Submarine of the "Molch" type
German submarine of the Second World War The single-seat ultra-small submarine "Molch" was designed for operations in the coastal zone and belonged to the so-called special assault vehicles. In the development process, it had the designation "Thomas II", and the production of serial samples, which were already called "Molch", was started in July 1944. The mini-submarine was equipped with a single electric motor for surface and underwater operation, which limited the range of its use. The diving depth was up to 60 meters, the maximum speed in the underwater position was 5 knots. The hull consisted of three sections, in the central one there was a seat for a single crew member. The construction of "Molch" was carried out at the Deschhimag shipyard in Bremen, in total, the Kriegsmarine received 393 units. As part of the special subversive group "K", these submarines were used in the Mediterranean and North Seas, having made 140 sorties at sea by the end of the Second World War.
