German submarine U-2511

German submarine U-2511 was a Type XXI submarine of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The Elektroboot submarine was laid down on 7 July 1944 at the Blohm & Voss yard at Hamburg, launched on 2 September 1944, and commissioned on 29 September 1944 under the command of Kapitänleutnant Adalbert Schnee.

Design
Like all Type XXI submarines, U-2511 had a displacement of 1621 t when at the surface and 1819 t while submerged. She had a total length of 76.70 m (o/a), a beam of 8 m, and a draught of 6.32 m. The submarine was powered by two MAN SE supercharged six-cylinder M6V40/46KBB diesel engines each providing 4000 PS, two Siemens-Schuckert GU365/30 double-acting electric motors each providing 5000 PS, and two Siemens-Schuckert silent running GV232/28 electric motors each providing 226 PS.

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 15.6 kn and a submerged speed of 17.2 kn. When running on silent motors the boat could operate at a speed of 6.1 kn. When submerged, the boat could operate at 5 kn for 340 nmi; when surfaced, she could travel 15500 nmi at 10 kn. U-2511 was fitted with six 53.3 cm torpedo tubes in the bow and four 2 cm C/30 anti-aircraft guns. She could carry 23 torpedoes or 17 torpedoes and 12 naval mine. The complement was five officers and 52 men.

Service history
After training with 31st U-boat Flotilla, U-2511 was transferred to 11th U-boat Flotilla at Bergen, Norway, for front-line service on 15 March 1945.

U-2511 conducted one patrol. On the evening of 30 April 1945 (coincidentally the date of Hitler's death), U-2511 set out from Bergen, Norway for the Caribbean, but on 4 May Schnee received the end-of-the-war cease-fire order. The commander of U-2511 claimed the U-boat had a British cruiser in her sights on 4 May when news of the German cease-fire was received. He further claimed she made a practice attack before leaving the scene undetected.

Fate
On 17 June 1945, U-2511 was transferred from Bergen, and arrived at Londonderry Port on 21 June for Operation Deadlight. The U-boat was sunk on 7 January 1946 at 7:40 pm in position 55.55°N, -7.63333°W. She was sunk by gunfire after her towing cable parted.

The wreck lies at a depth 69 m. She had been visited by divers at least three times, in 1999 and 2001, and circa 2012 for 'Dig WW2 with Dan Snow', revealing she is largely intact except for a large blast hole caused by the shellfire that sank her.