Berthed in the East Float Docks Birkenhead UK
THE GERMAN WW2 U BOAT THE U 534
Why not visit the U 534 and support the work of the Warship Preservation Trust?
The U 534 is the only U Boat sunk in wartime action to be raised from the sea bed. It was sunk as most of the later U Boats were by an aircraft. The particular aircraft involved in this case was a Liberator bomber flown by the RAF on a U Boat hunting patrol. This was 'G' George from 86 Squadron based it Tain Scotland, with W/O John Nicol as Commanding Officer. U 534 was caught on the surface and tried to fight it out with its guns. Some other U Boats had escaped with this tactic in the past against lone aircraft. In fact U534 had shot down several aircraft, even one of its own by mistake in an air raid on Kiel. On the day of its sinking 'G' George was not the first aircraft to attack U 534. The first was 'E' Edward which U 534 shot down and from which sadly all the crew were lost
LAUNCHED 23rd SEPT 1942
COMMISSIONED 23rd DEC 1942
SUNK 5th MAY 1945
CLICK HERE FOR THE U 534 PICTURE GALLERY
May 29th 1996 the U 534 in the Mersey on its transport barge which brought it all the way across the North Sea. |
SPECIFICATIONS
Built by Deutche Wert Hamberg 1942
C/O at time of loss KL Herbet Noullau
PROPULSION
9 Cylinder Man Diesel/electric 2 shafts 2200 hp
Speed 7.3 kts max submerged
Speed 18.25 kts max surfaced
DISPLACEMENT
1257 tons submerged
1144 tons surfaced
DIMENSIONS
237.18 feet length
22.688 feet beam
DRAUGHT
14.27 feet light
15.41 feet laden
ARMAMENT
4 Torpedo Tubes forward & 2 Torpedo Tubes aft
forward G7A & G7E torpedoes /aft T2 & T11 torpedoes
One 37mm Bofor/ Two 20mm cannon/(One 105mm gun removed in refit)
RANGE
10 knots 13850 nm
18.3 knots 5100 nm
DEPTH
NORMAL 330 feet
MAXIMUM 660 feet
For further information
The Warship Preservation Trust (Historic Warships)
East Float Dock, Dock Road, Birkenhead, Wirral.
- 1st April to 31st August 10am - 6.00pm.
- September 1st to March 31st 10.00am to 5.00pm.
- LAST ADMISSIONS IN ALL CASES ARE 1 HOUR BEFORE CLOSING TIME.