German submarine U-600 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II.She was laid down on 25 January 1941 by Blohm & Voss in Hamburg as yard number 576, launched on 16 October 1941 and commissioned on 11 December 1941 under Kapitänleutnant Bernhard Zurmühlen.
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-600 had a displacement of 769t when at the surface and 871t while submerged. She had a total length of 67.1m (220.1feet), a pressure hull length of 50.5m (165.7feet), a beam of 6.2m (20.3feet), a height of 9.6m (31.5feet), and a draught of 4.74m (15.55feet). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of NaNPS for use while surfaced, two Brown, Boveri & Cie GG UB 720/8 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750PS for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23abbr=onNaNabbr=on propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to .
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of and a maximum submerged speed of . When submerged, the boat could operate for at ; when surfaced, she could travel at . U-600 was fitted with five 53.30NaN0 torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.82NaN2 SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and a 2sp=usNaNsp=us C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.
The boat's service began on 11 December 1941 with training as part of the 5th U-boat Flotilla. She was transferred to the 3rd Flotilla, operating out of La Pallice, France, on 1 August 1942 for active service in the North Atlantic.
In six patrols she sank five merchant ships, for a total of, plus three merchant ships damaged.
U-600 took part in eight wolfpacks, namely:
U-600 was sunk on 25 November 1943 in the North Atlantic in position 40.5167°N -29°W, by depth charges from Royal Navy frigates and . All 45 hands were lost.
| Date | Ship Name | Nationality | Tonnage (GRT) | Fate[1] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 August 1942 | Vivian P. Smith |  United Kingdom | 130 | Sunk | |
| 13 August 1942 | Delmundo |  United States | 5,032 | Sunk | |
| 13 August 1942 | Everelza |  Latvia | 4,520 | Sunk | |
| 8 December 1942 | James McKay | United States | 6,762 | Sunk | |
| 24 February 1943 | Ingria |  Norway | 4,391 | Damaged | |
| 17 March 1943 | Irénée Du Pont | United States | 6,125 | Damaged | |
| 17 March 1943 | Nariva | United Kingdom | 8,714 | Damaged | |
| 17 March 1943 | Southern Princess | United Kingdom | 12,156 | Sunk |