German submarine U-518

U-505, a typical Type IXC boat
History
Nazi Germany
Name:	U-518
Ordered:	14 February 1940
Builder:	Deutsche Werft, Hamburg
Yard number:	314
Laid down:	12 June 1941
Launched:	11 February 1942
Commissioned:	25 April 1942
Fate:	Sunk, 22 April 1945
General characteristics
Class and type:	Type IXC submarine
Displacement:	1,120 t (1,100 long tons) surfaced 1,232 t (1,213 long tons) submerged
Length:	76.76 m (251 ft 10 in) o/a 58.75 m (192 ft 9 in) pressure hull
Beam:	6.76 m (22 ft 2 in) o/a 4.40 m (14 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height:	9.60 m (31 ft 6 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
Speed:	18.3 knots (33.9 km/h; 21.1 mph) surfaced 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph) submerged
Range:	13,450 nmi (24,910 km; 15,480 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced 64 nmi (119 km; 74 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 (4.1 in) deck gun (180 rounds) 1 × 3.7 cm (1.5 in) AA gun 1 × twin 2 cm FlaK 30 AA guns
Service record
Part of:	4th U-boat Flotilla 25 April – 30 September 1942 2nd U-boat Flotilla 1 October 1942 – 31 October 1944 33rd U-boat Flotilla 1 November 1944 – 22 April 1945
Commanders:	F.Kapt. Hans-Günther Brachmann 25 April – 18 August 1942 Kptlt. Friedrich-Wilhelm Wissmann 19 August 1942 – 13 January 1944 Oblt.z.S. Hans-Werner Offermann 13 January 1944 – 22 April 1945
Operations:	1st patrol: 26 September – 15 December 1942 2nd patrol: 11 January – 27 April 1943 3rd patrol: 24 June – 3 July 1943 4th patrol: 18 August – 1 December 1943 5th patrol: 23 January – 7 May 1944 6th patrol: 15 July – 24 October 1944 7th patrol: 12 March – 22 April 1945
Victories:	Nine commercial ships sunk (55,747 GRT) three commercial ships damaged (22,616 GRT)

German submarine U-518 was a Type IXC U-boat of the Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. She saw considerable success from her launch on 11 February 1942 until she was sunk on 22 April 1945. The U-boat was laid down at the Deutsche Werft in Hamburg as yard number 314 on 12 June 1941, and commissioned on 25 April 1942 with Fregattenkapitän Hans-Günther Brachmann in command. He was replaced on 19 August 1942 by Kapitänleutnant Friedrich-Wilhelm Wissmann. She sank nine ships and damaged three more in ten active patrols. U-518 had a crew of 56, and was by then commanded by Oberleutnant zur See Hans-Werner Offermann from 13 January 1944.

German Type IXC submarines were slightly larger than the original Type IXBs. U-518 had a displacement of 1,120 tonnes (1,100 long tons) when at the surface and 1,232 tonnes (1,213 long tons) while submerged. The U-boat had a total length of 76.76 m (251 ft 10 in), a pressure hull length of 58.75 m (192 ft 9 in), a beam of 6.76 m (22 ft 2 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 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 shaft horsepower (1,010 PS; 750 kW) 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).