German submarine U-15 (1936)

German submarine U-15 was a Type IIB U-boat of the Kriegsmarine. It was commissioned on 7 March 1936, following construction at the Deutsche Werke shipyards at Kiel. Its first commander was Werner von Schmidt. In its career, it completed five patrols, all while serving under the 1st U-boat Flotilla. It sank three ships.

Design
German Type IIB submarines were enlarged versions of the original Type IIs. U-15 had a displacement of 279 t when at the surface and 328 t while submerged. Officially, the standard tonnage was 250 LT, however. The U-boat had a total length of 42.70 m, a pressure hull length of 28.20 m, a beam of 4.08 m, a height of 8.60 m, and a draught of 3.90 m. The submarine was powered by two MWM RS 127 S four-stroke, six-cylinder diesel engines of 700 PS for cruising, two Siemens-Schuckert PG VV 322/36 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 460 PS for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 0.85 m propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 80 - 150 m.

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 12 kn and a maximum submerged speed of 7 kn. When submerged, the boat could operate for 35 - 42 nmi at 4 kn; when surfaced, she could travel 3800 nmi at 8 kn. U-15 was fitted with three 53.3 cm torpedo tubes at the bow, five torpedoes or up to twelve Type A torpedo mines, and a 2 cm anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of twentyfive.

Fate
On 30 January 1940, U-15 was sunk in the North Sea in the Hoofden, after being rammed by accident by the German torpedo boat Iltis. 25 men died; there were no survivors.