German submarine U-76 (1940)

Summary

German submarine U-76 was a Type VIIB U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. She played a minor role in the Battle of the Atlantic, but was destroyed south of Iceland.

History
Nazi Germany
NameU-76
Ordered2 June 1938[1]
BuilderVegesacker Werft, Bremen-Vegesack
Yard number4
Laid down28 December 1939[1]
Launched3 October 1940[1][2]
Commissioned9 December 1940[1][2]
FateSunk, 5 April 1941 by British warships HMS Wolverine and Scarborough; 1 dead, 42 rescued[1][2]
General characteristics
Class and typeType VIIB U-boat
Displacement
  • 753 t (741 long tons) surfaced
  • 857 t (843 long tons) submerged
Length
  • 66.50 m (218 ftin) o/a
  • 48.80 m (160 ft 1 in) pressure hull
Beam
  • 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a
  • 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Draught4.74 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
  • 17.9 knots (33.2 km/h; 20.6 mph) surfaced
  • 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph)
Range
  • 8,700 nmi (16,100 km; 10,000 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 90 nmi (170 km; 100 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth
  • 230 m (750 ft)
  • Calculated crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft)
Boats & landing
craft carried
1 inflatable rubber boat
Complement4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Sensors and
processing systems
Armament
Service record
Part of:
Identification codes: M 27 140
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Friedrich von Hippel
  • 3 December 1940 – 5 April 1941
Operations:
  • 1 patrol:
  • 28 March – 5 April 1941
Victories: 2 merchant ships sunk
(7,290 GRT)

Design edit

German Type VIIB submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIA submarines. U-76 had a displacement of 753 tonnes (741 long tons) when at the surface and 857 tonnes (843 long tons) while submerged.[3] She had a total length of 66.50 m (218 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 48.80 m (160 ft 1 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.50 m (31 ft 2 in), and a draught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two MAN M 6 V 40/46 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).[3]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.9 knots (33.2 km/h; 20.6 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph).[3] When submerged, the boat could operate for 90 nautical miles (170 km; 100 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,700 nautical miles (16,100 km; 10,000 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-76 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and one 2 cm (0.79 in) anti-aircraft gun The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.[3]

Service history edit

She was laid down at Bremer Vulkan in Bremen on 28 December 1939 as yard number 4. She was launched on 3 October 1940 and commissioned on 9 December.

U-76 was available for service from March 1941 following the completion of her working-up period and sea trials. Her commander, Kapitänleutnant (Kptlt.) Friedrich von Hippel, had previously served in U-144 during her trials until November the previous year.

War patrol edit

Six days into her first and only patrol on 2 April, U-76 sank the Finnish steam merchant ship SS Daphne which was on her way to Lillehammer, Norway. All twenty-two crew members were killed in the attack.[4][5]

The next day, U-76 followed the mostly British convoy SC 26 travelling from Sydney, Nova Scotia to Liverpool. The U-boat fired a torpedo at the British merchantman SS Athenic, disabling the vessel. The 40 people aboard were rescued by HMS Arbutus.[5]

The attack attracted the attention of the armed escort vessels, who pinpointed her position. Deploying depth charges from HMS Wolverine and Scarborough, U-76 was sunk. Forty-two of her forty-three-man crew survived and were captured.

Summary of raiding history edit

Date Ship Nationality Tonnage[Note 1] Fate[6]
3 April 1941 Daphne   Finland 1,939 Sunk
4 April 1941 Athenic   United Kingdom 5,351 Sunk

References edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ Tonnages are in gross register tons.

Citations edit

  1. ^ a b c d e Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIB boat U-76". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 15 February 2010.
  2. ^ a b c Kemp 1997, pp. 69–70
  3. ^ a b c d Gröner 1991, pp. 43–44.
  4. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "SS Daphne". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 15 February 2010.
  5. ^ a b Helgason, Guðmundur. "War Patrols of U-76". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 15 February 2010.
  6. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-76". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 2 February 2015.

Bibliography edit

  • 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.
  • Gröner, Erich (1990). German Warships, 1815–1945. Conway Maritime Press.
  • Kemp, Paul (1997). U-Boats Destroyed, German Submarine Losses in the World Wars. Arms and Armour. pp. 69–70. ISBN 1-85409-515-3.

External links edit

  • Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIB boat U-76". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
  • U-76 Interrogation report

58°35′N 20°20′W / 58.583°N 20.333°W / 58.583; -20.333