The most successful submariners of the Second World War. German submarines of the Second World War: “wolf packs” of the Wehrmacht. German submarine aces

The German submarine ace, participant in the Battle of the Atlantic, Reinhard Hardegen, went down in history not only thanks to his naval victories. Once, at a gala dinner, he criticized not just anyone, but the Fuhrer personally...

Submarine ace Hardegen

In the spring of 1942, the commander of the submarine U 123, Reinhard Hardegen (and submarine ace Erich Topp), was called to the Fuhrer's headquarters for an award. The commander of the submarine fleet, Karl Dönitz, introduced the submariner, a holder of the Knight's Cross (the highest order of the Third Reich), to the Oak Leaves.

After the ceremony, Hitler invited the officers to lunch. Over the meal, the Fuhrer began his monologue about affairs at the front and politics.

Suddenly Hardegen interrupted him. The underwater ace began to teach the leader the strategy of naval warfare. Moreover, he criticized his views on submarines and naval aviation, which greatly spoiled Hitler’s mood.

How did it happen that someone invited by Dönitz dared to criticize as many as the entire leader of the Reich, and how did Hardegen rise to such a high award?

By the way, the desperate submariner is still alive. On March 18, 2018 he turns 105 years old. At the moment, Hardegen remains the only living submarine ace of the Third Reich and is the oldest submarine commander on the planet.

The Sailor of Bremen

Reinhard Hardegen was born in Bremen. Since childhood, I dreamed of connecting my life with the navy. Thanks to a family friend - a retired sea captain - the young man became even stronger in his desire. The old sailor explained to Hardegen that the fleet needed educated officers, and the guy sat down to his textbooks.

On April 1, 1933, Reinhard applied to the Navy, wanting to become a cadet. He was enlisted in the 33rd naval crew. The training lasted three and a half years. During this time, the cadets circumnavigated the world on the cruiser Karlsruhe, studied at the Murvik Naval School and chose a military specialty. Hardegen decided to connect his destiny with aviation and became a naval pilot.

From pilots to submariners

After flight school, Hardegen was supposed to be sent to serve in one of the Kriegsmarine squadrons, but chance intervened.

On September 19, 1936, a plane crash occurred at the Kiel airfield, and the future underwater ace was seriously injured. With a severe fracture of the leg (which has now become shorter than the other) and injuries internal organs he spent six months in the hospital. From that moment on, the future ace began to have systematic health problems.

The pilot received the rank of lieutenant zur see while in a hospital bed.

After leaving the hospital, Hardegen continued to serve in naval aviation in one of the ASW (anti-submarine defense) squadrons. However, in November 1939, when Kriegsmarine aviation was transferred to the Luftwaffe, he was transferred to submarines.

Hardegen (right) on board U 124

A diving school, various training courses - and in August 1940, yesterday's naval pilot became a watch officer on the submarine U 124. On it he made two trips to the Atlantic, and in December of the same year he took command of the submarine U 149 (a small boat of the IID type ).

On this ship, the future ace opened the account by sinking his first ship - the Norwegian steamer Augvald.

"Einz, zwei, drei"

What about health? While Hardegen studied at various courses and went on campaigns, none of his superiors suspected that he was unfit for service on submarines. Documents from the hospital with his medical examination were sent to his place of duty with a delay.

They ended up with Dönitz's deputy, Captain zur See ( a rank similar to captain 1st rank of the USSR/RF Navy - approx. Warhead) von Friedeburg, when he wanted to transfer a submariner from U 149 to U 123 - a large boat of type IXB. Hardegen underwent a medical examination again, which made a disappointing conclusion: he was fit for service only on surface ships. However, this did not stop Reinhard. He persuaded von Friedeburg, who finally approved his appointment to U 123.

On May 19, 1941, Hardegen arrived at the base in the French port of Lorient. U 123, nicknamed “Einz, zwei, dray,” was waiting for him there. The submariner fought on this submarine until the end of his front-line service.

"Strike the Timpani"

After the US declaration of war, the headquarters of the German submarine forces developed Operation Strike the Timpani. Its goal is to destroy shipping in American waters. For the “strike,” Karl Dönitz dispatched a group of submarines, including U 123.

The submarines “hit the kettledrums” on January 12, 1942. For weeks, they sank ships from New York to Florida with impunity. Hardegen showed the best result.

He reported the sinking of ten ships totaling 65,635 tons. For these services, the officer was awarded the Knight's Cross.

Now Dönitz sent his boats to the US coast in greater numbers. Hardegen had to go there again, although the commander of the submarine forces again wanted to remove him from the boat for health reasons.

The operations of the Reich submarine forces off the coast of the United States are one of the most dramatic periods of the Battle of the Atlantic. But, fortunately, the Kriegsmarine could neither reduce the transport tonnage available to the Allies nor seriously interfere with the movement of the convoys. American factories and shipyards worked increasingly intensively, and an ever-increasing flow of cargo flowed across the Atlantic, distributed between Britain and the USSR.

In March 1942, U 123 was almost sunk. Hardegen again distinguished himself, but now the situation had become seriously complicated - the United States was gradually building coastal defense. First, his submarine had to withstand a battle with a trap ship, and miraculously emerged victorious. And at the end of the voyage, U 123 almost died under the depth charges of the US Navy destroyer Dahlgren. The ship bombed the boat when it lay at a depth of only 22 meters.

Hardegen was very lucky: U 123 escaped with damage and managed to limp back to base. During the voyage, the submariner added nine more ships worth 69,405 tons to his combat account.

In total, according to Dönitz's calculations, the underwater ace sank 170,000 tons of ships (in reality, Hardegen sank 21 ships for 112,447 tons).

The commander of the submarine fleet introduced the officer to the Oak Leaves. Hitler approved the initiative and invited the ace to headquarters. Where he burst into a critical speech.

