German submarine U-61 (1939)

History
Nazi Germany
Name:	U-61
Ordered:	21 July 1937
Builder:	Deutsche Werke AG, Kiel
Laid down:	1 October 1938 as yard number 260
Launched:	15 June 1939
Commissioned:	12 August 1939
Fate:	Scuttled at Wilhelmshaven, 2 May 1945
General characteristics
Class and type:	IIC
Type:	Coastal submarine
Displacement:	291 t (286 long tons) surfaced 341 t (336 long tons) submerged
Length:	43.90 m (144 ft 0 in) o/a 29.60 m (97 ft 1 in) pressure hull
Beam:	4.08 m (13 ft 5 in) (o/a) 4.00 m (13 ft 1 in) (pressure hull)
Height:	8.40 m (27 ft 7 in)
Draught:	3.82 m (12 ft 6 in)
Installed power:	700 PS (510 kW; 690 bhp) (diesels) 410 PS (300 kW; 400 shp) (electric)
Propulsion:	2 shafts 2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors
Range:	1,900 nmi (3,500 km; 2,200 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) surfaced 35–42 nmi (65–78 km; 40–48 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth:	80 m (260 ft)
Complement:	3 officers, 22 men
Armament:	3 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes 5 × torpedoes or up to 12 TMA or 18 TMB 1 × 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun
Service record
Part of:	Kriegsmarine: 5th U-boat Flotilla (Training) 1st U-boat Flotilla (Front or operational boat) 22nd U-boat Flotilla (School or training Boat)
Commanders:	Oblt.z.S. Jürgen Oesten: 18 August 1939 - 28 July 1940 Wolf-Harro Stiebler Willy Matke Oblt.z.S. Hans Lange Oblt.z.S. Horst Geider Oblt.z.S. Wolfgang Ley Oblt.z.S. Rudolf Schultze Lt.z.S. Werner Zapf
Operations:	Eleven 1st patrol: 24 October – 14 November 1939 2nd patrol: 28 November – 3 December 1939 3rd patrol: 7–18 December 1939 4th patrol: 15 – 30 January 1940 5th patrol: 12–27 February 1940 6th patrol: 29 February – 1 March 1940 7th patrol: 11 April – 7 May 1940 8th patrol: 6 June – 1 July 1940 9th patrol: 6–25 July 1940 10th patrol: 29 August – 15 September 1940 11th patrol: 24 September – 10 October 1940
Victories:	Five ships sunk, total 19,668 GRT One ship of 4,434 tons damaged

German submarine U-61 was a Type IIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine that served in the Second World War. She was built by Deutsche Werke AG, Kiel. Ordered on 21 June 1937, she was laid down on 1 October as yard number 260. She was launched on 15 June 1939 and commissioned on 12 August under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Jürgen Oesten.

U-61 was initially assigned to the 5th U-boat Flotilla during her training period, until 1 January 1940, when she was reassigned to the 1st flotilla for a front-line combat role. U-61 carried out eleven war patrols, sinking five ships for a total of 19,668 gross register tons (GRT) and damaging one of 4,434 tons. She then joined the 21st flotilla as a 'school' or training boat in November 1940 where she remained for the rest of the war.

She was scuttled at Wilhelmshaven in May 1945.

German Type IIC submarines were enlarged versions of the original Type IIs. U-61 had a displacement of 291 tonnes (286 long tons) when at the surface and 341 tonnes (336 long tons) while submerged. Officially, the standard tonnage was 250 long tons (250 t), however. The U-boat had a total length of 43.90 m (144 ft 0 in), a pressure hull length of 29.60 m (97 ft 1 in), a beam of 4.08 m (13 ft 5 in), a height of 8.40 m (27 ft 7 in), and a draught of 3.82 m (12 ft 6 in). The submarine was powered by two MWM RS 127 S four-stroke, six-cylinder diesel engines of 700 metric horsepower (510 kW; 690 shp) for cruising, two Siemens-Schuckert PG VV 322/36 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 410 metric horsepower (300 kW; 400 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 0.85 m (3 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 80–150 metres (260–490 ft).

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