German submarine U 48 (1939)

German submarine U-48 was a Type VIIB U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II, and the most successful that was commissioned. During her two years of active service, U-48 sank 55 ships for a total of 321,000 tons; she also damaged two more for a total of 12,000 tons over twelve war patrols conducted during the opening stages of the Battle of the Atlantic.U-48 was built at the Germaniawerft in Kiel as yard number 583 during 1938 and 1939, being completed a few months before the outbreak of war in September 1939 and given to Kapitänleutnant (Kptlt.) Herbert Schultze. When war was declared, she was already in position in the North Atlantic, and received the news via radio, allowing her to operate immediately against Allied shipping.DesignGerman Type VIIB submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIA submarines. U-48 had a displacement of 753t when at the surface and 857t while submerged. She had a total length of 66.50m, a pressure hull length of 48.80m, a beam of 6.20m, a height of 9.50m, and a draught of 4.74m. The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2800 to 3200PS for use while surfaced, two AEG GU 460/8-276 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750PS for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23m propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to.