Hardegen never went to sea again. Due to health reasons, Dönitz transferred him to a coastal position.

Definitely, with this decision, the commander of the German submarine and the future commander-in-chief of the Kriegsmarine saved Hardegen’s life. The scope of the Allied anti-submarine operations since the fall of 1942 left almost no chance of survival even for the submarine aces - sooner or later everyone received their bomb.

The underwater ace continued to serve in training flotillas and taught torpedo craft in Mürvik. At the end of the war he commanded a battalion in the 2nd Kriegsmarine Marine Division and was captured by the British in May 1945. He spent a year and a half in captivity and was released in November 1946 “without claims” - unlike many of his colleagues, Hardegen did not commit war crimes.

Returning to his family, the submariner tried to find himself in a peaceful life. He started doing business and created a successful oil trading company. Then he became a member of the Bremen parliament, where he was elected for 32 years. And in the end, despite his poor health, Hardegen outlived his fellow submariners.

Any war is a terrible grief for any people that it affects in one way or another. Throughout its history, humanity has experienced many wars, two of which were world wars. The First World War almost completely destroyed Europe and led to the fall of some major empires, such as the Russian and Austro-Hungarian ones. But even more terrible in its scale was the Second World War, in which many countries from almost all over the world were involved. Millions of people died, and many more were left homeless. This terrible event still affects us in one way or another modern man. Its echoes can be found everywhere in our lives. This tragedy left behind a lot of mysteries, disputes over which have not subsided for decades. He took on the heaviest burden in this life-and-death battle, not yet fully strengthened from the revolution and civil wars and the Soviet Union was just expanding its military and civilian industries. An irreconcilable rage and desire to fight the invaders who encroached on the territorial integrity and freedom of the proletarian state settled in the hearts of people. Many went to the front voluntarily. At the same time, the evacuated industrial facilities were reorganized to produce products for the needs of the front. The struggle has assumed a truly national scale. That is why it is called the Great Patriotic War.

Who are the aces?

Both the German and Soviet armies were well trained and equipped with equipment, aircraft and other weapons. The personnel numbered in the millions. The collision of such two war machines gave birth to its heroes and its traitors. Some of those who can rightfully be considered heroes are the aces of World War II. Who are they and why are they so famous? An ace can be considered a person who has achieved heights in his field of activity that few others have managed to conquer. And even in such a dangerous and terrible matter as the military, there have always been their professionals. Both the USSR and the Allied forces, and Nazi Germany had people who showed the best results in terms of the number of enemy equipment or manpower destroyed. This article will tell about these heroes.

The list of World War II aces is extensive and includes many individuals famous for their exploits. They were an example for an entire people, they were adored and admired.

Aviation is without a doubt one of the most romantic, but at the same time dangerous branches of the military. Since any equipment can fail at any time, the job of a pilot is considered very honorable. It requires iron endurance, discipline, and the ability to control oneself in any situation. Therefore, aviation aces were treated with great respect. After all, to be able to show good results in such conditions when your life depends not only on technology, but also on yourself - highest degree military art. So, who are these ace pilots of World War II, and why are their exploits so famous?

One of the most effective Soviet pilot aces was Ivan Nikitovich Kozhedub. Officially, during his service on the fronts of the Great Patriotic War, he shot down 62 German aircraft, and he is also credited with 2 American fighters, which he destroyed at the end of the war. This record-breaking pilot served in the 176th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment and flew a La-7 aircraft.

The second most productive during the war was Alexander Ivanovich Pokryshkin (who was awarded the title of Hero three times Soviet Union). He fought in Southern Ukraine, in the Black Sea region, and liberated Europe from the Nazis. During his service he shot down 59 enemy aircraft. He did not stop flying even when he was appointed commander of the 9th Guards Aviation Division, and achieved some of his aerial victories while already in this position.

Nikolai Dmitrievich Gulaev is one of the most famous military pilots, who set a record of 4 flights per destroyed aircraft. In total, during his military service he destroyed 57 enemy aircraft. Twice awarded the honorary title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

He also had a high result. He shot down 55 German aircraft. Kozhedub, who happened to serve for some time with Evstigneev in the same regiment, spoke very respectfully of this pilot.

But, despite the fact that the tank troops were among the most numerous in the Soviet army, tank aces of the Second World War for some reason were not found in the USSR. Why this is so is unknown. It is logical to assume that many personal scores were deliberately inflated or underestimated, so to name the exact number of victories of the above-mentioned masters tank battle does not seem possible.

German tank aces

But the German tank aces of World War II have a much longer track record. This is largely due to the pedantry of the Germans, who strictly documented everything, and they had much more time to fight than their Soviet “colleagues.” Active actions german army started broadcasting back in 1939.

German tanker No. 1 is Hauptsturmführer Michael Wittmann. He fought with many tanks (Stug III, Tiger I) and destroyed 138 vehicles throughout the war, as well as 132 self-propelled artillery installations from various enemy countries. For his successes he was repeatedly awarded various orders and badges of the Third Reich. Killed in action in 1944 in France.

You can also highlight such a tank ace as For those who are in one way or another interested in the history of the development of the tank forces of the Third Reich, the book of his memoirs “Tigers in the Mud” will be very useful. During the war years, this man destroyed 150 Soviet and American self-propelled guns and tanks.

Kurt Knispel is another record-breaking tanker. During his military service, he knocked out 168 enemy tanks and self-propelled guns. About 30 cars are unconfirmed, which prevents him from matching Wittmann's results. Knispel died in battle near the village of Vostits in Czechoslovakia in 1945.

In addition, Karl Bromann had good results - 66 tanks and self-propelled guns, Ernst Barkmann - 66 tanks and self-propelled guns, Erich Mausberg - 53 tanks and self-propelled guns.

