German submarine U-518

U-505, a typical Type IXC boat
History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-518
Ordered	14 February 1940
Builder	Deutsche Werft, Hamburg
Yard number	314
Laid down	12 June 1941
Launched	11 February 1942
Commissioned	25 April 1942
Fate	Sunk on 22 April 1945[1]
General characteristics
Class and type	Type IXC submarine
Displacement	1,120 t (1,100 long tons) surfaced 1,232 t (1,213 long tons) submerged
Length	76.76 m (251 ft 10 in) o/a 58.75 m (192 ft 9 in) pressure hull
Beam	6.76 m (22 ft 2 in) o/a 4.40 m (14 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height	9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught	4.70 m (15 ft 5 in)
Installed power	4,400 PS (3,200 kW; 4,300 bhp) (diesels) 1,000 PS (740 kW; 990 shp) (electric)
Propulsion	2 shafts 2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors
Speed	18.3 knots (33.9 km/h; 21.1 mph) surfaced 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph) submerged
Range	13,450 nmi (24,910 km; 15,480 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced 64 nmi (119 km; 74 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth	230 m (750 ft)
Complement	4 officers, 44 enlisted
Armament	6 × torpedo tubes (4 bow, 2 stern) 22 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedoes 1 × 10.5 cm (4.1 in) SK C/32 deck gun (180 rounds) 1 × 3.7 cm (1.5 in) SK C/30 AA gun 1 × twin 2 cm FlaK 30 AA guns
Service record[2][3]
Part of:	4th U-boat Flotilla 25 April – 30 September 1942 2nd U-boat Flotilla 1 October 1942 – 31 October 1944 33rd U-boat Flotilla 1 November 1944 – 22 April 1945
Identification codes:	M 44 690
Commanders:	F.Kapt. Hans-Günther Brachmann 25 April – 18 August 1942 Kptlt. Friedrich-Wilhelm Wissmann 19 August 1942 – 13 January 1944 Oblt.z.S. Hans-Werner Offermann 13 January 1944 – 22 April 1945
Operations:	7 patrols: 1st patrol: 26 September – 15 December 1942 2nd patrol: 11 January – 27 April 1943 3rd patrol: 24 June – 3 July 1943 4th patrol: 18 August – 1 December 1943 5th patrol: a. 23 January – 7 May 1944 b. 4 – 10 July 1944 6th patrol: a. 15 July – 24 October 1944 b. 25 – 28 October 1944 c. 5 – 10 March 1945 7th patrol: 12 March – 22 April 1945
Victories:	9 merchant ships sunk (55,747 GRT) 3 merchant ships damaged (22,616 GRT)

German submarine U-518 was a Type IXC U-boat of the Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. She saw considerable success from her launch on 11 February 1942 until she was sunk on 22 April 1945. The U-boat was laid down at the Deutsche Werft in Hamburg as yard number 314 on 12 June 1941, and commissioned on 25 April 1942 with Fregattenkapitän Hans-Günther Brachmann in command. He was replaced on 19 August 1942 by Kapitänleutnant Friedrich-Wilhelm Wissmann.^[4] She sank nine ships and damaged three more in seven active patrols. U-518 had a crew of 56, and was by then commanded by Oberleutnant zur See Hans-Werner Offermann from 13 January 1944.