Seeteufel

Seeteufel

History
Germany
Namesake:	Sea Devil
Builder:	Borgward
Launched:	1944
General characteristics
Type:	Midget U-boat
Displacement:	2 tons surfaced, approx. 18-20 tons submerged
Length:	13.5 m (44 ft)
Beam:	2 m (6 ft 7 in) (approx.)
Draft:	2.9 m (9 ft 6 in)
Installed power:	80 PS (79 shp; 59 kW) gasoline truck engine
Speed:	8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced 10 km/h (6.2 mph) (on land)
Endurance:	30–80 hours (gas) 10–20 hours (battery)
Test depth:	50 m (160 ft)
Complement:	2
Armament:	2 × torpedoes

Seeteufel (Sea Devil) was a tracked two-man amphibian midget submarine which was designed to solve the vulnerability and technical problems associated with German midget submarines that had to be launched at sea - even ones as small as the Neger (Negro) one man piloted torpedo.

Seeteufel (a.k.a. "Elefant" or "Loedige Projekt") was developed at Kiel-Eckernförde, the Kriegsmarine torpedo testing center, under the direction of Dipl Ing Alois Loedige.

Seeteufel is also an epithet of Felix von Luckner.

Development

Only one prototype was ever completed. It was ready for testing in summer 1944. No diesel engines were available, so an 80 PS (79 shp; 59 kW) gasoline truck engine was fitted, instead. It provided propulsion on both water and land, at speeds of 8 kn (9.2 mph; 15 km/h) and 10 km/h (6.2 mph), respectively. Seeteufel was to be armed with two torpedoes. Mines, machine guns, and flame thrower were also considered.

The trials at Eckernförde showed the vessel to have very good handling qualities, although it was considered underpowered. To remedy that, a 250 hp (250 PS; 190 kW) diesel engine was specified for production models. It was also determined the tracks were too small and would have to be replaced with larger ones.

Destruction

After testing was completed, a series of standard Seeteufels were ordered at the Borgward factory at Bremen but production never began. The only existing experimental vessel was taken to a facility near Lübeck, and destroyed at the end of the war.