As can be seen from these results, both Soviet and German tank aces of World War II knew how to fight. Of course, the quantity and quality of Soviet combat vehicles was an order of magnitude higher than that of the Germans, however, as practice has shown, both were used quite successfully and became the basis for some post-war tank models.

But the list of military branches in which their masters distinguished themselves does not end there. Let's talk a little about submarine aces.

Masters of Submarine Warfare

Just as in the case of aircraft and tanks, the most successful are the German sailors. Over the years of its existence, Kriegsmarine submariners sank 2,603 ​​ships of allied countries, the total displacement of which reaches 13.5 million tons. This is a truly impressive figure. And the German submarine aces of World War II could also boast of impressive personal accounts.

The most successful German submariner is Otto Kretschmer, who has 44 ships, including 1 destroyer. The total displacement of the ships sunk by him is 266,629 tons.

In second place is Wolfgang Lüth, who sent 43 enemy ships to the bottom (and according to other sources - 47) with a total displacement of 225,712 tons.

He was also a famous naval ace who even managed to sink the British battleship Royal Oak. This was one of the first officers to receive oak leaves; Prien destroyed 30 ships. Killed in 1941 during an attack on a British convoy. He was so popular that his death was hidden from the people for two months. And on the day of his funeral, mourning was declared throughout the country.

Such successes of German sailors are also quite understandable. The fact is that Germany began a naval war back in 1940, with a blockade of Britain, thus hoping to undermine its naval greatness and, taking advantage of this, to successfully capture the islands. However, very soon the plans of the Nazis were thwarted, as America entered the war with its large and powerful fleet.

The most famous Soviet submarine sailor is Alexander Marinesko. He sank only 4 ships, but what ones! The heavy passenger liner "Wilhelm Gustloff", the transport "General von Steuben", as well as 2 units of the heavy floating battery "Helene" and "Siegfried". For his exploits, Hitler added the sailor to his list of personal enemies. But Marinesko’s fate did not work out well. He fell out of favor Soviet power and died, and they stopped talking about his exploits. The great sailor received the Hero of the Soviet Union award only posthumously in 1990. Unfortunately, many USSR aces of World War II ended their lives in a similar way.

Also famous submariners of the Soviet Union are Ivan Travkin - he sank 13 ships, Nikolai Lunin - also 13 ships, Valentin Starikov - 14 ships. But Marinesko topped the list of the best submariners of the Soviet Union, as he caused the greatest damage to the German navy.

Accuracy and stealth

Well, how can we not remember such famous fighters as snipers? Here the Soviet Union takes the well-deserved palm from Germany. Soviet sniper aces of World War II had a very high track record. In many ways, these results were achieved thanks to mass state training civilian population by shooting from various weapons. About 9 million people were awarded the Voroshilov Shooter badge. So, what are the most famous snipers?

The name of Vasily Zaitsev frightened the Germans and inspired courage in Soviet soldiers. This ordinary guy, a hunter, killed 225 Wehrmacht soldiers with his Mosin rifle in just a month of fighting at Stalingrad. Among the outstanding sniper names are Fedor Okhlopkov, who (during the entire war) accounted for about a thousand Nazis; Semyon Nomokonov, who killed 368 enemy soldiers. There were also women among the snipers. An example of this is the famous Lyudmila Pavlichenko, who fought near Odessa and Sevastopol.

German snipers are less known, although several sniper schools have existed in Germany since 1942, which provided professional training. Among the most successful German shooters are Matthias Hetzenauer (345 killed), (257 killed), Bruno Sutkus (209 soldiers shot). Also a famous sniper from the countries of the Hitler bloc is Simo Haiha - this Finn killed 504 Red Army soldiers during the war years (according to unconfirmed reports).

Thus, the sniper training of the Soviet Union was immeasurably higher than that of the German troops, which allowed Soviet soldiers to bear the proud title of aces of the Second World War.

How did you become aces?

So, the concept of “ace of World War II” is quite broad. As already mentioned, these people achieved truly impressive results in their business. This was achieved not only through good army training, but also through outstanding personal qualities. After all, for a pilot, for example, coordination and quick reaction are very important, for a sniper - the ability to wait for the right moment to sometimes fire a single shot.

Accordingly, it is impossible to determine who had the best aces of World War II. Both sides performed unparalleled heroism, which made it possible to single out individual people from the general mass. But it was possible to become a master only by training hard and improving your combat skills, since war does not tolerate weakness. Of course, dry statistics will not be able to convey to modern people all the hardships and adversities that war professionals experienced during their rise to the honorary pedestal.

We, the generation that lives without knowing such terrible things, should not forget about the exploits of our predecessors. They can become an inspiration, a reminder, a memory. And we must try to do everything to ensure that such terrible events as the past wars do not happen again.

Submarines dictate the rules in naval warfare and force everyone to meekly follow the routine.

Those stubborn people who dare to ignore the rules of the game will face a quick and painful death in the cold water, among floating debris and oil stains. Boats, regardless of flag, remain the most dangerous combat vehicles, capable of crushing any enemy.

I bring to your attention a short story about the seven most successful submarine projects of the war years.

Boats type T (Triton-class), UK

The number of submarines built is 53.
Surface displacement - 1290 tons; underwater - 1560 tons.
Crew - 59...61 people.
Working immersion depth - 90 m (riveted hull), 106 m (welded hull).
Full speed on the surface - 15.5 knots; in underwater - 9 knots.
A fuel reserve of 131 tons provided a surface cruising range of 8,000 miles.
Weapons:
- 11 torpedo tubes of 533 mm caliber (on boats of subseries II and III), ammunition - 17 torpedoes;
- 1 x 102 mm universal gun, 1 x 20 mm anti-aircraft "Oerlikon".

A British underwater Terminator capable of knocking the crap out of any enemy's head with a bow-launched 8-torpedo salvo. The T-type boats had no equal in destructive power among all the submarines of the WWII period - this explains their ferocious appearance with a bizarre bow superstructure that housed additional torpedo tubes.

