Spanish submarine G-7
Encyclopedia
Spanish submarine G-7 was originally U-573
, a Type VIIC submarine
of the German Kriegsmarine
.
On May 2, 1942, U-573 limped into Cartagena
harbor, badly damaged after an air attack. Realizing that repair was impractical, the Kriegsmarine sold the boat to Spain
for 1.5 million Reichsmark
. The Spanish Navy was obviously interested on the submarine as at the time was trying to locally produce 6 Type VIIC-class submarines, designated G Class, being unable to achieve this objective due to technical reasons. On August 2, at 10am, she was commissioned into the Armada Española as G-7.
G-7's repairs were completed in 1947, and she served the Spanish Navy until 1970. Renamed S-01, she was decommissioned, auctioned for 3,334,751 Pts (about $26,500), after which, despite efforts to save and preserve her as a museum, the submarine was broken up for scrap.
Unterseeboot 573
German submarine U-573 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for the German Kriegsmarine for service during World War II.Her keel was laid down 8 June 1940 by Blohm + Voss of Hamburg. She was commissioned on 5 June 1941 with Kapitänleutnant Heinrich Heinsohn in command. Heinsohn commanded her for her...
, a Type VIIC submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
of the German 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 It superseded the Kaiserliche Marine of World War I and the post-war Reichsmarine.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...
.
On May 2, 1942, U-573 limped into Cartagena
Cartagena, Spain
Cartagena is a Spanish city and a major naval station located in the Region of Murcia, by the Mediterranean coast, south-eastern Spain. As of January 2011, it has a population of 218,210 inhabitants being the Region’s second largest municipality and the country’s 6th non-Province capital...
harbor, badly damaged after an air attack. Realizing that repair was impractical, the Kriegsmarine sold the boat to Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
for 1.5 million Reichsmark
German reichsmark
The Reichsmark was the currency in Germany from 1924 until June 20, 1948. The Reichsmark was subdivided into 100 Reichspfennig.-History:...
. The Spanish Navy was obviously interested on the submarine as at the time was trying to locally produce 6 Type VIIC-class submarines, designated G Class, being unable to achieve this objective due to technical reasons. On August 2, at 10am, she was commissioned into the Armada Española as G-7.
G-7's repairs were completed in 1947, and she served the Spanish Navy until 1970. Renamed S-01, she was decommissioned, auctioned for 3,334,751 Pts (about $26,500), after which, despite efforts to save and preserve her as a museum, the submarine was broken up for scrap.