German submarine U-973 | |
---|---|
Career (Nazi Germany) | |
Name: | U-973 |
Ordered: | 5 June 1941 |
Builder: | Blohm & Voss, Hamburg |
Laid down: | 26 June 1942 |
Launched: | 10 March 1943 |
Commissioned: | 15 April 1943 |
Fate: | Sunk, 6 March 1944 |
General characteristics | |
Type: | Type VIIC submarine |
Displacement: |
769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced 871 t (857 long tons) submerged |
Length: |
67.1 m (220 ft 2 in) o/a 50.5 m (165 ft 8 in) pressure hull |
Beam: |
6.2 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a 4.7 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull |
Draft: | 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in) |
Propulsion: |
2 × supercharged Germaniawerft 6-cylinder 4-stroke M6V 40/46 diesel engines, totalling 2,800–3,200 bhp (2,100–2,400 kW). Max rpm: 470-490 2 × electric motors, totalling 750 shp (560 kW) and max rpm: 296 |
Speed: |
17.7 knots (20.4 mph; 32.8 km/h) surfaced 7.6 knots (8.7 mph; 14.1 km/h) submerged |
Range: |
15,170 km (8,190 nmi) at 10 kn (19 km/h) surfaced 150 km (81 nmi) at 4 kn (7.4 km/h) submerged |
Test depth: |
230 m (750 ft) Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft) |
Complement: | 44–52 officers & ratings |
Armament: |
• 5 × 533 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes (4 bow, 1 stern) • 14 × torpedoes or 26 TMA mines • 1 × C35 88mm gun/L45 deck gun (220 rounds) • Various AA guns |
Service record | |
---|---|
Part of: |
Kriegsmarine: 5th U-boat flotilla |
Commanders: | Oblt. Klaus Paepenmöller (15 Apr 1943–6 Mar 1944) |
Operations: |
2 patrols 2–12 February 1944 1–6 March 1944 |
Victories: | None |
German submarine U-973 was a German Type VIIC U-boat built for service in the Second World War. The submarine did not sink or damage any craft.
On the 6 March 1944 U-973 was sighted by Fairey Swordfish 816/'X' operating from the British escort carrier HMS Chaser, crewed by Sub-Lt(A) L. E. B. Bennett, Sub-Lt(A) E. W. Horsfield and PO C. A. Vines. Chaser was escorting convoys through Arctic waters. As they approached the submarine began firing with four 20 mm guns. Bennett fired three pairs of rockets, one of which struck the submarine just below the conning tower. The attack left 51 dead and 15 survivors.
External links[]
Coordinates: 70°40′N 5°48′E / 70.667°N 5.8°E
The original article can be found at German submarine U-973 and the edit history here.