U-boat Types

Type VIIC

568 boats commissioned

Construction history of type VIIC

U-boats ShipyardWerk #Built during
U-69 - U-702  F. Krupp Germaniawerft AG, Kiel603 - 604 1938 - 1940
U-71 - U-722  Bremer Vulkan-Vegesacker Werft, Bremen-Vegesack618 - 619 1939 - 1941
U-77 - U-826  Flender Werke AG, Lübeck5 - 10 1939 - 1941
U-88 - U-925  F. Krupp Germaniawerft AG, Kiel292 - 296 1939 - 1942
U-93 - U-986  Bremer Vulkan-Vegesacker Werft, Bremen-Vegesack598 - 603 1938 - 1940
U-132 - U-1365  F. Krupp Germaniawerft AG, Kiel11 - 15 1939 - 1941
U-201 - U-21212  F. Krupp Germaniawerft AG, Kiel630 - 641 1939 - 1942
U-221 - U-23212  F. Krupp Germaniawerft AG, Kiel651 - 662 1940 - 1942
U-235 - U-2406  F. Krupp Germaniawerft AG, Kiel665 - 670 1941 - 1943
U-241 - U-25010  Bremer Vulkan-Vegesacker Werft, Bremen-Vegesack675 - 684 1941
U-251 - U-29141  Flender Werke AG, Lübeck16 - 56 1939 - 1943
U-301 - U-31616  Nordseewerke, Emden301 - 316 1940 - 1943
U-331 - U-35020  Flensburger Schiffsbau-Ges, Flensburg203 - 222 1939 - 1943
U-351 - U-36616  Flensburger Schiffsbau-Ges, Flensburg470 - 485 1939 - 1943
U-367 - U-3704  Howaldtswerke AG, Kiel490 - 493 1941
U-371 - U-39020  Howaldtswerke AG, Kiel2 - 21 1939 - 1943
U-391 - U-3944  Howaldtswerke AG, Kiel23 - 26 1941 - 1943
U-396 - U-4005  Danziger Werft AG, Danzig28 - 32 1941
U-401 - U-43030  F Schichau GmbH, Danzig102 - 131 1939 - 1943
U-431 - U-4344  F Schichau GmbH, Danzig1472 - 1475 1939 - 1941
U-435 - U-4384  F Schichau GmbH, Danzig1477 - 1480 1939 - 1941
U-439 - U-4424  F Schichau GmbH, Danzig1490 - 1493 1940 - 1942
U-443 - U-4442  F Schichau GmbH, Danzig1498 - 1499 1940 - 1942
U-445 - U-4484  F Schichau GmbH, Danzig1505 - 1508 1940 - 1942
U-449 - U-4502  Deutsche Werke AG, Kiel1520 - 1521 1940 - 1942
U-451 - U-4588  Deutsche Werke AG, Kiel282 - 289 1939 - 1941
U-465 - U-4739  Deutsche Werke AG, Kiel296 - 304 1940 - 1943
U-475 - U-4806  Deutsche Werke AG, Kiel306 - 311 1941 - 1943
U-481 - U-4866  Blohm & Voss, Hamburg316 - 321 1941 - 1944
U-551 - U-650100  Howaldtswerke Hamburg AG, Hamburg527 - 626 1939 - 1942
U-651 - U-68333  H C Stülcken Sohn, Hamburg800 - 832 1939 - 1944
U-701 - U-7055  H C Stülcken Sohn, Hamburg760 - 764 1939 - 1941
U-706  H C Stülcken Sohn, Hamburg766 1939 - 1941
U-707 - U-7104  H C Stülcken Sohn, Hamburg771 - 774 1940 - 1942
U-711 - U-72212  F Schichau GmbH, Danzig777 - 788 1940 - 1943
U-731 - U-7344  F Schichau GmbH, Danzig1522 - 1525 1940 - 1942
U-735 - U-7406  F Schichau GmbH, Danzig1532 - 1537 1941 - 1943
U-741 - U-7466  F Schichau GmbH, Danzig1544 - 1549 1941 - 1943
U-747 - U-7504  Kriegsmarinewerft (KMW), Wilhelmshaven1557 - 1560 1941
U-751 - U-76818  Kriegsmarinewerft (KMW), Wilhelmshaven134 - 151 1939 - 1943
U-771 - U-7799  Oderwerke AG, Stettin154 - 162 1940 - 1944
U-821 - U-8222  F Schichau GmbH, Danzig821 - 822 1941 - 1944
U-825 - U-8262  Stettiner Maschinenbau AG, Stettin1588 - 1589 1942 - 1944
U-901  Flender Werke AG, Lübeck14 1941 - 1944
U-903 - U-9042  H C Stülcken Sohn, Hamburg329 - 330 1942 - 1943
U-905  H C Stülcken Sohn, Hamburg802 1942 - 1943
U-907  Neptun Werft AG, Rostock804 1942 - 1943
U-921 - U-9288  Blohm & Voss, Hamburg508 - 515 1941 - 1944
U-951 - U-99444  F. Krupp Germaniawerft AG, Kiel151 - 194 1941 - 1943
U-1051 - U-10588  Nordseewerke, Emden685 - 692 1941 - 1944
U-1101 - U-11022  Howaldtswerke AG, Kiel223 - 224 1941 - 1944
U-1131 - U-11322  Danziger Werft AG, Danzig33 - 34 1941 - 1944
U-1161 - U-11622  F Schichau GmbH, Danzig133 - 134 1941 - 1943
U-1191 - U-121020 F Schichau GmbH, Danzig1561 - 15801942 - 1944

Type VIIC was a slightly modified version of the successful VIIB. 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