German submarine U-794

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History
Nazi Germany
NameU-794
Ordered7 August 1942[1]
BuilderGermaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number718
Laid down1 February 1943[1]
Launched7 October 1943[1]
Commissioned14 November 1943[1]
FateScuttled on 5 May 1945, later broken up[1]
General characteristics [2][3]
Class and typeType XVIIA submarine
Displacement
  • 236 long tons (240 t) surfaced
  • 259 long tons (263 t) submerged
  • 312 long tons (317 t) total
Length36.60 m (120 ft 1 in) o/a
Beam
  • 4.5 m (14 ft 9 in) o/a
  • 3.4 m (11 ft 2 in) pressure hull
Draught4.55 m (14 ft 11 in)
Propulsion
  • 1 × Deutz SAA SM517 supercharged 8-cylinder diesel engine, 210 PS (210 shp; 150 kW)
  • 1 × AEG Maschine AWT98 electric motor, 77 PS (76 shp; 57 kW)
  • 2 × Walter gas turbines, 5,000 PS (4,900 shp; 3,700 kW)
  • 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
  • 1,840 nmi (3,410 km; 2,120 mi) at 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph) surfaced
  • 76 nmi (141 km; 87 mi) at 2 knots (3.7 km/h; 2.3 mph) submerged (electric drive)
  • 117 nmi (217 km; 135 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) submerged (HTP drive)
Complement12
Armament
  • 2 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (bow)
  • 4 × torpedoes
Service record[1]
Part of:
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Werner Klug (14 November 1943–31 August 1944)
  • Oblt.z.S. Philipp Becker(1 September 1944–5 May 1945)
Operations: None
Victories: None

U-794 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 5 May 1945 in Gelting Bay.

U-794 was built by Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft, Kiel. The keel was laid down on 1 February 1943, the boat was launched on 7 October. She was commissioned on 14 November. The Feldpost Number was M 52 496.

U-794 did not undertake any combat patrols and was instead assigned as a trials boat at first to the 5th U-boat Flotilla, followed by the 8th U-boat Flotilla, before returning to the 5th flotilla for the rest of the war. In late March 1944, Admiral Karl Dönitz and four other admirals took part in a trial of U-794. Although they were enthusiastic, the boat, designed for high underwater speed (over 20 m.p.h.) was difficult to manoeuvre, and the keel to beam ratio was too high.

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e f Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type XVIIA boat U-794". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 April 2010.
  2. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Type XVIIA Walter boats". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 10 April 2010.
  3. ^ "This page contains details on the German U-Boat Type III, Type IV, Type V, Type VI, Type VIII, Type XI, Type XII, Type XIII, XV, XVI, VB60, V80, U-179, XVII". www.sharkhunters.com. Retrieved 20 April 2010.

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.
  • Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945]. Der U-Boot-Krieg (in German). Vol. IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.

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.

  • "U-Boat Operations of the Second World War: Vol. 2: Career histories, U511-UIT25" by Kenneth Wynn, Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, 1998.

External links[]

Coordinates: 54°48′N 09°49′E / 54.800°N 9.817°E / 54.800; 9.817

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