Description of the real U-47

Picture of U-47 on mission

Type	VII B
Launched	February 27, 1937	Germaniawerft, Kiel
Strarted up	December 17, 1938	Oblt. Günther Prien
Commander	December, 1938 - March, 1941	Korvkpt. Günther Prien
Carreer	10 patrols
Affectation	7th.U-Flottille Kiel, Wilhelmshaven then Lorient
Victories	31 ships sunk for a total of 194 103 tons 8 ships damaged for a total of 63 282 tons
Defeat	Lost since March 8, 1941 in the northern Atlantic at the position: 60.47 N / 19.13 W. Dead: 45 (all the crew). Probably sunk by HMS Wolverine

The disadvantage of type VII A was the low carburizing capacity for long patrols. VII B has 33 additional tons of fuel in the external tanks, which gave him a distance from additional patrol of approximately 2500nm with 10 knots speed. It was also considerably more powerful and slightly faster than type VII A. These boats had two rudders instead of only one on the VII A. This gave them well more agility. These boats had the same armament as VII A, 4 torpedo tubes in front and a tube at the poop. The next development of series VII was type VII C with several improvements.

Type VII B included several most famous Uboot during the world war two, Kretschmer's U-99, U-48 which was the U-boot which ran largest tonnage, Prien's U-47 and Schepke's U-100.

Return of patrol on July 1940

The flags of victory were placed according to a chronological order:
" 5800 " for Balmoralwood sunk on June 14; " 12100 " for San Fernando sunk on June 21;  " 7000 " for an unknown vessel (in fact, it was not sunk); " 5640 " for the Empire Toucan sunk on June 29; " 2775 " for Cathrine sunk on June 24; " 4000 " for Lenda sunk on June 29; " 2580 " for Leticia sunk on June 29; " 7000 " for another unknown vessel (nonsunk in fact); " 2201 " for Georgios Kyriakides sunk on June 30; " 15501 " for Arandora Star sunk on July 2.

Caracteristics of U-47:

Displacement (tons)	753 (sf) 857 (sm) 1040 (total)	Distance (miles / knots)	8700/10 (sf) 90/4 (sm)
Lenght (m)	66,50 ht 48,80 ph	Torpedoes	14 4 front tubs 1 rear tub
Wide (m)	6,20 ht 4,70 ph	Mines	26 TMA (Torpedo Mine A)
High:	9,50 m	Gun / Machine-gun	88mm /45mm
Power (CV)	3200 (sf) 750 (sm)	Crew	44-48 men
Speed (knots)	17,9 (sf) 8,0 (sm)	Maximum diving:	220 meters

sm = sub, sf = surface, ph = hull seals, ht = overall

Table of victories:

Date	Name (Nationality)	Tonage	Position: click to see on the map.
05.09.1939	« Bosnia » (BR)	2407 t	45° 29' N/09° 45' W
06.09.1939	«Rio Claro » (BR)	4086 t	46° 30' N/12° 00' W
07.09.1939	« Gartavon » (BR)	1777 t	47° 04' N/11° 32' W
14.10.1939	«Royal Oak» (BR)	29150 t	58° 55' N/02° 59' W
05.12.1939	« Navasota» (BR)	8795 t	50° 43' N/10° 16' W
06.12.1939	«Britta » (NW)	6214 t	50° 17' N/05° 44' W
07.12.1939	«Tajandoen » (NL)	8159 t	49° 09' N/04° 51' W
25.03. 1940	«Britta » (DA)	1146 t	60° 00' N/04° 19' W
14.06.1940	« Balmoral Wood » (BR)	5834 t	50° 19' N/10° 28' W
21.06. 1940	«San Fernando » (BR)	13056 t	50° 20' N/10° 24' W
24.06. 1940	«Cathrine » (PA)	1885 t	50° 08' N/14° 00' W
29.06.1940	«Lenda» (NL)	4005 t	50° 12' N/13° 18' W
	«Leticia» (NL)	2580 t	50° 11' N/13° 15' W
	«Empire Toucan» (BR)	4421 t	49° 20' N/13° 52' W
30.06.1940	«Georgios Kyriakides»(GR)	4201 t	50° 25' N/14° 33' W
02.07.1940	«Arandora Star » (BR)	15501 t	55° 20' N/10° 33' W
02.09.1940	«Ville de Mons » (BE)	7463 t	58° 20' N/12° 00' W
04.09.1940	«Titan » (BR)	9035 t	58° 14' N/15° 40' W
07.09.1940	«Neptunian» (BR)	5155 t	58° 27' N/17° 17' W
	«Jose de Larrinaga » (BR)	5303 t	58° 30' N/16° 10' W
	«Gro » (NW)	4211 t	58° 30' N/16° 10' W
09.09.1940	«Possidon» (GR)	3840 t	56° 43' N/09° 16' W
19.10.1940	«Bilderdijk» (NL)	6856 t	56° 35' N/17° 15' W
	«Wandby » (BR)	4917 t	57° 00' N/16° 53' W
20.10.1940	«La Estancia » (BR)	5185 t	57° 00' N/17° 00' W
	« Whitford Point » (BR)	5026 t	56° 38' N/16° 00' W
02.12.1940	«Ville d’Arlon» (BE)	7555 t	55° 40' N/19° 00' W
26.02.1941	« Kasongo » (BE)	5254 t	55° 50' N/14° 20' W
	«Rydboholm » (SW)	3197 t	55° 32' N/14° 24' W
	« Borgland » (NW)	3636 t	55° 50' N/14° 00' W
28.02.1941	« Holmelea » (BR)	4223 t	54° 24' N/17° 25' W

INDEX