German submarine U-57 (1938)

History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-57
Ordered	17 June 1937
Builder	Deutsche Werke, Kiel
Yard number	256
Laid down	14 September 1937
Launched	3 September 1938
Commissioned	29 December 1938
Fate	Sunk in a collision, 3 September 1940; raised and repaired, scuttled, 3 May 1945
General characteristics
Class and type	Type IIC coastal submarine
Displacement	291 t (286 long tons) surfaced 341 t (336 long tons) submerged
Length	43.90 m (144 ft 0 in) o/a 29.60 m (97 ft 1 in) pressure hull
Beam	4.08 m (13 ft 5 in) (o/a) 4.00 m (13 ft 1 in) (pressure hull)
Height	8.40 m (27 ft 7 in)
Draught	3.82 m (12 ft 6 in)
Installed power	700 PS (510 kW; 690 bhp) (diesels) 410 PS (300 kW; 400 shp) (electric)
Propulsion	2 shafts 2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors
Speed	12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) surfaced 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph) submerged
Range	1,900 nmi (3,500 km; 2,200 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) surfaced 35–42 nmi (65–78 km; 40–48 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth	80 m (260 ft)
Complement	3 officers, 22 men
Armament	3 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes 5 × torpedoes or up to 12 TMA or 18 TMB mines 1 × 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun
Service record
Part of:	5th U-boat Flotilla 29 December 1938 – 31 December 1939 1st U-boat Flotilla 1 January – 3 September 1940 22nd U-boat Flotilla 11 January 1941 – 30 June 1944 19th U-boat Flotilla[1] 1 July 1944 – April 1945
Identification codes:	M 21 938
Commanders:	Oblt.z.S. / Kptlt. Claus Korth 29 December 1938 – 4 June 1940 Oblt.z.S. Erich Topp 5 June – 15 September 1940 Lt.z.S. / Oblt.z.S. Wilhelm Eiseke 11 January 1941 – 16 May 1943 Oblt.z.S. Walter Zenker 17 May 1943 – 31 July 1944 Lt.z.S. / Oblt.z.S. Peter Kühl 1 August 1944 – April 1945
Operations:	11 patrols: 1st patrol: a. 26 August – 2 September 1939 b. 3 – 5 September 1939 2nd patrol: 5 – 18 September 1939 3rd patrol: 25 October – 5 November 1939 4th patrol: a. 12 – 23 November 1939 b. 5 December 1939 5th patrol: 7 – 16 December 1939 6th patrol: 16 – 25 January 1940 7th patrol: 8 – 25 February 1940 8th patrol: 14 – 29 March 1940 9th patrol: a. 4 April – 7 May 1940 b. 11 – 15 July 1940 10th patrol: a. 15 – 20 July 1940 b. 22 July – 7 August 1940 11th patrol: 14 August – 3 September 1940
Victories:	11 merchant ships sunk (48,053 GRT) 1 auxiliary warship sunk (8,240 GRT) 1 merchant ship total loss (10,191 GRT) 2 merchant ships damaged (10,403 GRT)[2]

German submarine U-57 was a Type IIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine that served in the Second World War. She was built by Deutsche Werke in Kiel as yard number 256. Ordered on 17 June 1937, she was laid down on 14 September, launched on 3 September 1938 and commissioned on 29 December under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Claus Korth.

U-57 was initially part of the 5th U-boat Flotilla during her training period, until 31 December 1939, when she was reassigned to the 1st U-boat Flotilla for operations. She carried out eleven war patrols, sinking eleven ships for a total 48,053 gross register tons (GRT) and one auxiliary warship of 8,240 GRT; she also damaged two vessels totalling 10,403 GRT; one ship was declared a total loss (10,191 GRT).