Seehund

The "Seehund" (seal) (also known as Type XXVII ) was a successful series of German midget submarines created during World War II. Designed in 1944, and run by two men crews, the submarines were used as weapons by the "Kriegsmarine" in the closing months of the war, sinking 9 merchant vessels and damaging an additional 3, with 35 losses, mostly attributed to bad weather.

After several attempts to perfect a midget submarine, the "Seehund" class was designed in early 1944. That September, the first three prototypes were produced in Kiel. Although 1000 midget "Seehund" class subs were planned to be built, only 138 were commissioned into the "Kriegsmarine" by April 1945. Captain Albrecht Brandi was in charge of command of the seal-units.

The small size and its rapid movement made the "Seehund" virtually undetectable and difficult to destroy due to their resilient hulls. The submarines were operated by crews of two and carried two underslung torpedoes. The boats operated mainly around the German coast and in the English Channel, and could attack on the surface in turbulent weather, but had to be almost stationary for submerged attacks. In the closing months of the war, the "Seehund" class were used as re-supply boats, replenishing much needed supplies to German garrisons along the coast.

References

*cite web | title= Uboat.net| work= Information on the Seehund class and its operations| url=http://www.uboat.net/types/seehund.htm| accessdate=July 16| accessyear=2006
*cite web | title= Historic Naval Ships Association: Seehund in Quincy, MA| work= Information on the Seehund class| url=http://www.hnsa.org/ships/seehund.htm| accessdate=July 16| accessyear=2006
* [http://www.hnsa.org/ships/seehundnj.htm HNSA Ship Page: "Seehund" in Hackensack, NJ]