German submarine U-793

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History
Nazi Germany
NameU-793
Ordered7 August 1942
BuilderBlohm & Voss, Hamburg
Yard number456
Laid down1 December 1942
Launched4 March 1944
Commissioned24 April 1944
FateScuttled on 4 May 1945
StatusRaised and taken by British, final fate unknown
General characteristics
Class and typeType XVIIA submarine
Displacement
  • 277 long tons (281 t) surfaced
  • 309 long tons (314 t) submerged
  • 373 long tons (379 t) total
Length
  • 39.05 m (128 ft 1 in) o/a
  • 26.15 m (85 ft 10 in) pressure hull
Beam
  • 4.5 m (14 ft 9 in) o/a
  • 3.3 m (10 ft 10 in) ph
Draught4.3 m (14 ft 1 in)
Installed power
  • 210–230 hp (210–230 shp; 160–170 kW) (surfaced drive)
  • 77.5 PS (76.4 shp; 57.0 kW) (submerged electric drive)
  • 2,500 hp (2,500 shp; 1,900 kW) (submerged HTP drive)
Propulsion
  • 1 × Deutz SAA 8M517 supercharged 8-cylinder diesel engine (surface drive)
  • 1 × AEG Maschine AWT98 electric motor (submerged drive)
  • 1 × Walter gas turbines HTP drive (submerged HTP drive)
  • 1 shaft
Speed
  • 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph) (surfaced)
  • 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) (submerged electric drive)
  • 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph) (submerged HTP drive)
Range
  • 2,910 nmi (5,390 km; 3,350 mi) at 8.5 knots (15.7 km/h; 9.8 mph) (surfaced)
  • 50 nmi (93 km; 58 mi) at 2 knots (3.7 km/h; 2.3 mph) (submerged)(electric drive)
  • 127 nmi (235 km; 146 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) (submerged HTP drive)
Capacity
  • 18 t (40,000 lb) (fuel oil)
  • 43 t (95,000 lb) (H
    2    O
    2    )
Complement12
Armament
  • 2 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (bow)
  • 4 × torpedoes
Service record
Part of:
  • 8th U-boat Flotilla (Trial boat)
  • 24 April 1944 – 15 February 1945
  • 5th U-boat Flotilla (Trial boat)
  • 16 February 1945 – 4 May 1945
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Günther Schauenburg[1]
  • 24 April 1944 – 15 January 1945
  • Oblt.z.S. Friedrich Schmidt[2]
  • 16 January 1945 – 4 May 1945
Operations: No Patrols
Victories: None

U-793 was a Type XVIIA U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during the Second World War. She was one of a small number of U-boats fitted with Hellmuth Walter's high test peroxide propulsion system, which offered a combination of air-independent propulsion and high submerged speeds. She spent the war as a trials vessel and was scuttled on 4 May 1945 in the Audorfer See, near Rendsburg.[3]

Construction[]

The U-793 was laid down on 1 December 1942 at the Blohm & Voss, Hamburg, as yard number 456. She was launched on 4 March 1944 and commissioned under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Horst Heitz on 24 April 1944.[3]

When she was completed, the submarine was 39.05 metres (128 ft 1 in) long overall, with a beam of 4.50 metres (14 ft 9 in) and a draught of 4.30 metres (14 ft 1 in). She was assessed at 309 long tons (314 t) submerged. The submarine was powered by one Deutz SAA 8M517 supercharged 8-cylinder diesel engine producing a total of 210–230 metric horsepower (150–170 kW; 210–230 shp) for use while surfaced and one Walter gas turbines producing a total of 2,500 metric horsepower (1,800 kW; 2,500 shp) for use while submerged. She had one shaft and one propeller. The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph) using the HTP drive. When submerged, the U-boat could operate for 127 nautical miles (235 km; 146 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) on her HTP system and when surfaced, she could travel 2,910 nautical miles (5,390 km; 3,350 mi) at 8.5 knots (15.7 km/h; 9.8 mph).[4]

The submarine was fitted with two 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (All fitted at the bow) and four torpedoes. The boat had a complement of 12 men.[4]

Service history[]

U-793 did not undertake any war patrols and was instead assigned as a trials boat at first to the 5th U-boat Flotilla, followed by the 8th U-boat Flotilla.[3]

The U-793 was scuttled on 4 May 1945 at 1.30am in the Audorfer See (Kaiser Wilhelm Canal), near Rendsburg during Operation Regenbogen.[3]

Wreck[]

The wreck of U-793 lay at

 WikiMiniAtlas
54°19′N 09°43′E / 54.317°N 9.717°E / 54.317; 9.717 until 26 May 1945, when she was lifted by the British and taken to the Howaldtswerke in Kiel to be examined. She was first raised as a British prize and used for trials, but was soon torn down for parts and finally scrapped.[5]

References[]

  1. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Rolf Bahn". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
  2. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Friedrich Schmidt". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
  3. ^ a b c d Helgason, Guðmundur (1995). "U-793". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
  4. ^ a b Hofmann, Markus (24 October 2010). "Wa 201". Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 - u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 13 April 2016.
  5. ^ Hofmann, Markus (21 September 2014). "U-793". Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 - u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 13 April 2016.

Bibliography[]

  • Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). German U-boat commanders of World War II : a biographical dictionary. Translated by Brooks, Geoffrey. London, Annapolis, Md: Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-186-6.
  • Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
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