Seehund
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The Seehund (seal) (also known as Type XXVII ) was a successful series of German midget submarines created during World War II. Designed in 1944, and run by two men crews, the submarines were used as effective weapons by the Kriegsmarine in the closing months of the war, sinking over 120,000 tons of allied shipping.
After several attempts to perfect a midget submarine, the Seehund class was designed in early 1944. That September, the first three prototypes were produced in Kiel. Although 1000 midget Seehund class subs were planned to be built, only 138 were commissioned into the Kriegsmarine by April 1945.
The small size and its rapid movement made the Seehund virtually undetectable and difficult to destroy due to their resilient hulls. The submarines were operated by crews of two and carried two underslung torpedoes. The boats operated mainly around the German coast and in the English Channel, and could attack on the surface in turbulent weather, but had to be almost stationary for submerged attacks. In the closing months of the war, the Seehund class were used as re-supply boats, replenishing much needed supplies to German garrisons along the coast.
[edit] References
| Midget submarines of the Kriegsmarine |
| Completed submarines |
| Seehund | Hecht | Biber | Molch |
| Manned torpedoes |
| Neger | Marder | Hai |
| Prototypes |
| Delphin | Seeteufel | Schwertwal |
