U-2511 Wreck

Field Value
U-2511 Wreck Location
Marine Coordinates (DMM) 		55 34.753 N,7 37.564 W
Latitude, Longitude
Decimal Degrees
  • Latitude: 55.579220
  • Longitude: -7.626070
Name U-2511
Type submarine
Date Sunk Jan 7, 1946
Original Source Brady et. al. 2012, 164-9; Bishop 2006, 109; Mallmann Showell 2006, 104; Miller 2000, 60; Möller & Brack 2004, 110; Wynn 1997, Vol. ii. 256-7; ww.periscopepublishing.com; www.uboat.net
WRECK MAP LOADING ... 55 34.753 N,7 37.564 W
U-2511 on Wreck Map U-2511 Wreck on Google Map
Wreck No: W10128, Place of Loss: Malin Head, Co. Donegal, 26km NW of, Source of Coordinate: GSI Wreck Data, Description: U-2511 was the first Type XXI German submarine to make an operational patrol in the last days of the war. This vessel represented a new high-speed ‘electro boat’, weighing 1,621 tons and carrying a crew of 57. It was not only faster underwater and quieter than other U-boats, it could also outrun many naval escorts while still submerged. The Type XXI possessed an integral Schnorchel, which allowed it to stay underwater as long as food and fuel were available, making its detection very difficult for the Allies. However, most submarines of this type failed to emerge from training or from shipyards, with only this single example attaining operational status before the war ended. Its torpedo tubes were fitted with a hydraulic loading system, which allowed for a complete reloading in about 20 minutes, rather than the several hours it took for other U-boats. This new submarine type was capable of 15.6–17.6 knots, had two 2,200 horsepower engines and a range of 11,150 nautical miles if travelling on the surface at 12 knots. It could reach a maximum depth of around 280m and carried up to 23 torpedoes, or alternatively 14 torpedoes and 12 mines. It was built by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg, launched in September 1944 and commissioned into service in the same month. The innovative U-2511 was under the command of Korvettenkapitän Adalbert Schnee (September 1944–May 1945), a U-boat ace who had previously sunk 23 ships, including the Nils Gorthon, which was lost off Malin Head. The U-2511 departed Germany in mid-March 1945 for Norway, to carry out deep-water trials in the Oslo-Fjord. On 30 April it set out from Bergen on its first mission, intending to patrol the Caribbean, but the ceasefire was called en route, just one day into its journey. A few hours later, on the return trip to Norway, the submarine encountered a British naval group, including the cruiser HMS Norfolk. The U-boat approached to within 500m of the British warship without any sonar contact from the enemy destroyer. Schnee had the opportunity to make an absolutely deadly attack against the cruiser, but as a ceasefire had been called he desisted from doing so. Instead, he returned the submarine to Bergen and surrendered it on 9 May. On 14 June, as part of Operation Deadlight, U-2511 was transferred to Lisahally in Northern Ireland. It was subsequently sunk using gunfire after its tow cable broke on 7 January 1946, 26km NW of Malin Head. In 2001 the wreck site was identified by divers during the Operation Deadlight Expedition, led by Innes McCartney. The U-2511 lies on its port side and is relatively intact, measuring 65m in length, 10m in width and 5.6m in maximum height, with an average height of 2.4m. It is orientated N–S on the seafloor and shows sediment scouring on her east side. The stem is missing and all six of the torpedo tubes can be seen. Aft, the massive conning tower rises up over the wreck. While the forward flak turret was still in place when the wreck was first discovered, it has now joined the aft turret on the seabed. The sky periscope is slightly extended and the optics are visible. Aft of the conning tower the wreck is essentially intact all the way to the stern, where the aft hydroplanes and a single rudder can be seen. As the U-2511 was sunk by gunfire, shell damage is visible in many areas. One of the biggest holes is in her starboard side, alongside the conning tower, and a mass of cabling and batteries is visible along the keel section of the wreck. INFOMAR Wreck Data; GSI Wreck No_85. ----------------------------

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FAQ

Where is the U-2511 wreck located?

The U-2511 wreck is located at coordinates 55 34.753 N,7 37.564 W.

When did the U-2511 sink?

The U-2511 sank on Jan 7, 1946.

What type of wreck is the U-2511?

The U-2511 is classified as a submarine.

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