Delphin
Encyclopedia
The Delphin was a German
midget submarine
created during World War II
. Designed in 1944, only three prototypes were created by the Kriegsmarine
by the end of the war, all of which were destroyed. The Delphin was built for underwater speed attacks, as German engineers discovered that past midget submarines were too slow to match the speeds of large ships in the English Channel
.
The Delphin weighed 2.5 tons and was easily recognizable due to its tear-drop shape, which allowed the vessel to travel through the water at higher speeds. During trials the submarine reached a speed of seventeen knots while submerged. On 19 January 1945, the first prototype was destroyed after a collision with a boat, and resulted in further testing to be abandoned. Two other prototypes under construction in Berlin
were moved to Pötenitz near Trave
, where they were blown up as Allied
forces approached.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
midget submarine
Midget submarine
A midget submarine is any submarine under 150 tons, typically operated by a crew of one or two but sometimes up to 6 or 8, with little or no on-board living accommodation...
created during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Designed in 1944, only three prototypes were created by the Kriegsmarine
Kriegsmarine
The Kriegsmarine was the name of the German Navy during the Nazi regime . It superseded the Kaiserliche Marine of World War I and the post-war Reichsmarine. The Kriegsmarine was one of three official branches of the Wehrmacht, the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany.The Kriegsmarine grew rapidly...
by the end of the war, all of which were destroyed. The Delphin was built for underwater speed attacks, as German engineers discovered that past midget submarines were too slow to match the speeds of large ships in the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
.
The Delphin weighed 2.5 tons and was easily recognizable due to its tear-drop shape, which allowed the vessel to travel through the water at higher speeds. During trials the submarine reached a speed of seventeen knots while submerged. On 19 January 1945, the first prototype was destroyed after a collision with a boat, and resulted in further testing to be abandoned. Two other prototypes under construction in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
were moved to Pötenitz near Trave
Trave
The Trave is a river in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is approximately 124 kilometres long, running from its source near the village of Gießelrade in Ostholstein to Travemünde where it flows into the Baltic Sea. It passes through Bad Segeberg, Bad Oldesloe, and Lübeck, where it is linked to the...
, where they were blown up as Allied
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
forces approached.