German submarine U-27 was a Type VIIA U-boat of the Kriegsmarine, constructed during the prelude to World War II. Her keel was laid in November 1935 at the AG Weser shipyard in Bremen (yard number 908), with her launch taking place on 24 June 1936. She was commissioned on 12 August 1936 under the command of Korvettenkapitän Hans Ibbeken, making her the second of the Type VIIA class after U-33. U-27 had a displacement of 626 tonnes on the surface and 745 tonnes submerged. She measured 64.51 meters in overall length, with a pressure hull length of 45.50 meters. Her propulsion system consisted of two MAN 6-cylinder 4-stroke diesel engines, producing between 2,100 and 2,310 PS, allowing her to reach a maximum speed of 17 knots on the surface. Underwater, her propulsion was provided by two Brown, Boveri & Cie electric motors with a total of 750 PS, enabling a maximum submerged speed of 8 knots. Her operational range was notable, with a distance of 6,200 nautical miles at 10 knots when surfaced. She was designed to operate at depths up to 220 meters, but could withstand depths of 230–250 meters. Armament included five 53.3 cm torpedo tubes—four at the bow and one at the stern—carrying up to 11 torpedoes or mines. She also featured an 8.8 cm deck gun with 220 rounds and a 2 cm anti-aircraft gun for defense. Her crew comprised four officers and between 40 to 56 enlisted men. U-27's service history was brief; she conducted only one war patrol, leaving Wilhelmshaven on 23 August 1939. During this patrol, she traveled along the coast of Germany, through the English Channel, and into the Atlantic near Ireland. She sank two British trawlers, Davara and Rudyard Kipling, on 13 and 16 September 1939 respectively. The sinking of Rudyard Kipling was carried out with scuttling charges, and the crew was rescued and later returned to Ireland. Her career ended on 20 September 1939, when British destroyers HMS Fortune, Faulknor, and Forester located her. After an unsuccessful torpedo attack, the destroyers responded with a depth charge barrage that damaged U-27 sufficiently to force her to surface. HMS Fortune rammed and captured the submarine, and all 38 crew members survived and were taken prisoner. U-27 was thus the second German U-boat sunk in World War II, marking an early and significant engagement in the Battle of the Atlantic.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.