German submarine Wilhelm Bauer

German World War II submarine

History
Wilhelm Bauer (U-2540) at the Maritime Museum (2013)
Nazi Germany
Name	U-2540
Ordered	6 November 1943
Builder	Blohm & Voss, Hamburg
Yard number	2540
Laid down	28 October 1944
Launched	13 January 1945
Commissioned	24 February 1945
Fate	Scuttled on 4 May 1945 Raised in June 1957
West Germany
Name	Wilhelm Bauer
Namesake	Wilhelm Bauer
Commissioned	1 September 1960
Decommissioned	28 August 1968
In service	May 1970
Out of service	15 March 1982
Fate	Museum ship on 27 April 1984
General characteristics
Class and type	Type XXI submarine
Displacement	1,621 t (1,595 long tons) surfaced 2,100 t (2,067 long tons) submerged
Length	76.70 m (251 ft 8 in) (o/a)
Beam	8 m (26 ft 3 in)
Height	11.30 m (37 ft 1 in)
Draught	6.32 m (20 ft 9 in)
Propulsion	Diesel/Electric 2 × MAN M6V40/46KBB supercharged 6-cylinder diesel engines, 4,000 PS (2,900 kW; 3,900 shp) 2 × SSW GU365/30 double acting electric motors, 5,000 PS (3,700 kW; 4,900 shp) 2 × SSW GV232/28 silent running electric motors, 226 PS (166 kW; 223 shp)
Speed	Surfaced: 15.6 knots (28.9 km/h; 18.0 mph) (diesel) 17.9 knots (33.2 km/h; 20.6 mph) (electric) Submerged: 17.2 knots (31.9 km/h; 19.8 mph) (electric) 6.1 knots (11.3 km/h; 7.0 mph) (silent running motors)
Range	15,500 nmi (28,700 km; 17,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced 340 nmi (630 km; 390 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) submerged
Test depth	240 m (790 ft)
Complement	5 officers, 52 enlisted
Sensors and processing systems	Type F432 D2 Radar Transmitter FuMB Ant 3 Bali Radar Detector
Armament	6 × bow torpedo tubes 23 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedoes or 17 × torpedoes and 12 × mines 4 × 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 AA guns
Service record (Kriegsmarine)
Part of:	31st U-boat Flotilla 24 February – 4 May 1945
Identification codes:	M 52 062
Commanders:	Oblt.z.S. Rudolf Schultze^[1] 24 February – 4 May 1945
Operations:	None
Victories:	None

German submarine Wilhelm Bauer (originally designated U-2540) is a Type XXI U-boat of Nazi Germany's navy (Kriegsmarine), completed shortly before the end of World War II. It was scuttled at the end of the war, having never gone on patrol. In 1957, it was raised from the seabed off Flensburg Firth, refurbished, and recommissioned for use by the West-German Bundesmarine in 1960. Finally retired fully in 1983, it is the only floating example of a Type XXI U-boat. It has been modified to appear in wartime configuration and exhibited at the German Maritime Museum in Bremerhaven, Germany.^[2]

Design

Like all Type XXI U-boats, U-2540 had a displacement of 1,621 tonnes (1,595 long tons) when at the surface and 2,100 tonnes (2,067 long tons) while submerged. She had a total length of 76.70 m (251 ft 8 in), a beam of 8 m (26 ft 3 in), and a draught of 6.32 m (20 ft 9 in).^[3] The submarine was powered by two MAN SE supercharged six-cylinder M6V40/46KBB diesel engines each providing 4,000 metric horsepower (2,900 kilowatts; 3,900 shaft horsepower), two Siemens-Schuckert GU365/30 double-acting electric motors each providing 5,000 PS (3,700 kW; 4,900 shp), and two Siemens-Schuckert silent running GV232/28 electric motors each providing 226 PS (166 kW; 223 shp).^[3]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 15.6 knots (28.9 km/h; 18.0 mph) and a submerged speed of 17.2 knots (31.9 km/h; 19.8 mph). When running on silent motors the boat could operate at a speed of 6.1 knots (11.3 km/h; 7.0 mph). When submerged, the boat could operate at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) for 340 nautical miles (630 km; 390 mi); when surfaced, she could travel 15,500 nautical miles (28,700 km; 17,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph).^[3] U-2540 was fitted with six 53.3 cm (21.0 in) torpedo tubes in the bow and four 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns. She could carry twenty-three torpedoes or seventeen torpedoes and twelve mines. The complement was five officers and fifty-two men.^[3]

