German submarine U-865
| History | |
|---|---|
 Nazi Germany | |
| Name | U-865 |
| Ordered | 25 August 1941 |
| Builder | DeSchiMAG AG Weser, Bremen |
| Yard number | 1073 |
| Laid down | 5 January 1943 |
| Launched | 12 July 1943 |
| Commissioned | 25 October 1943 |
| Fate | Missing since 9 September 1944 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Type IXC/40 submarine |
| Displacement |
|
| Length |
|
| Beam | 6.86 m (22 ft 6 in) o/a 4.44 m (14 ft 7 in) pressure hull |
| Height | 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in) |
| Draught | 4.67 m (15 ft 4 in) |
| Installed power |
|
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed |
|
| Range |
|
| Test depth | 230 m (750 ft) |
| Complement | 4 officers, 44 enlisted |
| Armament |
|
| Service record | |
| Part of: |
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| Identification codes: | M 53 961 |
| Commanders: |
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| Operations: |
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| Victories: | None |
German submarine U-865 was a Type IXC/40 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine built for service during the Second World War. She was laid down in Bremen, Germany on 5 January 1943, and launched on 12 July 1943.
Design
German Type IXC/40 submarines were slightly larger than the original Type IXCs. U-865 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-865 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
She had one commander, Oberleutnant zur See Dietrich Stellmacher, for her two patrols.[2] She had a crew complement of 59.
She did not sink any shipping on her two patrols, and went missing after leaving Trondheim in Norway on 9 September 1944, with all hands lost.
In late June/ early July 1944, she was attacked by an RAF B-24 Liberator, which did some damage to her, however she in turn did some damage to the attacking aircraft with the submarine's flak gun, setting the aircraft on fire. Both the U-boat and aircraft were forced to return to their respective bases.[3] [4]
References
- ^ a b c d Gröner 1991, p. 68.
- ^ Dietrich Stellmacher on Helgason, Guðmundur. "Dietrich Stellmacher". German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net. Retrieved 7 December 2014.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type IXC/40 boat U-865". German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net. Retrieved 7 December 2014.
- ^ "U-boat Archive - BDU KTB PG30350". Retrieved 11 April 2017.
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). Der U-Boot-Krieg, 1939-1945: Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945] (in German). Vol. IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
- Gröner, Eric; 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.
External links
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type IXC/40 boat U-865". German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
