of 9.40 m (30 ft 10 in), and a draught of 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in). The submarine was powered by two MAN M 9 V 40/46 supercharged four-stroke, nine-cylinder diesel engines producing a total of 4,400 metric horsepower (3,240 kW; 4,340 shp) for use while surfaced, two Siemens-Schuckert 2 GU 345/34 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 1,000 metric horsepower (740 kW; 990 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.92 m (6 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).