U-boat Types

Type VIIC

568 boats commissioned


Construction history of type VIIC

U-boats ShipyardWerk #Built during
U-69 - U-702F. Krupp Germaniawerft AG, Kiel603- 6041938 - 1940
U-71 - U-722F. Krupp Germaniawerft AG, Kiel618- 6191939 - 1941
U-77 - U-826Bremer Vulkan-Vegesacker Werft, Bremen-Vegesack5- 101939 - 1941
U-88 - U-925Flender Werke AG, Lübeck292- 2961939 - 1942
U-93 - U-986F. Krupp Germaniawerft AG, Kiel598- 6031938 - 1940
U-132 - U-1365Bremer Vulkan-Vegesacker Werft, Bremen-Vegesack11- 151939 - 1941
U-201 - U-21212F. Krupp Germaniawerft AG, Kiel630- 6411939 - 1942
U-221 - U-23212F. Krupp Germaniawerft AG, Kiel651- 6621940 - 1942
U-235 - U-2406F. Krupp Germaniawerft AG, Kiel665- 6701941 - 1943
U-241 - U-25010F. Krupp Germaniawerft AG, Kiel675- 6841941 - 1944
U-251 - U-29141Bremer Vulkan-Vegesacker Werft, Bremen-Vegesack16- 561939 - 1943
U-301 - U-31616Flender Werke AG, Lübeck301- 3161940 - 1943
U-331 - U-35020Nordseewerke, Emden203- 2221939 - 1943
U-351 - U-36616Flensburger Schiffsbau-Ges, Flensburg470- 4851939 - 1943
U-367 - U-3704Flensburger Schiffsbau-Ges, Flensburg490- 4931941 - 1944
U-371 - U-39020Howaldtswerke AG, Kiel2- 211939 - 1943
U-391 - U-3944Howaldtswerke AG, Kiel23- 261941 - 1943
U-396 - U-4005Howaldtswerke AG, Kiel28- 321941 - 1944
U-401 - U-43030Danziger Werft AG, Danzig102- 1311939 - 1943
U-431 - U-4344F Schichau GmbH, Danzig1472- 14751939 - 1941
U-435 - U-4384F Schichau GmbH, Danzig1477- 14801939 - 1941
U-439 - U-4424F Schichau GmbH, Danzig1490- 14931940 - 1942
U-443 - U-4442F Schichau GmbH, Danzig1498- 14991940 - 1942
U-445 - U-4484F Schichau GmbH, Danzig1505- 15081940 - 1942
U-449 - U-4502F Schichau GmbH, Danzig1520- 15211940 - 1942
U-451 - U-4588Deutsche Werke AG, Kiel282- 2891939 - 1941
U-465 - U-4739Deutsche Werke AG, Kiel296- 3041940 - 1943
U-475 - U-4806Deutsche Werke AG, Kiel306- 3111941 - 1943
U-481 - U-4866Deutsche Werke AG, Kiel316- 3211941 - 1944
U-551 - U-650100Blohm & Voss, Hamburg527- 6261939 - 1942
U-651 - U-68333Howaldtswerke Hamburg AG, Hamburg800- 8321939 - 1944
U-701 - U-7055H C Stülcken Sohn, Hamburg760- 7641939 - 1941
U-706H C Stülcken Sohn, Hamburg7661939 - 1942
U-707 - U-7104H C Stülcken Sohn, Hamburg771- 7741940 - 1942
U-711 - U-72212H C Stülcken Sohn, Hamburg777- 7881940 - 1943
U-731 - U-7344F Schichau GmbH, Danzig1522- 15251940 - 1942
U-735 - U-7406F Schichau GmbH, Danzig1532- 15371941 - 1943
U-741 - U-7466F Schichau GmbH, Danzig1544- 15491941 - 1943
U-747 - U-7504F Schichau GmbH, Danzig1557- 15601941 - 1943
U-751 - U-76818Kriegsmarinewerft (KMW), Wilhelmshaven134- 1511939 - 1943
U-771 - U-7799Kriegsmarinewerft (KMW), Wilhelmshaven154- 1621940 - 1944
U-821 - U-8222Oderwerke AG, Stettin821- 8221941 - 1944
U-825 - U-8262F Schichau GmbH, Danzig1588- 15891942 - 1944
U-901Stettiner Maschinenbau AG, Stettin141941 - 1944
U-903 - U-9042Flender Werke AG, Lübeck329- 3301942 - 1943
U-905H C Stülcken Sohn, Hamburg8021942 - 1944
U-907H C Stülcken Sohn, Hamburg8041942 - 1944
U-921 - U-9288Neptun Werft AG, Rostock508- 5151941 - 1944
U-951 - U-99444Blohm & Voss, Hamburg151- 1941941 - 1943
U-1051 - U-10588F. Krupp Germaniawerft AG, Kiel685- 6921941 - 1944
U-1101 - U-11022Nordseewerke, Emden223- 2241941 - 1944
U-1131 - U-11322Howaldtswerke AG, Kiel33- 341941 - 1944
U-1161 - U-11622Danziger Werft AG, Danzig133- 1341941 - 1943
U-1191 - U-121020F Schichau GmbH, Danzig1561- 15801941 - 1944

Type VIIC was a slightly modified version of the successful type VIIB boats. They had basically the same engine layout and power, but were slightly larger and heavier which made them not quite as fast as the VIIB. 5 torpedo tubes (4 at the bow and one at the stern) were installed in all but the following boats; only two bow tubes (U-72, U-78, U-80, U-554 and U-555) and no stern tube (U-203, U-331, U-351, U-401, U-431 and U-651).

The VIIC was the workhorse of the German U-boat force in World War Two from 1941 onwards and boats of this type were being built throughout the war. The first VIIC boat being commissioned was the U-69 in 1940. The VIIC was an effective fighting machine and was seen in almost all areas where the U-boat force operated although their range was not as great as the one of the larger IX types.

The VIIC came into service as the "Happy Days" were almost over and it was this boat that faced the final defeat to the Allied anti-submarine campaign in late 1943 and 1944.

Perhaps the most famous VIIC boat was the U-96 which is featured in the movie Das Boot, other noticeable boats were the U-flak boats. Many of these boats were fitted with the Schnorkel in 1944-1945. This design saw one more improvement in the type VIIC/41 boat.

The larger mine-laying type VIID was a direct variant of the VIIC.


U-760 of type VIIC.

All type VIIC U-boats

The number of boats commissioned of this type, 568, is too great to list here.


Technical information for type VIIC


Displacement:
(tons)		 769 (sf)
871 (sm)
1070 (total)
Length: (m) 67,10 oa
50,50 ph
Beam: (m) 6,20 oa
4,70 ph
Draught: (draft)4,74 m
Height:9,60 m
Power: (hp)3200 (sf)
750 (sm)
Speed:
(knots)		17,7 (sf)
7,6 (sm)
Range:
(miles / knots)		8500/10 (sf)
80/4 (sm)
Torpedoes:14
4/1 (bow / stern tubes)
Mines: 26 TMA
Deck gun: 88/45
220 rounds
Crew: 44-52 men
Max depth: ca. 220 m
(722 feet)
sm = submerged, sf = surfaced, ph = pressure hull,
oa = overall, hp = horsepower.

See all U-boat types