The notorious British conservatism is a thing of the past - the British were among the first to equip their boats with ASDIC sonars. Alas, despite their powerful weapons and modern detection means, the boats open sea type "T" did not become the most effective among the British submarines of World War II. Nevertheless, they went through an exciting battle path and achieved a number of remarkable victories. “Tritons” were actively used in the Atlantic, in the Mediterranean Sea, destroyed Japanese communications in the Pacific Ocean, and were spotted several times in the frozen waters of the Arctic.

In August 1941, the submarines "Tygris" and "Trident" arrived in Murmansk. British submariners demonstrated a master class to their Soviet colleagues: in two trips, 4 enemy ships were sunk, incl. "Bahia Laura" and "Donau II" with thousands of soldiers of the 6th Mountain Division. Thus, the sailors prevented the third German attack on Murmansk.

Other famous T-boat trophies include the German light cruiser Karlsruhe and the Japanese heavy cruiser Ashigara. The samurai were “lucky” to get acquainted with a full 8-torpedo salvo of the Trenchant submarine - having received 4 torpedoes on board (+ another from the stern tube), the cruiser quickly capsized and sank.

After the war, the powerful and sophisticated Tritons remained in service with the Royal Navy for another quarter of a century.
It is noteworthy that three boats of this type were acquired by Israel in the late 1960s - one of them, INS Dakar (formerly HMS Totem), was lost in 1968 in the Mediterranean Sea under unclear circumstances.


Boats of the "Cruising" type XIV series, Soviet Union
The number of submarines built is 11.
Surface displacement - 1500 tons; underwater - 2100 tons.
Crew - 62...65 people.

Full surface speed - 22.5 knots; in underwater - 10 knots.
Surface cruising range 16,500 miles (9 knots)
Submerged cruising range: 175 miles (3 knots)
Weapons:

— 2 x 100 mm universal guns, 2 x 45 mm anti-aircraft semi-automatic guns;
- up to 20 minutes of barrage.

...On December 3, 1941, German hunters UJ-1708, UJ-1416 and UJ-1403 bombed a Soviet boat that tried to attack a convoy at Bustad Sund.

- Hans, can you hear this creature?
- Nain. After a series of explosions, the Russians lay low - I detected three impacts on the ground...
-Can you determine where they are now?
- Donnerwetter! They are blown away. They probably decided to surface and surrender.

The German sailors were wrong. From the depths of the sea, a MONSTER rose to the surface - the cruising submarine K-3 series XIV, unleashing a barrage of artillery fire on the enemy. With the fifth salvo, Soviet sailors managed to sink U-1708. The second hunter, having received two direct hits, began to smoke and turned to the side - his 20 mm anti-aircraft guns could not compete with the “hundreds” of the secular submarine cruiser. Scattering the Germans like puppies, K-3 quickly disappeared over the horizon at 20 knots.

The Soviet Katyusha was a phenomenal boat for its time. Welded hull, powerful artillery and mine-torpedo weapons, powerful diesel engines (2 x 4200 hp!), high surface speed of 22-23 knots. Huge autonomy in terms of fuel reserves. Remote control ballast tank valves. A radio station capable of transmitting signals from the Baltic to the Far East. An exceptional level of comfort: shower cabins, refrigerated tanks, two seawater desalinators, an electric galley... Two boats (K-3 and K-22) were equipped with Lend-Lease ASDIC sonars.

But, strangely enough, neither high performance, nor the most powerful weapons made the Katyusha an effective weapon - in addition to dark history with the K-21 attack on the Tirpitz, during the war years the XIV series boats accounted for only 5 successful torpedo attacks and 27 thousand brigades. reg. tons of sunk tonnage. Most of the victories were achieved with the help of mines. Moreover, its own losses amounted to five cruising boats.

The reasons for the failures lie in the tactics of using Katyushas - the powerful submarine cruisers, created for the vastness of the Pacific Ocean, had to “tread water” in the shallow Baltic “puddle”. When operating at depths of 30-40 meters, a huge 97-meter boat could hit the ground with its bow while its stern was still sticking out on the surface. It was not much easier for the North Sea sailors - as practice has shown, the effectiveness of the combat use of Katyushas was complicated by the poor training of personnel and the lack of initiative of the command.
It's a pity. These boats were designed for more.

“Baby”, Soviet Union

Series VI and VI bis - 50 built.
Series XII - 46 built.
Series XV - 57 built (4 took part in combat operations).

Performance characteristics of boats type M series XII:
Surface displacement - 206 tons; underwater - 258 tons.
Autonomy - 10 days.
The working depth of immersion is 50 m, the maximum depth is 60 m.
Full surface speed - 14 knots; in underwater - 8 knots.
Cruising range on the surface is 3,380 miles (8.6 knots).
Submerged cruising range is 108 miles (3 knots).
Weapons:
— 2 torpedo tubes of 533 mm caliber, ammunition — 2 torpedoes;
— 1 x 45 mm anti-aircraft semi-automatic.

The project of mini-submarines for the rapid strengthening of the Pacific Fleet - the main feature of the M-type boats was the ability to be transported by rail in a fully assembled form.

In the pursuit of compactness, many had to be sacrificed - service on the Malyutka turned into a grueling and dangerous undertaking. Difficult living conditions, strong roughness - the waves mercilessly tossed the 200-ton “float”, risking breaking it into pieces. Shallow diving depth and weak weapons. But the main concern of the sailors was the reliability of the submarine - one shaft, one diesel engine, one electric motor - the tiny “Malyutka” left no chance for the careless crew, the slightest malfunction on board threatened death for the submarine.

