Type XXIII U-Boats

Designed for use within the Mediterranean or coastal waters, the Type XXIII was the smaller brother to the Type XXI design. With a streamlined hull formed by two flatten cylinders and prefabricated into four seperate sections that were then welded together, the Type XXIII boasted no external weaponry or deck casing. In fact the interior was also so compact that the two bow torpedo tubes had to be loaded from the outside, the stern lowered into the water and torpedoes allowed to slide tail-first into the tubes. Thus the boat could not reload at sea.

Although relatively successful in action, the TYpe XXIII carried a weapons load inferior even to the Type II that the Kriegsmarine entered the war with. However, the last ships sunk by U-boat torpedo during the Second World War were the SS Senland I and SS Avondale Park in the Firth of Forth by Kapitänleutnant Emil Klusmeier's U2336 on 7 May 1945.

Dimensions: 34.2 metres x 2.98 metres x 3.74metres (draught).

Displacement: 232 tons (256 tons submerged).

Complement: 2 officers, 12crew.

Armament: 2 x 53.3cm (21") torpedo tubes at bow (2 x torpedoes carried).

Propulsion: 1-shaft diesel/electric motors, BHP/SHP 580/600. Silent creeping motors, SHP 35 = 2knots.

Speed: 9.75 knots surfaced / 12.5 knots submerged.

Endurance: 1,350 miles (surfaced) @ 9.75knots.
175 miles (submerged) @ 4 knots.

Rated Depth: 160 metres