Construction and wartime service

Construction of U-2540 began on 28 October 1944 by Blohm & Voss in Hamburg-Finkenwerder. She was launched on 13 January 1945 and commissioned on 24 February 1945 as part of the 31st U-boat Flotilla for training purposes. In April 1945 the boat went to the front after training at Rønne on Bornholm. Due to the ongoing fuel shortages at the end of the war, the boat was relocated to Swinemünde before being scuttled near the Flensburg lightship on 4 May 1945.

Salvage, refit and new service

In June 1957, after more than 12 years on the floor of the Baltic Sea, U-2540 was raised and overhauled at Howaldtswerke, Kiel. The submarine was commissioned as a research vessel in the Bundesmarine, serving from 1 September 1960 until 28 August 1968 as a test boat (class 241). On relaunch she was renamed Wilhelm Bauer, after the designer of the first German U-boat, Brandtaucher, built in Kiel by August Howaldt in 1850. From May 1970 she again entered service, this time with a civilian crew and served as a testbed for the technical innovations of the class 206 U-boat. After an underwater collision with the German destroyer Z-3 (D172) on 6 May 1980 Wilhelm Bauer was discharged from use at Eckernförde on 18 November 1980 and finally released from service in 1983.

Conversion to museum ship

U-2540 was put on sale by the Ministry of Defence and acquired by the board of trustees of the German Maritime Museum Association and the German Maritime Museum in Bremerhaven. The boat was restored to its original World War II configuration after its transfer in August 1983 to the Seebeck yard, opening on 27 April 1984 as a museum ship in Bremerhaven, now sponsored by the Wilhelm Bauer Technology Museum association. It has imitation twin 30mm cannon and the bridge is not glazed as it was during service with the Bundesmarine.

In popular culture

Whilhem Bauer was featured in an episode of the documentary series Nazi Megastructures in 2016, with an episode titled "Hitler's Killer Subs", which included the history of the design and construction of the Type XXI submarine.

Gallery

The four bow torpedo tubes on the submarine (Class 241)
Wilhelm Bauer in Bremerhaven (2002)
With fresh paint in 2011
Wilhelm Bauer, panoramic view

Other surviving U-boats

SM U-1
U-505
U-534
U-995

References

^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Rudolf Schultze". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
^ Gordon Williamson (2002). Kriegsmarine U-boats 1939–45. 841763640. ISBN 9781780966618.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Gröner 1991, p. 85.

Bibliography

Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). German U-boat commanders of World War II : a biographical dictionary. Translated by Brooks, Geoffrey. London, Annapolis, Md: Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-186-6.
Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945] (in German). Vol. IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). German Warships 1815–1945, U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.

External links

Media related to German submarine Wilhelm Bauer at Wikimedia Commons

Helgason, Guðmundur. "U-2540". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 April 2016.
A tour of the submarine (requires QuickTime VR software) (in German)
U-Boot Type XXI in detail, Essay with numerous photos of the Wilhelm Bauer attached.
"U-2540 gallery". uboat.net. Archived from the original on 2006-12-05.

Ship classes of the German Navy

Destroyers

119 Zerstörer-1
101 Hamburg
103 Lütjens

Frigates

120 Köln
122 Bremen
123 Brandenburg
124 Sachsen
125 Baden-Württemberg
F126 frigate
F127 frigate

Corvettes

130 Braunschweig

Fast attack craft

149 Silbermöwe
140 Jaguar
141 Seeadler
152 Hugin
142 Zobel
153 Klasse
148 Tiger
143 Albatros
143A Gepard

Gunboats

420 Thetis

Mine warfare

320 Lindau
332 Frankenthal
333 Kulmbach
352 Ensdorf
742A Mühlhausen

Submarines

XXI Wilhelm Bauer
XXIII Hai/Hecht
201
202
205B
206A
212A
212CD

Training ships

440 Deutschland
441 Gorch Fock

Auxiliary ships

401 Rhein
402 Mosel
403 Lahn
404 Elbe
423 Oste
520 Barbe
701 Lüneburg
702 Berlin
703 Walchensee
704 Rhön
707
711 Hiev
720 Fehmarn
721 Eisvogel
722 Wangerooge
738 Bottsand
745 Stollergrund
748 Schwedeneck
751 Planet
760 Westerwald

