The submarine was powered by two MWM RS 127 S four-stroke, six-cylinder diesel engines of 700 metric horsepower (510 kW; 690 shp) for cruising, two Siemens-Schuckert PG VV 322/36 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 460 metric horsepower (340 kW; 450 shp) for use while submerged.

On her second foray, the boat was attacked by the British submarine HMS Ursula which fired six torpedoes at her in the North Sea northeast of Berwick-Upon-Tweed [On the English/Scottish border] on 17 September 1939.

On her third patrol, the U-boat also had torpedoes fired at her in the central North Sea by another British submarine, HMS Sealion.

The boat's first success with a torpedo came on 1 December 1939 when she sank the Finnish-registered Mercator about 12 nmi (22 km; 14 mi) southeast of Buchan Ness (near Peterhead).

Patrol number six saw her sink the Danish Vidar 100 nmi (190 km; 120 mi) east of the Moray Firth[2] on 31 January 1940.

She sank the British Royal Archer with a mine on 26 February 1940, but then it all went horribly wrong on 27 March when she ran aground off Oldknuppen Island after a navigational error.