The little ones quickly evolved - the performance characteristics of each new series were several times different from the previous project: the contours were improved, the electrical equipment and detection equipment were updated, the diving time was reduced, and the autonomy increased. The “babies” of the XV series no longer resembled their predecessors of the VI and XII series: one-and-a-half-hull design - the ballast tanks were moved outside the durable hull; The power plant received a standard two-shaft layout with two diesel engines and underwater electric motors. The number of torpedo tubes increased to four. Alas, Series XV appeared too late - the “Little Ones” of Series VI and XII bore the brunt of the war.

Despite their modest size and only 2 torpedoes on board, the tiny fish were simply distinguished by their terrifying “gluttony”: in just the years of World War II, Soviet M-type submarines sank 61 enemy ships with a total tonnage of 135.5 thousand gross tons, destroyed 10 warships, and also damaged 8 transports.

The little ones, originally intended only for operations in the coastal zone, have learned to fight effectively in open sea areas. They, along with larger boats, cut enemy communications, patrolled at the exits of enemy bases and fjords, deftly overcame anti-submarine barriers and blew up transports right at the piers inside protected enemy harbors. It’s simply amazing how the Red Navy were able to fight on these flimsy ships! But they fought. And we won!

Boats of the “Medium” type, series IX-bis, Soviet Union

The number of submarines built is 41.
Surface displacement - 840 tons; underwater - 1070 tons.
Crew - 36...46 people.
The working depth of immersion is 80 m, the maximum depth is 100 m.
Full speed on the surface - 19.5 knots; submerged - 8.8 knots.
Surface cruising range 8,000 miles (10 knots).
Submerged cruising range 148 miles (3 knots).

“Six torpedo tubes and the same number of spare torpedoes on racks convenient for reloading. Two cannons with large ammunition, machine guns, explosive equipment... In a word, there is something to fight with. And 20 knots surface speed! It allows you to overtake almost any convoy and attack it again. The technique is good...”
- opinion of the commander of the S-56, Hero of the Soviet Union G.I. Shchedrin

The Eskis were distinguished by their rational layout and balanced design, powerful armament, and excellent performance and seaworthiness. Initially a German project from the Deshimag company, modified to meet Soviet requirements. But don’t rush to clap your hands and remember the Mistral. After the start of serial construction of the IX series at Soviet shipyards, the German project was revised with the aim of a complete transition to Soviet equipment: 1D diesel engines, weapons, radio stations, a noise direction finder, a gyrocompass... - there was not a single one in the boats designated “series IX-bis”. foreign made bolt!

The problems with the combat use of "Medium" type boats, in general, were similar to the K-type cruising boats - locked in mine-infested shallow water, they were never able to realize their high combat qualities. Things were much better in the Northern Fleet - during the war, the S-56 boat under the command of G.I. Shchedrina made the transition through the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, moving from Vladivostok to Polyarny, subsequently becoming the most productive boat of the USSR Navy.

An equally fantastic story is connected with the S-101 “bomb catcher” - during the war years, the Germans and Allies dropped over 1000 depth charges on the boat, but each time the S-101 returned safely to Polyarny.

Finally, it was on the S-13 that Alexander Marinesko achieved his famous victories.

“Cruel alterations in which the ship found itself, bombings and explosions, depths far exceeding the official limit. The boat protected us from everything..."
- from the memoirs of G.I. Shchedrin

Gato type boats, USA

The number of submarines built is 77.
Surface displacement - 1525 tons; underwater - 2420 tons.
Crew - 60 people.
Working depth of immersion - 90 m.
Full surface speed - 21 knots; submerged - 9 knots.
Cruising range on the surface is 11,000 miles (10 knots).
Submerged cruising range 96 miles (2 knots).
Weapons:
— 10 torpedo tubes of 533 mm caliber, ammunition — 24 torpedoes;
— 1 x 76 mm universal gun, 1 x 40 mm Bofors anti-aircraft gun, 1 x 20 mm Oerlikon;
- one of the boats, USS Barb, was equipped with a multiple launch rocket system for shelling the coast.

Ocean-going submarine cruisers of the Getou class appeared at the height of the war in the Pacific Ocean and became one of the most effective tools of the US Navy. They tightly blocked all strategic straits and approaches to the atolls, cut all supply lines, leaving Japanese garrisons without reinforcements, and Japanese industry without raw materials and oil. In battles with the Gatow, the Imperial Navy lost two heavy aircraft carriers, lost four cruisers and a damn dozen destroyers.

High speed, lethal torpedo weapons, the most modern radio equipment for detecting the enemy - radar, direction finder, sonar. The cruising range allows for combat patrols off the coast of Japan when operating from a base in Hawaii. Increased comfort on board. But the main thing is the excellent training of the crews and the weakness of Japanese anti-submarine weapons. As a result, the "Getow" mercilessly destroyed everything - it was they who brought victory in the Pacific Ocean from the blue depths of the sea.

...One of the main achievements of the Getow boats, which changed the whole world, is considered to be the event of September 2, 1944. On that day, the Finback submarine detected a distress signal from a falling plane and, after many hours of searching, found a frightened and already desperate pilot in the ocean . The one who was saved was one George Herbert Bush.

The list of Flasher trophies sounds like a naval joke: 9 tankers, 10 transports, 2 patrol ships with a total tonnage of 100,231 GRT! And for a snack, the boat grabbed a Japanese cruiser and a destroyer. Lucky damn thing!

Electric robots type XXI, Germany
By April 1945, the Germans managed to launch 118 submarines of the XXI series. However, only two of them were able to achieve operational readiness and go to sea in last days war.

Surface displacement - 1620 tons; underwater - 1820 tons.
Crew - 57 people.
Working depth of immersion is 135 m, maximum depth is 200+ meters.
Full speed in the surface position is 15.6 knots, in the submerged position - 17 knots.
Cruising range on the surface is 15,500 miles (10 knots).
Submerged cruising range 340 miles (5 knots).
Weapons:
— 6 torpedo tubes of 533 mm caliber, ammunition — 17 torpedoes;
— 2 Flak anti-aircraft guns of 20 mm caliber.