v t e German Type XXI submarines
U-2501 U-2502 U-2503 U-2504 U-2505 U-2506 U-2507 U-2508 U-2509 U-2510 U-2511 U-2512 U-2513 U-2514 U-2515 U-2516 U-2517 U-2518 U-2519 U-2520 U-2521 U-2522 U-2523 U-2524 U-2525 U-2526 U-2527 U-2528 U-2529 U-2530 U-2531 U-2533 U-2534 U-2535 U-2536 U-2538 U-2539 U-2540 U-2541 U-2542 U-2543 U-2544 U-2545 U-2546 U-2548 U-2551 U-2552 U-3001 U-3002 U-3003 U-3004 U-3005 U-3006 U-3007 U-3008 U-3009 U-3010 U-3011 U-3012 U-3013 U-3014 U-3015 U-3016 U-3017 U-3018 U-3019 U-3020 U-3021 U-3022 U-3023 U-3024 U-3025 U-3026 U-3027 U-3028 U-3029 U-3030 U-3031 U-3032 U-3033 U-3034 U-3035 U-3037 U-3038 U-3039 U-3040 U-3041 U-3044 U-3501 U-3502 U-3503 U-3504 U-3505 U-3506 U-3507 U-3508 U-3509 U-3510 U-3511 U-3512 U-3513 U-3514 U-3515 U-3516 U-3517 U-3518 U-3519 U-3520 U-3521 U-3522 U-3523 U-3524 U-3525 U-3526 U-3527 U-3528 U-3529 U-3530
Preceded by: Type XVII Followed by: Type XXIII List of U-boats of Germany

German Type XXI submarines

U-2501
U-2502
U-2503
U-2504
U-2505
U-2506
U-2507
U-2508
U-2509
U-2510
U-2511
U-2512
U-2513
U-2514
U-2515
U-2516
U-2517
U-2518
U-2519
U-2520
U-2521
U-2522
U-2523
U-2524
U-2525
U-2526
U-2527
U-2528
U-2529
U-2530
U-2531
U-2533
U-2534
U-2535
U-2536
U-2538
U-2539
U-2540
U-2541
U-2542
U-2543
U-2544
U-2545
U-2546
U-2548
U-2551
U-2552
U-3001
U-3002
U-3003
U-3004
U-3005
U-3006
U-3007
U-3008
U-3009
U-3010
U-3011
U-3012
U-3013
U-3014
U-3015
U-3016
U-3017
U-3018
U-3019
U-3020
U-3021
U-3022
U-3023
U-3024
U-3025
U-3026
U-3027
U-3028
U-3029
U-3030
U-3031
U-3032
U-3033
U-3034
U-3035
U-3037
U-3038
U-3039
U-3040
U-3041
U-3044
U-3501
U-3502
U-3503
U-3504
U-3505
U-3506
U-3507
U-3508
U-3509
U-3510
U-3511
U-3512
U-3513
U-3514
U-3515
U-3516
U-3517
U-3518
U-3519
U-3520
U-3521
U-3522
U-3523
U-3524
U-3525
U-3526
U-3527
U-3528
U-3529
U-3530

