587 were commissioned from 1940 - 1945

Type VIIC was a slightly modified version of the successful VIIB. They had basically the same engine layout and power, but were slightly larger and heavier which made them not quite as fast as the VIIB. 5 torpedo tubes (4 at the bow and one at the stern) were installed in all but the following boats; only two bow tubes (U-72, U-78, U-80, U-554 and U-555) and no stern tube (U-203, U-331, U-351, U-401, U-431and U-651). 

The VIIC was the workhorse of the German U-boat force in World War Two from 1941 onwards and boats of this type were being built throughout the war. The first VIIC boat being commissioned was the U-69 in 1940. The VIIC was an effective fighting machine and was seen in almost all areas where the U-boat force operated although their range was not as great as the one of the larger IXtypes. 

The VIIC came into service as the "Happy Days" were almost over and it was this boat that faced the final defeat to the Allied anti-submarine campaign in late 1943 and 1944. 

Perhaps the most famous VIIC boat was the U-96which is featured in the movie Das boot, other noticeable boats were the U-flak boats. Many of these boats were fitted with the Schnorkel in 1944-1945. This design saw one more improvement in the type VIIC/41. 

The larger mine-laying type VIID was a direct variant of the VIIC. 

U-boat	Builder	Werk number	Built
U-69 - U-72	Germaniawerft, Kiel	603,604,618,619	1939 - 1941
U-77 - U-82	Vegesacker Werft, Vegesack	5 - 10	1940 - 1941
U-88 - U-92	Flender-Werke, Lübeck	292 - 296	1940 -1942
U-93 - U-98	Germaniawerft, Kiel	598 - 603	1939 - 1940
U-132 - U-136	Vegesacker Werft, Vegesack	11 - 15	1940 - 1941
U-201 - 212	Germaniawerft, Kiel	630 - 641	1940 - 1942
U-221 - U-232	Germaniawerft, Kiel	651 - 662	1941 - 1942
U-235 - U-240	Germaniawerft, Kiel	665 - 670	1942 - 1943
U-241 - U-250	Germaniawerft, Kiel	675 - 684	1942 - 1944
U-251 - U-291	Vegesacker Werft, Vegesack	16 - 56	1941 - 1943
U-301 - U-316	Flender-Werke, Lübeck	301 - 316	1941 - 1943
U-331 - U-350	Nordseewerke, Emden	203 - 228	1940 - 1943
U-351 - U-370	Flensburger Schiffsbau, Flensburg	470 - 493	1941 - 1943
U-371 - U-394	Howaldtswerke, Kiel	2 - 26	1941 - 1944
U-396 - U-400	Howaldtswerke, Kiel	28 - 32	1942 - 1944
U-401 - U-430	Danziger Werft, Danzig	102 - 132	1940 - 1943
U-431 - U-450	Schichau, Danzig	1472 - 1521	1940 - 1942
U-451 - U-458	Deutsche Werke AG, Kiel	282 - 289	1940 - 1941
U-465 - U-486	Deutsche Werke AG, Kiel	296 - 321	1941 - 1944
U-551 - U-650	Blohm & Voss, Hamburg	527 - 150	1939 - 1942
U-651 - U-683	Howaldtswerke, Hamburg	800 - 832	1941 - 1944
U-701 - U-722	H C Stülcken, Hamburg	760 ~788	1940 - 1943
U-731 - U-750	Schichau, Danzig	1522 - 1560	1941 - 1943
U-751 - U-768	Kriegsmarinewerft, Wilhelmshaven	134 - 151	1940 - 1943
U-771 - U-779	Kriegsmarinewerft, Wilhelmshaven	154 - 162	1942 - 1944
U-821 - U-822	Oderwerke, Stettin	821 - 822	1941-1944
U-825 - U-826	Schichau, Danzig	1588 - 1589	1943 - 1944
U-901	Vulkan, Stettin	16	1942-1943
U-903 - U-904	Flender-Werke, Lübeck	329 - 330	1942 - 1943
U-905 - U-907	H C Stülcken, Hamburg	802 - 804	1943 - 1944
U-921 - U-928	AG Neptun, Rostock	508 - 515	1943 - 1944
U-951- U-994	Blohm & Voss, Hamburg	151 - 194	1942 - 1943
U-1051 - U-1058	Germaniawerft, Kiel	685 - 692	1943 - 1944
U-1101 - U-1106	Nordseewerke, Emden	223 - 228	1943 - 1944
U-1131 - U-1132	Howaldtswerke, Kiel	33 - 34	1943 - 1944
U-1161 - U-1162	Danziger Werft, Danzig	133 - 134	1942 - 1943
U-1191 - U-1210	Schichau, Danzig	1561 - 1589	1942 - 1944

Technical information

Displacement (tons)	769 sf 871 sm 1070 total	Speed (kts)	17 - 17.7 sf 7.6 sm
Length (m)	67.10 oa 50.50 ph	Oil Supply (tons)	105.3 / 62.1 113.5t max
Breath (m)	6.20 oa 4.70 ph	Torpedoes Mines	14 26 TMA
Draught/ Height (m)	4.74 9.60	Crew	44 - 52
Power (hp)	2800 - 3200 ehp sf 750 ehp sm	Max Depth	ca. 220 m

sm = submerged, sf = surfaced, ph = pressure hull,
oa = overall, hp = horsepower. 
Data from www.uboat.net -- Copied with permission from author.

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