Schiebusch was replaced by Kapitänleutnant Kai Lerchen on 21 December 1941. After training with the 6th U-boat Flotilla at Kiel, U-252 was deemed to be ready for front-line service and sailed on her first patrol on 1 April 1942.
On 6 April 1942, U-252 landed espionage agent Ib Riis in Iceland.[4]
U-252 is thought to have sunk the 1,355 GRT Norwegian Fanefield on 9 April.[5] Five days later she encountered convoy OG 82, and was attacked and sunk by depth charges from the sloop HMSStork and the corvette HMSVetch on 14 April 1942.[1][6]
Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-252 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.[7] She had a total length of 67.10m (220ft 2in), a pressure hull length of 50.50m (165ft 8in), a beam of 6.20m (20ft 4in), a height of 9.60m (31ft 6in), and a draught of 4.74m (15ft 7in). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder superchargeddiesel engines producing a total of 2,800 to 3,200 metric horsepower (2,060 to 2,350kW; 2,760 to 3,160shp) for use while surfaced, two AEG GU 460/8-276 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 metric horsepower (550kW; 740shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23m (4ft)propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750ft).[7]
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 knots (32.8km/h; 20.4mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 knots (14.1km/h; 8.7mph).[7] When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nautical miles (150km; 92mi) at 4 knots (7.4km/h; 4.6mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,500 nautical miles (15,700km; 9,800mi) at 10 knots (19km/h; 12mph). U-252 was fitted with five 53.3cm (21in)torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8cm (3.46in) SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and two twin 2cm (0.79in) C/30anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.[7]
↑Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-252". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
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. ISBN1-55750-186-6.