Preceded by: Type XVII
Followed by: Type XXIII

List of U-boats of Germany

v t e Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in May 1945
Shipwrecks	1 May: Argo, TA 43, U-3006, U-3009 2 May: Admiral Hipper, USS Thornton, U-8, U-14, U-60, U-61, U-62, U-71, U-72, U-120, U-121, U-137, U-139, U-140, U-141, U-142, U-146, U-148, U-151, U-152, U-316, U-552, U-554, U-612, U-717, U-929, U-1007, U-1308, U-2327, U-2359, U-2510, U-2526, U-2527, U-2528, U-2531, U-3002, U-3016, U-3018, U-3019, U-3020, U-3021, U-3504, U-3516, U-3517, U-3521, U-3522 3 May: Arcona, Cap Arcona, Deutschland, Emden, USS Lagarto, USS Little, USS LSM(R)-195, Medusa, Nordland, Schlesien, TA22, Thielbek, UA, UB, UD-1, UD-2, UD-3, UD-4, U-48, U-52, U-57, U-58, U-59, U-101, U-328, U-339, U-428, U-446, U-475, U-560, U-704, U-708, U-747, U-748, U-795, U-822, U-828, U-876, U-903, U-922, U-924, U-958, U-1166, U-1170, U-1192, U-1196, U-1201, U-1205, U-1210, U-1227, U-1275, U-2330, U-2332, U-2355, U-2371, U-2501, U-2503, U-2504, U-2508, U-2512, U-2519, U-2520, U-2521, U-2524, U-2533, U-2534, U-2535, U-2536, U-2539, U-2543, U-2545, U-2546, U-2548, U-2552, U-3001, U-3005, U-3010, U-3011, U-3012, U-3013, U-3014, U-3023, U-3024, U-3025, U-3026, U-3027, U-3028, U-3029, U-3031, U-3032, U-3037, U-3038, U-3039, U-3040, U-3507, U-3509, U-3511, U-3513, U-3518, U-3525, U-3530, U-4705, U-4712, Z43 4 May: USS LSM(R)-190, USS LSM(R)-194, USS Luce, USS Morrison, Orion, USS PGM-17, U-30, U-46, U-267, U-393, U-711, U-721, U-792, U-793, U-904, U-1132, U-1161, U-1168, U-1303, U-1304, U-2338, U-2540, U-3033, U-3034, U-4709, U-4711 5 May: T36, U-17, U-38, U-236, U-290, U-349, U-351, U-370, U-397, U-534, U-579, U-733, U-746, U-750, U-794, U-827, U-999, U-1008, U-1016, U-1025, U-1056, U-1162, U-1193, U-1204, U-1207, U-1223, U-1234, U-1306, U-1405, U-2333, U-2339, U-2343, U-2346, U-2347, U-2349, U-2352, U-2357, U-2358, U-2360, U-2362, U-2364, U-2366, U-2367, U-2368, U-2369, U-2507, U-2517, U-2522, U-2525, U-2541, U-2544, U-2551, U-3015, U-3022, U-3044, U-3501, U-3510, U-3524, U-3526, U-3527, U-3528, U-3529, U-4701, U-4702, U-4703, U-4704, U-4707, U-4710 6 May: U-853, U-881, U-3523 7 May: Avondale Park, Sneland I, U-1407 8 May: U-37, U-320, U-382, U-2365, U-2538, U-3030, U-3503 16 May: Haguro, Hatsutaka, U-287 18 May: USS Longshaw 20 May: U-963 24 May: HM Motor Gun Boat 2007, U-979 25 May: USS Bates, USS LSM-135 28 May: USS Drexler 29 May: Tenryo Maru 31 May: I-361, Uzbekistan
Other incidents	3 May: USS Aaron Ward 4 May: HMS Formidable, USS Sangamon 9 May: USS England, USS Oberrender 11 May: USS Bunker Hill, USS Evans, USS Hugh W. Hadley 19 May: Kashima, HMS Terrapin 20 May: USS Chase, USS Thatcher 25 May: USS Barry, USS Spectacle, William B. Allison 26 May: USS PC-1603 29 May: USS Shubrick 31 May: Hebrides Unknown date: Nymphe, U-1197
1944 1945 1946 April 1945 June 1945

v t e Bremerhaven
Area	Havenwelten Wulsdorf [de]
Landmarks	Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research German Emigration Center German Maritime Museum German submarine Wilhelm Bauer Bürgermeister-Smidt-Gedächtniskirche [de] Klimahaus Bremerhaven [de]
Railways	Bremerhaven-Lehe Bremerhaven-Wulsdorf Bremerhaven-Speckenbüttel (CLOSED)
Education	Hochschule Bremerhaven [de]
Culture	Bremerhaven Seahawks Eisbären Bremerhaven Fischtown Pinguins
This list is incomplete.