German submarine U-181

History
Germany
Name	U-181
Ordered	15 August 1940
Builder	DeSchiMAG AG Weser, Bremen
Yard number	1021
Laid down	15 March 1941
Launched	30 December 1941
Commissioned	9 May 1942
Fate	Taken over by Imperial Japanese Navy on 6 May 1945
Japan
Name	I-501
Acquired	6 May 1945
Commissioned	15 July 1945
Fate	Surrendered, August 1945; Sunk on 12 February 1946 in the Strait of Malacca, in position 03°05′50″N 100°41′50″E, by the British frigates HMS Loch Glendhu and HMS Loch Lomond;
General characteristics
Class and type	Type IXD2 submarine
Displacement	1,610 t (1,580 long tons) surfaced ; 1,799 t (1,771 long tons) submerged;
Length	87.58 m (287 ft 4 in) o/a; 68.50 m (224 ft 9 in) pressure hull;
Beam	7.50 m (24 ft 7 in) o/a; 4.40 m (14 ft 5 in) pressure hull;
Height	10.20 m (33 ft 6 in)
Draught	5.35 m (17 ft 7 in)
Installed power	9,000 PS (6,620 kW; 8,880 bhp) (diesels); 1,000 PS (740 kW; 990 shp) (electric);
Propulsion	2 shafts; 2 × diesel engines; 2 × electric motors;
Speed	20.8 knots (38.5 km/h; 23.9 mph) surfaced; 6.9 knots (12.8 km/h; 7.9 mph) surfaced;
Range	12,750 nmi (23,610 km) at 10 knots (19 km/h) surfaced; 57 nmi (106 km) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h) submerged;
Test depth	Calculated crush depth: 230 m (754 ft 7 in)
Boats & landing ; craft carried	2 dinghies
Complement	4-7 officers, 51-57 enlisted
Armament	6 × torpedo tubes (four bow, two stern); 24 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedoes; 1 × 10.5 cm (4.1 in) SK C/32 deck gun (150 rounds); 1 × 3.7 cm (1.5 in) SK C/30 ; 2 × 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns;
Service record (Kriegsmarine)
Part of:	4th U-boat Flotilla; 9 May – 30 September 1942; 10th U-boat Flotilla; 1 – 31 October 1942; 12th U-boat Flotilla; 1 November 1942 – 30 September 1944; 33rd U-boat Flotilla; 1 October 1944 – 5 May 1945;
Identification codes:	M 45 435
Commanders:	K.Kapt. Wolfgang Lüth; 9 May 1942 – 31 October 1943; F.Kapt. / Kapt.z.S. Kurt Freiwald; 1 November 1943 – 5 May 1945;
Operations:	4 patrols:; 1st patrol:; 12 September 1942 – 18 January 1943; 2nd patrol:; 23 March – 14 October 1943; 3rd patrol:; a. 16 March – 8 August 1944; b. 30 – 31 August 1944; c. 23 – 25 September 1944; 4th patrol:; a. 19 October 1944 – 5 January 1945; b. 14 – 16 January 1945;
Victories:	27 merchant ships sunk ; (138,779 GRT)
Service record (IJN)
Part of:	1st Southern Expeditionary Fleet; 15 July – August 1945;
Commanders:	Kaigun-shōsa Kiyoteru Sato; 15 July – August 1945;
Operations:	None
Victories:	None

German submarine U-181 was a Type IXD2 U-boat of Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 15 March 1941 at the DeSchiMAG AG Weser yard at Bremen as yard number 1021. She was launched on 30 December 1941 and commissioned on 9 May 1942 under the command of Kapitänleutnant Wolfgang Lüth. After training with the 4th U-boat Flotilla at Stettin, U-181 was attached to the 10th flotilla for front-line service on 1 October 1942, then transferred to the 12th flotilla on 1 November.

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