German submarine U-879
History | |
---|---|
Nazi Germany | |
Name | U-879 |
Ordered | 2 April 1942 |
Builder | DeSchiMAG AG Weser, Bremen |
Yard number | 1087 |
Laid down | 26 June 1943 |
Launched | 11 January 1944 |
Commissioned | 19 April 1944 |
Fate | sunk by US warships in position 36°34′N 74°00′W / 36.567°N 74.000°WCoordinates: 36°34′N 74°00′W / 36.567°N 74.000°W on 30 April 1945 |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Type IXC/40 submarine |
Displacement |
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Length |
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Beam |
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Height | 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in) |
Draught | 4.67 m (15 ft 4 in) |
Installed power |
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Propulsion |
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Speed |
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Range |
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Test depth | 230 m (750 ft) |
Complement | 4 officers, 44 enlisted |
Armament |
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Service record | |
Identification codes: | M 00 832 |
Commanders: | Kptlt. |
Operations: | 1 patrol |
German submarine U-879 was a Type IXC/40 U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
Design[]
German Type IXC/40 submarines were slightly larger than the original Type IXCs. U-879 had a displacement of 1,144 tonnes (1,126 long tons) when at the surface and 1,257 tonnes (1,237 long tons) while submerged.[1] The U-boat had a total length of 76.76 m (251 ft 10 in), a pressure hull length of 58.75 m (192 ft 9 in), a beam of 6.86 m (22 ft 6 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.67 m (15 ft 4 in). The submarine was powered by two MAN M 9 V 40/46 supercharged four-stroke, nine-cylinder diesel engines producing a total of 4,400 metric horsepower (3,240 kW; 4,340 shp) for use while surfaced, two Siemens-Schuckert 2 GU 345/34 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 1,000 shaft horsepower (1,010 PS; 750 kW) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.92 m (6 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).[1]
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 18.3 knots (33.9 km/h; 21.1 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph).[1] When submerged, the boat could operate for 63 nautical miles (117 km; 72 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 13,850 nautical miles (25,650 km; 15,940 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-879 was fitted with six 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and two at the stern), 22 torpedoes, one 10.5 cm (4.13 in) SK C/32 naval gun, 180 rounds, and a 3.7 cm (1.5 in) Flak M42 as well as two twin 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of forty-eight.[1]
Service history[]
U-879 was ordered in April 1942 from DeSchiMAG AG Weser in Bremen under the yard number 1087. Her keel was laid down on 16 June 1942 and the U-boat was launched the following year on 11 January 1944. She was commissioned into service under the command of Kapitänleutnant (Crew 36) in 4th U-boat Flotilla.
U-879 was transferred to 33rd U-boat Flotilla after completing training and working up for deployment. She left her base in Horten Naval Base on 9 February 1945 for operations off the US east coast. Since another U-boat, U-857 was operating at the same time in the vicinity, it is not clear, which ships were attacked U-879 or the other U-boat, which is missing. The US tanker Atlantic States was probably hit and damaged on 5 April 1945, while the Belgian steamer Belgian Airman and the US tanker Swiftscout may have been sunk by U-879 on 14 and 18 April respectively. The Norwegian tanker Katy might have been hit and damaged on 23 April.[2]
Late on 29 April, a U-boat was picked up by escorts of . USS Natchez tried to ram her but missed. Natchez with three more escorts, USS Coffman, USS Thomas, and USS Bostwick, chased the contact for several hours with depth charges and a hedgehog anti-submarine weapon. In the early hours of 30 April, a strong explosion was heard and the contact disappeared. Only in 1968 a wreck was discovered, confirming the sinking of a U-boat. It is assumed that the U-boat in question was U-879, but there are indicators that it might have been U-857 instead.[3]
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d Gröner 1991, p. 68.
- ^ Busch & Röll 2001, p. 304.
- ^ Busch & Röll 1999, p. 346-7. sfn error: multiple targets (2×): CITEREFBuschRöll1999 (help)
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). IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
- Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (2001). Deutsche U-Boot-Erfolge von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat successes from September 1939 to May 1945]. Der U-Boot-Krieg (in German). III. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0513-4.
- Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
External links[]
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type IXC/40 U-boat U-879". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
- Hofmann, Markus. "U 879". Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 - u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 2 February 2015.
- World War II submarines of Germany
- German Type IX submarines
- 1944 ships
- U-boats commissioned in 1944
- U-boats sunk in 1945
- U-boats sunk by depth charges
- U-boats sunk by US warships
- Ships built in Bremen (state)
- Ships lost with all hands
- Maritime incidents in April 1945