| abstract | - German submarine U-58 was a Type IIC U-boat of the Nazi German Kriegsmarine that served in the Second World War. She was produced by Deutsche Werke AG, Kiel. Ordered on 17 June 1937, she was laid down on 29 September as Werk 257. She was launched on 12 October 1938 and commissioned on 4 February 1939 under the command of Oberleutnant Herbert Kuppisch. U-58 was initially assigned to the 5th U-boat Flotilla during her training period, until 31 December 1939, when she was re-assigned to the 1st U-boat Flotilla for a front-line combat role. U-58 carried out twelve war patrols, sinking seven ships for a total 24,549 GRT. U-58, along with U-57, were both used for testing a new flooding valve schnorchel head during August 1943, that Deutsche Werke had constructed in June. For the test the schnorchel replaced the aft periscope. The initial trial was successful and a collapsible schnorchel forward of the bridge was envisaged for Type VIIC boats.
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