German submarine U-578

History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-578
Ordered	8 January 1940
Builder	Blohm & Voss, Hamburg
Yard number	554
Laid down	1 August 1940
Launched	15 May 1941
Commissioned	10 July 1941
Fate	Missing in the Bay of Biscay since 6 August 1942; no explanation for her loss
General characteristics
Class & type	Type VIIC submarine
Displacement	769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced; 871 t (857 long tons) submerged;
Length	67.10 m (220 ft 2 in) o/a; 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in) pressure hull;
Beam	6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a; 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull;
Height	9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught	4.74 m (15 ft 7 in)
Installed power	2,800–3,200 PS (2,100–2,400 kW; 2,800–3,200 bhp) (diesels); 750 PS (550 kW; 740 shp) (electric);
Propulsion	2 shafts; 2 × diesel engines; 2 × electric motors;
Speed	17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced; 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged;
Range	8,500 nmi (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced; 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged;
Test depth	230 m (750 ft); Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft);
Complement	4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Armament	5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern); 14 × torpedoes or 26 TMA mines; 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds); 1 x 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 AA gun;
Service record
Part of:	5th U-boat Flotilla; 10 July – 31 August 1941; 7th U-boat Flotilla; 1 September 1941 – 6 August 1942;
Identification codes:	M 46 136
Commanders:	F.Kapt. Ernst-August Rehwinkel; 10 July 1941 – 6 August 1942;
Operations:	5 patrols:; 1st patrol:; a. 19 – 27 November 1941; b. 29 November – 4 December 1941; c. 6 – 10 December 1941; 2nd patrol:; 15 – 28 January 1942; 3rd patrol:; 3 February – 25 March 1942; 4th patrol:; 7 May – 3 July 1942; 5th patrol:; 6 August 1942;
Victories:	4 merchant ships sunk ; (23,635 GRT); 1 warship sunk ; (1,090 tons);

German submarine U-578 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

She carried out five patrols, sank four ships of 23,635 gross register tons (GRT) and sank a warship of 1,090 tons.

She was posted missing in the Bay of Biscay since 6 August 1942, with no explanation for her loss.

History

Nazi Germany
Name	U-578
Ordered	8 January 1940
Builder	Blohm & Voss, Hamburg
Yard number	554
Laid down	1 August 1940
Launched	15 May 1941
Commissioned	10 July 1941
Fate	Missing in the Bay of Biscay since 6 August 1942; no explanation for her loss
General characteristics
Class & type	Type VIIC submarine
Displacement	769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced 871 t (857 long tons) submerged
Length	67.10 m (220 ft 2 in) o/a 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in) pressure hull
Beam	6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height	9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught	4.74 m (15 ft 7 in)
Installed power	2,800–3,200 PS (2,100–2,400 kW; 2,800–3,200 bhp) (diesels) 750 PS (550 kW; 740 shp) (electric)
Propulsion	2 shafts 2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors
Speed	17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged
Range	8,500 nmi (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth	230 m (750 ft) Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft)
Complement	4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Armament	5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern) 14 × torpedoes or 26 TMA mines 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds) 1 x 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 AA gun
Service record
Part of:	5th U-boat Flotilla 10 July – 31 August 1941 7th U-boat Flotilla 1 September 1941 – 6 August 1942
Identification codes:	M 46 136
Commanders:	F.Kapt. Ernst-August Rehwinkel 10 July 1941 – 6 August 1942
Operations:	5 patrols: 1st patrol: a. 19 – 27 November 1941 b. 29 November – 4 December 1941 c. 6 – 10 December 1941 2nd patrol: 15 – 28 January 1942 3rd patrol: 3 February – 25 March 1942 4th patrol: 7 May – 3 July 1942 5th patrol: 6 August 1942
Victories:	4 merchant ships sunk (23,635 GRT) 1 warship sunk (1,090 tons)