Our allies were very lucky that all the forces of Germany were sent to the Eastern Front - the Krauts did not have enough resources to release a flock of fantastic “Electric Boats” into the sea. If they appeared a year earlier, that would be it! Another turning point in the Battle of the Atlantic.

The Germans were the first to guess: everything that shipbuilders in other countries are proud of - large ammunition, powerful artillery, high surface speed of 20+ knots - is of little importance. The key parameters that determine the combat effectiveness of a submarine are its speed and range while submerged.

Unlike its peers, “Electrobot” was focused on being constantly under water: a maximally streamlined body without heavy artillery, fences and platforms - all for the sake of minimizing underwater resistance. Snorkel, six groups of batteries (3 times more than on conventional boats!), powerful electric. Full speed engines, quiet and economical electric. "sneak" engines.

The Germans calculated everything - the entire Elektrobot campaign moved at periscope depth under the RDP, remaining difficult to detect for enemy anti-submarine weapons. At great depths, its advantage became even more shocking: 2-3 times greater range, at twice the speed of any wartime submarine! High stealth and impressive underwater skills, homing torpedoes, a set of the most advanced detection means... “Electrobots” opened a new milestone in the history of the submarine fleet, defining the vector of development of submarines in the post-war years.

The Allies were not prepared to face such a threat - as post-war tests showed, the “Electrobots” were several times superior in mutual hydroacoustic detection range to the American and British destroyers guarding the convoys.

Type VII boats, Germany

The number of submarines built is 703.
Surface displacement - 769 tons; underwater - 871 tons.
Crew - 45 people.
Working depth of immersion - 100 m, maximum - 220 meters
Full speed on the surface - 17.7 knots; submerged - 7.6 knots.
Cruising range on the surface is 8,500 miles (10 knots).
Submerged cruising range 80 miles (4 knots).
Weapons:
— 5 torpedo tubes of 533 mm caliber, ammunition — 14 torpedoes;
— 1 x 88 mm universal gun (until 1942), eight options for superstructures with 20 and 37 mm anti-aircraft guns.

* the given performance characteristics correspond to boats of the VIIC subseries

The most effective warships of all who have ever plowed the world's oceans.
A relatively simple, cheap, mass-produced, but at the same time well-armed and deadly weapon for total underwater terror.

703 submarines. 10 MILLION tons of sunk tonnage! Battleships, cruisers, aircraft carriers, destroyers, corvettes and enemy submarines, oil tankers, transports with aircraft, tanks, cars, rubber, ore, machine tools, ammunition, uniforms and food... The damage from the actions of German submariners exceeded all reasonable limits - if only Without the inexhaustible industrial potential of the United States, capable of compensating for any losses of the allies, German U-bots had every chance to “strangle” Great Britain and change the course of world history.

The successes of the Sevens are often associated with the “prosperous times” of 1939-41. — supposedly, when the Allies acquired the convoy system and Asdik sonars, the successes of the German submariners ended. A completely populist statement based on a misinterpretation of “prosperous times.”

The situation was simple: at the beginning of the war, when for every German boat there was one Allied anti-submarine ship, the “sevens” felt like invulnerable masters of the Atlantic. It was then that the legendary aces appeared, sinking 40 enemy ships. The Germans already held victory in their hands when the Allies suddenly deployed 10 anti-submarine ships and 10 aircraft for each active Kriegsmarine boat!

Beginning in the spring of 1943, the Yankees and British began to methodically overwhelm the Kriegsmarine with anti-submarine equipment and soon achieved an excellent loss ratio of 1:1. They fought like that until the end of the war. The Germans ran out of ships faster than their opponents.

The entire history of the German “seven” is a formidable warning from the past: what threat does a submarine pose and how high are the costs of creating an effective system to counter the underwater threat.

Dispassionate statistics show that during the Second World War, the best submarine sailors were German submariners. They sank 2,603 ​​Allied warships and transport vessels with a total displacement of 13.5 million tons. As a result, 70 thousand military sailors and 30 thousand merchant seamen died. The ratio of losses to victories was thus 1:4 in favor of German submarines. Soviet submariners, of course, could not boast of such successes, but they still caused major troubles for the enemy. List of German submarine warfare aces who sank ships with a total displacement of more than 100 thousand tons: 1. Otto Kretschmer- sank 44 ships, including 1 destroyer, - 266,629 tons. 2. Wolfgang Lüth- 43 ships, including 1 submarine, - 225,712 tons (according to other sources, 47 ships - 228,981 tons). 3. Erich Topp- 34 ships, including 1 American destroyer, - 193,684 tons. 4. Herbert Schulze- 28 ships - 183,432 tons (he accounted for the first of all ships officially sunk by German submarines - the transport "Bosnia" - sunk on September 5, 1939). 5. Heinrich Lehmann-Willenbrock- 25 ships - 183253 tons. 6. Karl-Friedrich Merten- 29 ships - 180869 tons. 7. Heinrich Liebe- 31 ships - 167886 tons. 8. Gunther Prien- 30 ships, including the English battleship "Royal Oak", sunk by him on October 14, 1939 in the roadstead at the main naval base of the British fleet of Scapa Flow on the Orkney Islands - 164,953 tons. Günter Prien became the first German officer to receive oak leaves for the Knight's Cross. An outstanding submariner of the Third Reich died very early - on March 8, 1941 (during an attack on a convoy traveling from Liverpool to Halifax). 9. Joachim Schepke- 39 ships - 159,130 ​​tons. 10. Georg Lassen- 26 ships - 156082 tons. 11. Werner Henke- 24 ships - 155714 tons. 12. Johann Mohr- 27 ships, including a corvette and an air defense cruiser, - 129,292 tons. 13. Engelbert Endras- 22 ships, including 2 cruisers, - 128,879 tons. 14. Reinhardt Hardegen- 23 ships - 119405 tons. 15. Werner Hartmann- 24 ships - 115616 tons.

