Submarine class IX

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U 505 , a Type IX submarine, exhibited in Chicago

The submarine class IX , officially called Type IX , was a class of seaworthy submarines of the German Navy . In addition to the submarine class VII , the type IX was the most built and most successful submarine type in World War II .

development

Development began in 1935 (see also Armament of the Navy ), and the first boats were put into service in 1938. In the following years five improved versions of this class were developed and built. There were a total of 243 Type IX boats, most of which were built at Deschimag -Werft AG Weser in Bremen. Of the 141 IX-C and IX-C / 40 boats, 65 were built at the Deutsche Werft in Hamburg.

Subclasses

Subclasses
A · B · C · C / 40 · D1 · D2 · D / 42

Type IX (A)

The Type IX (A) was developed in 1935, until 1939 eight boats were built by AG Weser.

  • Displacement: above water 1,032 tons, submerged 1,153 tons, total displacement 1,408 m³
  • Length: total 76.5 m, pressure body 58.75 m
  • Width: total 6.51 m, pressure hull 4.4 m
  • Height: 9.4 m
  • Draft: 4.7 m
  • Drive: over water: two MAN 9-cylinder four-stroke diesel engines M9V40 / 46 with 2200 HP (1620 kW) each, submerged: two SSW electric motors with 500 HP (370 kW) each
  • Batteries: 2 × 62 cells
  • Battery weight: 74.90 t
  • Speed: over water 18.2 kn , submerged 7.7 kn
  • Range: over water 10,500 nm at 10 kn, submerged 78 nm at 4 kn
  • Torpedo tubes: 6 (four in the bow, two in the stern) 53.3 cm Ø
  • Torpedoes: 22 (or 66 mines)
  • Guns: 1 × 10.5 cm Utof -L / 45, 1 × 3.7 cm flak , 1 × 2 cm flak
  • Diving depth: 150 m (regular diving depth) 200 m (maximum diving depth)
  • Alarm dive time: 35 seconds
  • Crew: 48
    • Officers: 4
    • Portepee NCOs: 6
    • NCOs: 9
    • Teams: 29
    • from 1943/1944 up to 60 men (due to additional flak operations)

Type IX B

Like Type IX A, only slightly larger and with a longer range. 14 boats were built between 1937 and 1940, also by AG Weser.

The following data are different from version A:

Type IX C

The Type IX C was a further improvement over Type IX B, among other things, it received larger fuel bunkers for an additional 43 tons of diesel. 54 boats were built between 1939 and 1942: 24 at the Deutsche Werft in Hamburg, 24 at the AG Weser in Bremen and 6 at the Seebeckwerft in Wesermünde .

Changes compared to Type IX B:

Type IX C / 40

Type IX C / 40 was a further enlargement in favor of an increased range. In addition, the third periscope that had been in the headquarters was removed. From 1940 to 1944 87 boats were built, 41 of them at the Deutsche Werft in Hamburg, 36 at AG Weser in Bremen and 10 at the Seebeckwerft in Wesermünde. Originally a larger number of units was ordered, but many deliveries were canceled in favor of the Type XXI .

The following data are different from version C:

  • Displacement: above water 1,144 tons, submerged 1,257 tons, total displacement 1,545 m³
  • Range: over water 13,850 nm at 10 kn, submerged 63 nm at 4 kn

Breakdown of the shipyards according to boat numbers:

Type IX D1

The Type IX D was developed in 1939 and was ten meters longer and 500 tons heavier than the Type IX C / 40. Two boats were built by AG Weser ( U 180 and U 195 ). The 20-cylinder machines were very fragile. The torpedo tubes of the Type IX D1 were dismantled between 1943 and 1944 and the free space was used as storage space, which enabled 252 tons of cargo to be transported and the sea blockade to be broken.

Changes compared to type IX A:

  • Displacement: above water 1,610 tons, submerged 1,799 tons, total shape displacement 2,150 m³
  • Length: total 87.58 m, pressure body 68.5 m
  • Width: total 7.5 m, pressure hull 4.4 m
  • Height: 10.20 m
  • Draft: 5.35 m
  • Drive: over water six Mercedes-Benz 20-cylinder four-stroke diesel engines with 9,000 hp, after the conversion two six-cylinder four-stroke diesel engines F46 from the Germania shipyard with 3,200 hp, submerged two SSW twin GU345 / 34 engines with 1,000 hp
  • Speed: over water 15.8–16.5 kn, submerged 6.9 kn
  • Range: over water 12,750 nm at 10 kn, submerged 115 nm at 4 kn
  • Torpedo tubes: six (four in the bow, two in the stern) 53.3 cm
  • Torpedoes: 24 (or 72 mines)
  • Crew: 55

Type IX D2

With this type, the operating radius of the boats used was increased again. Thanks to two additional, weaker marching drives, the Type IX D2 was able to achieve operational ranges as far as the Indian Ocean or Japan . All 28 boats were also built by AG Weser in Bremen. ( U 177 to U 179, U 181 and U 182 , U 196 to U 200 , U 847 to U 852 , U 859 to U 864 and U 871 to U 876)

Some of the boats of this type carried one-man gyrocopter of the type Focke-Achgelis Fa 330 Wagtail . These could be used in remote sea areas (where no surprising air attacks were to be expected) to expand the observation horizon.

Changes compared to type IX D1:

  • Displacement: above water 1,616 tons, submerged 1,804 tons, total displacement 2,150 m³
  • Drive: over water two MAN nine-cylinder four-stroke diesel engines M 9 V 40/46 with charging 4,400 PS, two MWM six-cylinder four-stroke diesel engines RS 34 S without charging with 1,000 PS as marching engines, submerged two SSW double engines GU 345 / 34 with 1,000 hp
  • Speed: over water 19.2 kn, submerged 6.9 kn
  • Range: over water 31,500 nm at 10 kn, submerged 57 nm at 4 kn

Type IX D / 42

It was developed from version IX D2. Only one boat ( U 883 ) was built and put into service in 1945, handed over to the British on May 16, 1945 at the Gazelle Bridge in Wilhelmshaven.

There were no significant changes compared to the Type IX D2.

Radio equipment

Almost all boats of this type were equipped with the following radios:

literature

  • Eberhard Möller, Werner Brack: Encyclopedia of German U-Boats. (Ed.) Motorbuch Verlag, ISBN 3-613-02245-1 .

Web links

Commons : Submarine Class IX  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Actually without a name for the subclass
  2. ↑ These details relate to the design stage. From 1942/43, the 10.5 cm deck gun was removed and there was a general reinforcement of the anti-aircraft armament.
  3. ↑ Bodo Herzog: German U-Boats 1906–1966 . Karl Müller Verlag, Erlangen 1996, ISBN 3-86070-036-7 , p. 199
  4. ↑ Description of the Telefunken S 406S2 / 36 (previous model 1936) (PDF; 487 kB)
  5. ↑ www.cdvandt.org Description Cologne E 52 (Engl.)
  6. ↑ Telefunken E437S
  7. ↑ Telefunken Ela E1012a / b