U-27

CountryGermany
Ship ClassType VII-class Submarine
BuilderDeutsche Schiff- und Maschinenbau AG
Yard Number908
Ordered1 Apr 1935
Laid Down11 Nov 1935
Launched24 Jun 1936
Commissioned12 Aug 1936
Sunk20 Sep 1939
Displacement626 tons standard; 745 tons submerged
Length212 feet
Beam19 feet
Draft14 feet
MachineryTwo MAN 6-cylinder 4-stroke M6V 40/46 diesel engines (2310bhp), two BBC GG UB 720/8 electric motors (750shp)
Speed17 knots
Range6,200nm at 10 knots surfaced, 90nm at 4 knots submerged
Crew38
Armament4x53.3cm forward torpedo tubes, 1x53.3cm aft torpedo tube, 11 torpedoes or 22 TMA mines or 33 TMB mines, 1x8.8cm SK C/35 gun, 1x2cm C/30 AA gun
Submerged Speed8 knots

Contributor:

ww2dbaseU-27 was a German Type VIIA submarine. Under the command of Korvettenkapitän Johannes Franz, she departed Wilhelmshaven, Germany on her first and only war patrol on 23 Aug 1939, traveling through waters off Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands to get to the Atlantic Ocean via the English Channel. After sinking a British trawler by gunfire and another by scuttling charges during the course of a week, she attacked British destroyers HMS Fortune and HMS Faulknor on 20 Sep 1939. The torpedoes exploded prematurely, and the destroyers counterattacked with depth charges, forcing U-27 to surface and surrender. All 38 aboard U-27 were captured, and the submarine became the second German submarine to be lost in the war.

ww2dbaseSource: Wikipedia

Last Major Revision: Oct 2014

Submarine U-27 Interactive Map

U-27 Operational Timeline

1 Apr 1935 The construction for U-27 was ordered.
11 Nov 1935 The keel of U-27 was laid down by AG Weser in Bremen, Germany.
24 Jun 1936 U-27 was launched at Bremen, Germany.
12 Aug 1936 U-27 was commissioned into service with Korvettenkapitän Hans Ibbeken in command; the submarine was assigned to 2nd Flotilla.
5 Oct 1937 Korvettenkapitän Johannes Franz was named the commanding officer of U-27, replacing Korvettenkapitän Hans Ibbeken.
6 Jun 1939 Korvettenkapitän Hans-Georg von Friedeburg was named the commanding officer of U-27, replacing Korvettenkapitän Johannes Franz.
8 Jul 1939 Korvettenkapitän Johannes Franz was named the commanding officer of U-27, replacing Korvettenkapitän Hans-Georg von Friedeburg.
23 Aug 1939 U-27 departed Wilhelmshaven, Germany for her first and only war patrol.
13 Sep 1939 U-27 sank British trawler Davara 39 kilometers (24 miles or 21 nautical miles) northwest of Tory Island, Ireland at 0255 hours. The 12 survivors were rescued by merchant ship Willowpool.
16 Sep 1939 U-27 attacked British trawler Rudyard Kipling 190 kilometers (120 miles or 100 nautical miles) west of Ireland at 0353 hours. The crew of U-27 boarded Rudyard Kipling and destroyed the ship with scuttling charges. U-27 rescued the survivors, gave them food and warm clothing, and sent them off in lifeboats.
20 Sep 1939 U-27 was sunk by British destroyers HMS Fortune and HMS Faulknor west of Scotland, United Kingdom.




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