Also worthy of mention Albrecht Brandi, which sank a minelayer and a destroyer; Reinhardt Suhren(95,092 tons), sank a corvette; Fritz Jujulius Lemp(68,607 tons), which damaged the English battleship Barham and actually sank the first ship of all destroyed by the German submarine fleet - the passenger liner Athenia (this happened on September 3, 1939 and was not then recognized by the German side); Otto Shewhart(80,688 tons), which sank the English aircraft carrier Courageous on September 17, 1939; Hans-Dietrich von Tiesenhausen, which sank the English battleship Barham on November 25, 1941.

Only the five best submariners in Germany sank 174 combat and transport ships allies with a total displacement of 1 million 52 thousand 710 tons.

For comparison: Soviet submarine fleet By June 22, 1941, it had 212 submarines in service (to this we must add 54 submarines built during the war). These forces (267 submarines) were sunk 157 enemy warships and transports- 462,300 tons (only confirmed data are meant).

The losses of the Soviet submarine fleet amounted to 98 boats (of course, excluding 4 submarines lost Pacific Fleet). In 1941 - 34, in 1942 - 35, in 1943 - 19, in 1944 - 9, in 1945 - 1. The ratio of losses to victories is 1: 1.6 in favor of submarines.

The best submariner of the Soviet Navy Alexander Ivanovich Marinesko sank 4 passenger and commercial transport with a total displacement of 42,507 tons:

January 30, 1945 - passenger liner "Wilhelm Gustlow" - 25,484 tons (on the S-13 submarine); February 10, 1945 - major transport ship"General von Steuben" - 14660 tons (on S-13); August 14, 1942 - transport ship "Helene" - 1800 tons (on M-96); October 9, 1944 - small transport "Siegfried" - 563 tons (on S-13).

For the destruction of the Wilhelm Gustlow liner, Alexander Marinesko was “honored” to be included in the list of personal enemies of the Fuhrer and Germany.

The sunken liner killed 3,700 non-commissioned officers - graduates of the diving school, 100 submarine commanders who completed a special advanced course in operating boats with a single Walther engine, 22 high-ranking party officials from East Prussia, several generals and senior officers of the RSHA, a battalion of auxiliary service of the Danzig port from the SS troops numbering 300 people, and a total of about 8000 people (!!!).

As after the surrender of the 6th Army of Field Marshal Paulus in Stalingrad, mourning was declared in Germany, and the implementation of Hitler’s plans to continue the all-out submarine war was seriously hampered.

For two outstanding victories in January-February 1945, all Marinesko crew members were awarded state awards, and submarine S-13- Order of the Red Banner.

The legendary submariner himself, who fell into disgrace, was awarded his main award posthumously only in May 1990. He was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union 45 years after the end of the war.

Without a doubt, Alexander Marinesko deserved to have monuments erected to him not only in Russia, but also in Great Britain and the United States of America. His feat saved the lives of many thousands of English and American sailors and brought the hour closer Great Victory.

Captain 3rd Rank Alexander Marinesko tops the list of Soviet submarine aces not by the number of enemy ships destroyed, but by the amount of their displacement and the amount of damage inflicted on Germany's military potential. Following him are the following most successful submariners:

2. Valentin Starikov(lieutenant captain, commander of the submarine M-171, K-1, Northern Fleet) - 14 ships; 3. Ivan Travkin(captain 3rd rank, commander of the submarine Shch-303, K-52, Baltic Fleet) - 13 ships; 4. Nikolay Lunin(Captain 3rd rank, commander of the submarine Shch-421, K-21, Northern Fleet) - 13 ships; 5. Magomed Gadzhiev(2nd rank captain, submarine division commander, Northern Fleet) - 10 ships; 6. Grigory Shchedrin(captain 2nd rank, commander of submarine S-56, Northern Fleet) - 9 ships; 7. Samuil Bogorad(Captain 3rd rank, commander of the submarine Shch-310, Baltic Fleet) - 7 ships; 8. Mikhail Kalinin(lieutenant captain, commander of the submarine Shch-307, Baltic Fleet) - 6 ships; 9. Nikolay Mokhov(lieutenant captain, commander of the submarine Shch-317, Baltic Fleet) - 5 ships; 10. Evgeny Osipov(lieutenant captain, commander of the submarine Shch-407, Baltic Fleet) - 5 ships.

IN United States Navy The crews of the Totog submarine achieved the greatest success - it sank 26 enemy warships and transports. In terms of displacement, the best result belongs to the crew of the Flasher submarine - 100,231 tons. But the most famous US submariner during the Second World War was Joseph Inright.

NewsInfo based on materials from the Russian Submarine Fleet website

Almost 70 years have passed since the end of the Second World War, but even today we do not know everything about some episodes of its final stage. That is why, again and again, old stories about the mysterious submarines of the Third Reich that surfaced off the coast come to life in the press and literature. Latin America. Argentina turned out to be especially attractive to them.

There was a basis for such stories, real or fictional. Everyone knows the role of German submarines in the war at sea: 1,162 submarines left the stocks of Germany during the Second World War. But it was not only this record number of boats that the German Navy could rightfully be proud of.

German submarines of that time were distinguished by the highest technical characteristics - speed, diving depth, unsurpassed cruising range. It is no coincidence that the most massive Soviet submarines of the pre-war period (Series C) were built under a German license.

And when in July 1944 the German boat U-250 was sunk at a shallow depth in the Vyborg Bay, the Soviet command demanded that the fleet raise it at any cost and deliver it to Kronstadt, which was done despite the stubborn opposition of the enemy. And although the boats of the VII series, to which the U-250 belonged, were no longer considered the last word in German technology in 1944, there were many novelties in its design for Soviet designers.

