German_submarine_U-1008

German submarine <i>U-1008</i>

German submarine U-1008

German World War II submarine

German submarine U-1008 was a Type VIIC/41 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

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She was ordered on 23 March 1942, and was laid down on 12 February 1943, at Blohm & Voss, Hamburg, as yard number 208. She was launched on 8 December 1943, and commissioned under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Diether Todenhagen on 1 February 1944.[3]

Design

German Type VIIC/41 submarines were preceded by the heavier Type VIIC submarines. U-1008 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged. She had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), an overall beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2,800 to 3,200 metric horsepower (2,060 to 2,350 kW; 2,760 to 3,160 shp) for use while surfaced, two BBC GG UB 720/8 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 metric horsepower (550 kW; 740 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m (4 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).[4]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph). When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nautical miles (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-1008 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes or 26 TMA or TMB Naval mines, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, (220 rounds), one 3.7 cm (1.5 in) Flak M42 and two 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and fifty-two.[4]

Service history

U-1008 did not participate in any war patrols.[3]

On 5 May 1945, U-1008 was in the Kattegat, 56°06′N 11°06′E, when she was attacked with depth charges by a British B-24 Liberator of the 224th/T piloted by F/Lt F.S. Murphy, W/Cdr M.A. Ensor. The B-24 was given credit for sinking U-3523 but the attack only resulted in minor damage to U-1008. It would seem though, through conflicting postwar accounts, that the boat was scuttled the next day at 56°14′N 10°51′E north of Hjelm Island with all 44 of her crew surviving.[3]

See also

References

  1. [1]
    Helgason, Guðmundur. "Diether Todenhagen". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
  2. [2]
    Helgason, Guðmundur. "Hans Gessner". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
  3. [3]
    Helgason, Guðmundur. "U-1008". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
  4. [4]
    Gröner 1991, pp. 43–44.

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). German Warships 1815–1945, U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
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