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German submarine U-872

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History
Nazi Germany
NameU-872
Ordered25 August 1941
BuilderDeSchiMAG AG Weser, Bremen
Yard number1080
Laid down23 December 1942
Launched20 October 1943
Commissioned10 February 1944
Decommissioned10 August 1944
FateBadly damaged on 29 July 1944 and scrapped
General characteristics
Class and typeType IXD2 submarine
Displacement
  • 1,610 t (1,580 long tons) surfaced
  • 1,799 t (1,771 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 7.50 m (24 ft 7 in) o/a
  • 4.40 m (14 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height10.20 m (33 ft 6 in)
Draught5.35 m (17 ft 7 in)
Installed power
  • 9,000 PS (6,620 kW; 8,880 bhp) (diesels)
  • 1,000 PS (740 kW; 990 shp) (electric)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 20.8 knots (38.5 km/h; 23.9 mph) surfaced
  • 6.9 knots (12.8 km/h; 7.9 mph) submerged
Range
  • 12,750 nmi (23,610 km; 14,670 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 57 nmi (106 km; 66 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth230 m (750 ft)
Complement66
Armament
Service record
Part of:
Identification codes: M 50 158
Commanders:
Operations: None
Victories: None

German submarine U-872 was a long-range Type IXD2 U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

She was ordered on 25 August 1941, and was laid down on 23 December 1942 at DeSchiMAG AG Weser, Bremen, as yard number 1080. She was launched on 20 October 1943 and commissioned under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Peter-Otmar Grau on 10 February 1944.[3]

Design

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German Type IXD2 submarines were considerably larger than the original Type IXs. U-872 had a displacement of 1,610 tonnes (1,580 long tons) when at the surface and 1,799 tonnes (1,771 long tons) while submerged.[4] The U-boat had a total length of 87.58 m (287 ft 4 in), a pressure hull length of 68.50 m (224 ft 9 in), a beam of 7.50 m (24 ft 7 in), a height of 10.20 m (33 ft 6 in), and a draught of 5.35 m (17 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two MAN M 9 V 40/46 supercharged four-stroke, nine-cylinder diesel engines plus two MWM RS34.5S six-cylinder four-stroke diesel engines for cruising, producing a total of 9,000 metric horsepower (6,620 kW; 8,880 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 1.85 m (6 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 200 metres (660 ft).[4]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 20.8 knots (38.5 km/h; 23.9 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 6.9 knots (12.8 km/h; 7.9 mph).[4] When submerged, the boat could operate for 121 nautical miles (224 km; 139 mi) at 2 knots (3.7 km/h; 2.3 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 12,750 nautical miles (23,610 km; 14,670 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-872 was fitted with six 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and two at the stern), 24 torpedoes, one 10.5 cm (4.13 in) SK C/32 naval gun, 150 rounds, and a 3.7 cm (1.5 in) Flak M42 with 2575 rounds as well as two 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns with 8100 rounds. The boat had a complement of fifty-five.[4]

Service history

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On 29 July 1944, U-872 was badly damaged by bombs at Bremen in a USAAF raid. She was taken out of service on 10 August 1944 and broken up.[3]

References

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  1. ^ Busch & Röll 1997, p. 384.
  2. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Peter-Otmar Grau". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
  3. ^ a b Helgason, Guðmundur. "U-872". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
  4. ^ a b c d Gröner 1991, pp. 74–75.

Bibliography

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[edit]
  • Helgason, Guðmundur. "U-872". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 6 January 2014.