Suffice it to say that after its capture, a special order was issued by the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy Kuznetsov to suspend the work begun on the project of a new submarine until a detailed study of the U-250. Subsequently, many elements of the “German” were transferred to Soviet boats of Project 608, and later Project 613, of which more than a hundred were built in the post-war years. The XXI series boats, one after another going into the ocean since 1943, had especially high performance.

DOUBTABLE NEUTRALITY

Argentina, having chosen neutrality in the world war, nevertheless took a clearly pro-German position. The large German diaspora was very influential in this southern country and provided all possible assistance to their warring compatriots. The Germans owned many industrial enterprises, huge lands, fishing vessels.

German submarines operating in the Atlantic regularly approached the shores of Argentina, where they were supplied with food, medicine and spare parts. Nazi submariners were received as heroes by the owners of German estates, scattered in large numbers along the Argentine coast. Eyewitnesses said that real feasts were held for bearded men in naval uniforms - lambs and pigs were roasted, the best wines and kegs of beer were displayed.

But the local press did not report this. It is no wonder that it was in this country that after the defeat of the Third Reich, many prominent Nazis and their minions, such as Eichmann, Priebke, the sadistic doctor Mengele, the fascist dictator of Croatia Pavelic and others, found refuge and escaped from retribution.

There were rumors that they all ended up in South America on board submarines, a special squadron of which, consisting of 35 submarines (the so-called “Fuhrer Convoy”), had a base in the Canaries. To this day, dubious versions have not been refuted that Adolf Hitler, Eva Braun and Bormann found salvation in the same way, as well as about the secret German colony of New Swabia allegedly created with the help of a submarine fleet in Antarctica.

In August 1942 to the warring countries anti-Hitler coalition Brazil joined, taking part in battles on land, air and sea. She suffered her greatest loss when the war in Europe had already ended and was burning out in the Pacific. On July 4, 1945, 900 miles from its native shores, the Brazilian cruiser Bahia exploded and sank almost instantly. Most experts believe that his death (along with 330 crew members) was the work of German submariners.

SWASTIKA ON THE CONTROLHOUSE?

After waiting out the troubled times, making good money on supplies to both warring coalitions, at the very end of the war, when its end was clear to everyone, on March 27, 1945, Argentina declared war on Germany. But after that the flow German boats seems to have only grown. Dozens of residents of coastal villages, as well as fishermen at sea, according to them, have more than once observed submarines on the surface, almost in wake formation, moving in a southerly direction.

The most keen-eyed eyewitnesses even saw a swastika on their deckhouses, which, by the way, the Germans never put on the deckhouses of their boats. The coastal waters and coast of Argentina were now patrolled by the army and navy. There is a known episode when in June 1945, in the vicinity of the city of Mardel Plata, a patrol came across a cave in which various products were contained in sealed packaging. To whom they were intended remains unclear. It is also difficult to understand where this endless stream of submarines allegedly observed by the population after May 1945 came from.

After all, on April 30, the Commander-in-Chief of the German Navy, Grand Admiral Karl Doenitz, gave the order to conduct Operation Rainbow, during which all the remaining Reich submarines (several hundred) were subject to flooding. It is quite possible that some of these ships that were in the ocean or in ports of different countries did not reach the commander-in-chief’s directive, and some crews simply refused to comply with it.

Historians agree that in most cases, various boats, including fishing boats, dangling on the waves, were mistaken for submarines observed in the ocean, or the reports of eyewitnesses were simply a figment of their imagination against the background of general hysteria in anticipation of a German retaliatory strike.

CAPTAIN CINZANO

But still, at least two German submarines turned out to be not phantoms, but very real ships with living crews on board. These were U-530 and U-977, which entered the port of Mardel Plata in the summer of 1945 and surrendered to the Argentine authorities. When an Argentine officer boarded U-530 in the early morning of July 10, he saw the crew lined up on the deck and its commander - a very young chief lieutenant who introduced himself as Otto Wermuth (later Argentine sailors called him Captain Cinzano) and declared that U- 530 and her crew of 54 surrender to the mercy of the Argentine authorities.

After this, the submarine's flag was lowered and handed over to the Argentine authorities, along with a list of the crew.

A group of officers from the Mardel Plata naval base, which inspected U-530, noted that the submarine did not have a deck gun and two anti-aircraft machine guns (they were dropped into the sea before being captured), and not a single torpedo. All ship documentation was destroyed, as was the encryption machine. Particularly noted was the absence of an inflatable rescue boat on the submarine, which suggested that it might have been used to land some Nazi figures (perhaps Hitler himself) ashore.

During interrogations, Otto Wermuth said that U-530 left Kiel in February, hid in the Norwegian fjords for 10 days, after which it cruised along the US coast, and on April 24 moved south. Otto Wermuth could not give any clear explanations regarding the absence of the bot. A search was organized for the missing bot, involving ships, planes and marines, but they did not yield any results. On July 21, the ships participating in this operation were ordered to return to their bases. From that moment on, no one looked for German submarines in Argentine waters.

TALE OF A PIRATE

Concluding the story about the adventures of German submarines in the southern seas, it is impossible not to mention a certain Corvette captain Paul von Rettel, who, thanks to journalists, became widely known as the commander of U-2670. He, allegedly being in the Atlantic in May 1945, refused to sink his submarine or surrender and simply began piracy off the coast of Africa and Southeast Asia. The newly minted filibuster allegedly amassed a huge fortune for himself. He replenished fuel for his diesel engines, water and food from his victims.

He practically did not use weapons, because few people dared to resist his formidable submarine. Journalists do not know how this story ended. But it is known for certain that the submarine number U-2670 was not listed in the German fleet, and von Rettel himself was not on the list of commanders. So, to the disappointment of lovers of sea romance, his story turned out to be a newspaper duck.

Konstantin RISHES