German submarine U-681
{{Short description|German World War II submarine}}
| {{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image |Ship image= |Ship caption= }} {{Infobox ship career |Hide header= |Ship country=Nazi Germany |Ship flag={{shipboxflag|Nazi Germany|naval}} |Ship name=U-681 |Ship ordered=25 August 1941 |Ship builder=Howaldtswerke, Hamburg |Ship yard number=830 |Ship laid down=21 October 1942 |Ship launched=20 November 1943 |Ship commissioned=3 February 1944 |Ship homeport= |Ship motto= |Ship nickname= |Ship fate=Sunk by depth charges on 11 March 1945 |Ship notes= }} {{Infobox ship characteristics |Hide header= |Header caption= |Ship class=Type VIIC submarine |Ship displacement=
|Ship length=
|Ship beam=
|Ship height={{convert|9.60|m|ftin|abbr=on}} |Ship draught={{convert|4.74|m|ftin|abbr=on}} |Ship power=
|Ship propulsion=
|Ship speed=
|Ship range=
|Ship test depth=
|Ship complement=4 officers, 40–56 enlisted |Ship armament=
|Ship notes= }} {{Infobox service record |is_ship=yes |label=Service record |partof=
|codes=M 49 036 |commanders=*Oblt.z.S.d.R. Helmut Bach
|operations=*1 patrol:
|victories=None }} |
German submarine U-681 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 12 October 1942 at the Howaldtswerke yard at Hamburg, launched on 20 November 1943, and commissioned on 3 February 1944 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See d.R. Helmut Bach.
Attached to 31st U-boat Flotilla based at Kiel, U-681 completed her training period on 31 October 1944 and was assigned to front-line service.
Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-681 had a displacement of {{convert|769|t|LT}} when at the surface and {{convert|871|t|LT}} while submerged.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|pp=43-46}} She had a total length of {{convert|67.10|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, a pressure hull length of {{convert|50.50|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, a beam of {{convert|6.20|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, a height of {{convert|9.60|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, and a draught of {{convert|4.74|m|ftin|abbr=on}}. The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of {{convert|2800 to 3200|PS|kW shp|-1}} for use while surfaced, two Siemens-Schuckert GU 343/38–8 double-acting electric motors producing a total of {{convert|750|PS|kW shp}} for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two {{convert|1.23|m|ft|abbr=on|0}} propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to {{convert|230|m}}.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|pp=43-46}}
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of {{convert|17.7|kn}} and a maximum submerged speed of {{convert|7.6|kn}}.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|pp=43-46}} When submerged, the boat could operate for {{convert|80|nmi}} at {{convert|4|kn}}; when surfaced, she could travel {{convert|8500|nmi}} at {{convert|10|kn}}. U-681 was fitted with five {{convert|53.3|cm|in|0|abbr=on}} torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm SK C/35 naval gun, (220 rounds), one 3.7 cm Flak 18/36/37/43 and two twin 2 cm FlaK 30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|pp=43-46}}
Service history
On 10 March 1945, U-681 grounded off Scilly, damaging the pressure hull and propellers. Unable to dive, Werner Gebauer, the commander of the U-boat, headed for the Irish coast, hoping for internment by Irish authorities. However, the next morning PB4Y-1 Liberator N of VPB-103 spotted U-681 on the surface and went in for the attack. Eight depth charges further damaged the U-boat, and Gebauer ordered the crew to abandon ship. With sea cocks opened and demolition charges set, U-681 submerged followed by a massive explosion. Of the crew of 47, a British escort picked up 38 survivors.{{sfn|Busch|Röll|1999b|p=323}}
References
{{reflist}}
Bibliography
{{Refbegin}}
- {{cite book | last1 = Busch | first1 = Rainer | last2 = Röll | first2 = Hans-Joachim | translator-last = Brooks | translator-first = Geoffrey | title = German U-boat commanders of World War II : a biographical dictionary | publisher = Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press | location = London, Annapolis, Md | year = 1999a | isbn = 1-55750-186-6 }}
- {{cite book |last1=Busch |first1=Rainer |last2=Röll |first2=Hans-Joachim |title=Der U-Boot-Krieg, 1939-1945: Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945|trans-title=German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945 |date=1999b|volume=IV |publisher=Mittler|location=Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn |isbn=3-8132-0514-2 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vXKwAAAAIAAJ |language=de}}
- {{cite book |last1=Gröner |first1=Eric |last2=Jung |first2=Dieter |last3=Maass |first3=Martin |translator-last1=Thomas|translator-first1=Keith|translator-last2=Magowan|translator-first2=Rachel |title=German Warships 1815-1945: U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels |date=1991 |publisher=Conway Maritime Press |location=London |volume=2 |isbn=0-85177-593-4 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Udg-0AEACAAJ|ref=CITEREFGröner1991}}
{{Refend}}
External links
- {{Cite web
|url=http://uboat.net/boats/u681.html
|title=The Type VIIC boat U-681
|last=Helgason
|first=Guðmundur
|website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net
|access-date=23 July 2015
}}
{{coord|49|53|N|6|31|W|display=title}}
{{German Type VII submarines}}
{{March 1945 shipwrecks}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2015}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:U0681}}
Category:German Type VIIC submarines
Category:Ships built in Hamburg
Category:U-boats commissioned in 1944
Category:U-boats scuttled in 1945