Type 201 submarine

{{Infobox ship image

| Ship image = 250px

| Ship caption =

}}

{{Infobox ship class overview

| Builders = Howaldtswerke, Kiel, Germany

| Operators = *{{Navy|Germany}}

{{navy|Norway}}

| Class before = Type XXIII U-boat

| Class after = Type 205 U-boat

| Subclasses =

| Built range = 1960–1962

| In commission range = 1962–1967

| Total ships building =

| Total ships planned = 12

| Total ships completed = 3

| Total ships cancelled = 9

| Total ships active = 0

| Total ships laid up =

| Total ships lost =

| Total ships retired = 3

| Total ships preserved =

}}

{{Infobox ship characteristics

| Hide header =

| Header caption =

| Ship type = Coastal U-boat

| Ship displacement = *{{convert|395|t|LT|abbr=on}} surfaced

{{convert|433|t|LT|abbr=on}} submerged

| Ship length = {{convert|42.40|m|ftin|abbr=on}}

| Ship beam = {{convert|4.60|m|ftin|abbr=on}}

| Ship draft = {{convert|3.80|m|ftin|abbr=on}}

| Ship propulsion = {{convert|1100|kW|hp}} electric motor

| Ship speed = *{{convert|10.7|kn|lk=in}}, surfaced;

{{convert|17.5|kn}}, submerged

| Ship range = *{{convert|3,800|nmi}}, surfaced;

{{convert|270|nmi}} at {{convert|3|kn}}, submerged

| Ship test depth = {{convert|100|m|ft}}

| Ship complement = 21

| Ship sensors = sonar, radar, periscope, GHG

| Ship EW =

| Ship armament = *8 × {{convert|533|mm|in}} torpedo tubes,

8 torpedoes (no reloads) or
16 naval mines

| Ship notes =

| Ship power = {{convert|880|kW|hp}} diesel generator

}}

The Type 201 was Germany's first U-boat class built after World War II.

Design

They were built out of amagnetic steel to counter the threat of magnetic naval mines, but the material had been insufficiently tested and proved to be problematic in service with the Bundesmarine. Microscopic cracks in the pressure hull forced the cancellation of nine of the twelve ordered submarines and the rebuilding of the first two boats as Type 205 submarines. Responsible for the design and construction was the Ingenieurkontor Lübeck (IKL) headed by Ulrich Gabler.

The price per unit was around 12 million Deutsche Mark.{{cite magazine |last= |first=|date=September 2014 |title=Nieuwe Duitse Onderzeeërs |url=https://www.klaarvooronderwater.nl/kvo/Kvo-129.pdf |magazine=Klaar Voor Onderwater |location=Den Helder |publisher=Onderzeedienst Reünistenvereniging |issue=129|volume=37 |pages=13-17 |language=Dutch |issn=2214-6202}}

List of boats

class="wikitable" !Pennant number !Name !Shipyard !Laid down !Launched !Com- missioned !Decom- missioned !fate
S180	U-1	Howaldtswerke \|8 June 1960 \|2 October 1961 \|20 March 1962 \|22 June 1963 \|scrapped 1967
S181	U-2	Howaldtswerke \|1 September 1960 \|25 January 1962 \|3 May 1962 \|15 August 1963 \|scrapped 1967
S182	U-3	Howaldtswerke \|12 October 1960 \|7 May 1962 \|20 June 1964 \|15 September 1967 \|intentionally destroyed in trials in high pressure chamber "Dock C" (Marinearsenal Kiel 1971), scrapped

U-3 was loaned to the Royal Norwegian Navy and served under the name Kobben from between 10 July 1962 and 20 June 1964 before being commissioned in the German Navy.{{Sfn|Rössler|2001|pp=308-309}}

Citations

References

{{Cite book |last=Rössler |first=Gerhard |title=The U-boat : the evolution and technical history of German submarines |date=2001 |publisher=Casell |isbn=0304361208 |location=London}}

Type 201 submarine

Design

List of boats

Citations

References

Further reading