U-boat Types

Type VIIA

10 boats commissioned


Construction history of type VIIA

U-boats ShipyardWerk #Built during
U-27 - U-326AG Weser, Bremen908- 9131935 - 1937
U-33 - U-364F. Krupp Germaniawerft AG, Kiel556- 5591935 - 1936

These boats, designed in 1933-1934, were the first of a new generation of German attack U-boats known, as Type VII, they were popular with their crews and very agile on the surface. They also had a much more powerful striking power than the smaller Type II's. They had 5 torpedo tubes (4 at the bow) and would carry 11 torpedoes onboard or 22 TMA (=33 TMB) mines. They also had the effective 88mm fast-firing deck gun with about 160 rounds of ammunition.

Type VIIB was an improvement on this design with substantially increased range.

All but two (U-29 and U-30, both scuttled in Kupfermühlen Bay on May 4, 1945) Type VIIA U-boats were sunk during World War Two.

All type VIIA U-boats

Below you can see the 10 commissioned U-boats of this type.

U-27, U-28, U-29, U-30, U-31, U-32, U-33, U-34, U-35, and U-36.


Technical information for type VIIA


Displacement:
(tons)		 626 (sf)
745 (sm)
915 (total)
Length: (m) 64,51 oa
45,50 ph
Beam: (m) 5,85 oa
4,70 ph
Draught: (draft)4,37 m
Height:9,50 m
Power: (hp)2310 (sf)
750 (sm)
Speed:
(knots)		17 (sf)
8,0 (sm)
Range:
(miles / knots)		6200/10 (sf)
94/4 (sm)
Torpedoes:11
4/1 (bow / stern tubes)
Mines: 22 TMA
Deck gun: 88/45
220 rounds
Crew: 42-46 men
Max depth: ca. 220 m
(722 feet)
sm = submerged, sf = surfaced, ph = pressure hull,
oa = overall, hp = horsepower.

See all U-boat types