German submarine U-903

German submarine U-903 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

U-570 Type VIIC submarine that was captured by the British in 1941. This U-boat is almost identical to U-903.
History
Nazi Germany
Name: U-903
Ordered: 16 July 1942
Builder: Flender Werke AG, Lübeck
Yard number: 329
Laid down: 25 August 1942
Launched: 17 July 1943
Commissioned: 4 September 1943
Fate: Scuttled on 5 May 1945
General characteristics
Class and type: Type VIIC submarine
Displacement:
  • 769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced
  • 871 t (857 long tons) submerged
Length:
  • 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in) o/a
  • 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in) pressure hull
Beam:
  • 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a
  • 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height: 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught: 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in)
Installed power:
  • 2,800–3,200 PS (2,100–2,400 kW; 2,800–3,200 bhp) (diesels)
  • 750 PS (550 kW; 740 shp) (electric)
Propulsion:
Speed:
  • 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced
  • 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged
Range:
  • 8,500 nmi (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth:
  • 220 m (720 ft)
  • Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft)
Complement: 4 officers, 44–52 enlisted
Armament:
Service record
Part of:
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Hans Hellmann[1]
  • 4 September 1943 – 14 December 1943
  • Oblt.z.S. Otto Fränzel[2]
  • 15 December 1943 – 24 April 1945
  • Kptlt. Otto Tinschert[3]
  • 25 April 1945 – 5 May 1945
Operations: No patrols
Victories: None

She was ordered on 16 July 1942, and was laid down on 25 August 1942 at Flender Werke AG, Lübeck, as yard number 329. She was launched on 17 July 1943 and commissioned under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Hans Hellmann on 4 September 1943.[4]

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-903 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.[5] 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), a 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 SSW GU 343/38-8 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).[5]

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).[5] 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-903 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 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 twin 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between 44 — 52 men.[5]

Service history

On 5 May 1945, U-903 was scuttled in the Gelting Bay near Gelting. She was later raised and broken up in 1947.[4]

gollark: But the thing is, YAML has rules of some sort, which you have to understand in many weird edge cases, but they're too complicated to memorize or something.
gollark: English is not machine-parseable. Unlike Lojban. Lojban config file WHEN?
gollark: no.
gollark: Then they should program. ºuahahahaha.
gollark: no semicolon you

References

  1. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Hans Hellmann". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  2. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Otto Fränzel". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Otto Tinschert". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  4. Helgason, Guðmundur. "U-903". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  5. Gröner 1991, pp. 43-46.

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.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • 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.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • 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.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.