German submarine U-5 (1935)

German submarine U-5 was a Type IIA U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine. She was laid down on 11 February 1935, launched on 14 August and commissioned 31 August that year, under Oberleutnant zur See Rolf Dau.

U-5 served mostly as a training boat from 1935 to 1940, but did see two wartime patrols in 1940. She was transferred to the 21st U-boat Flotilla on 1 July 1940.

U-5 was sunk on 19 March 1943 in a diving accident west of Pillau (now Baltiysk in Russia); 16 of the 37-man crew survived.

Design
German Type II submarines were based on the FINNISH SUBMARINE Vesikko. U-5 had a displacement of 254 t when at the surface and 303 t while submerged. Officially, the standard tonnage was 250 LT, however. The U-boat had a total length of 40.90 m, a pressure hull length of 27.80 m, a beam of 4.08 m, a height of 8.60 m, and a draught of 3.83 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 360 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 13 kn and a maximum submerged speed of 6.9 kn. When submerged, the boat could operate for 35 nmi at 4 kn; when surfaced, she could travel 1600 nmi at 8 kn. U-5 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 25.