German submarine U-104 (1940)

Last updated
Bundesarchiv Bild 101II-MW-4260-37, Lorient, U-Boote U-123 und U-201 auslaufend.jpg
U-123–an identical U-boat to U-104–leaving Lorient on 8 June 1941
History
War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg Nazi Germany
NameU-104
Ordered24 May 1938
Builder DeSchiMAG AG Weser, Bremen
Yard number967
Laid down10 November 1939
Launched25 May 1940
Commissioned19 August 1940
FateSunk by mine around 28 November 1940 in the North Atlantic northwest of Tory Island [1]
General characteristics
Class and type Type IXB submarine
Displacement
  • 1,051  t (1,034 long tons) surfaced
  • 1,178 t (1,159 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 6.76 m (22 ft 2 in) o/a
  • 4.40 m (14 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught4.70 m (15 ft 5 in)
Installed power
  • 4,400 PS (3,200 kW; 4,300 bhp) (diesels)
  • 1,000 PS (740 kW; 990 shp) (electric)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 18.2  kn (33.7 km/h; 20.9 mph) surfaced
  • 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph) submerged
Range
  • 12,000  nmi (22,000 km; 14,000 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 64 nmi (119 km; 74 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth230 m (750 ft)
Complement4 officers, 44 enlisted
Armament
Service record [1] [2]
Part of:
Identification codes: M 07 089
Commanders:
Operations:
  • 1 patrol:
  • 12 – 28 November 1940
Victories:
  • 1 merchant ship sunk
    (8,240  GRT)
  • 1 merchant ship damaged
    (10,516  GRT)

German submarine U-104 was a Type IXB U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. She was ordered by the Kriegsmarine on 24 May 1938 as part of the German naval rearmament program Plan Z. Her keel was laid down by DeSchiMAG AG Weser in Bremen in November 1939. Following about six and a half months of construction, she was launched on 25 May 1940 and formally commissioned into the Kriegsmarine on 19 August 1940.

Contents

U-104 had a very short career, sinking just one enemy vessel and damaging one other during one war patrol. In the middle of her first patrol, U-104 was posted missing off the north coast of Ireland on 30 November 1940 and was presumed sunk in minefield SN 44, which was laid a few days prior to her arrival in the area.

Construction and design

Construction

U-104 was ordered by the Kriegsmarine on 24 May 1938 (as part of Plan Z and in violation of the Treaty of Versailles). Her keel was laid down on 10 November 1939 by DeSchiMAG AG Weser in Bremen as yard number 967. U-104 was launched on 25 May 1940 and commissioned on 19 August of that year under the command of Kapitänleutnant Harald Jürst. [1]

Design

Type IXA submarines were slightly larger than the original Type IX submarines, later designated IXA. [3] U-104 had a displacement of 1,051 tonnes (1,034 long tons) when at the surface and 1,178 tonnes (1,159 long tons) while submerged. [4] The U-boat had a total length of 76.50 m (251 ft), a pressure hull length of 58.75 m (192 ft 9 in), a beam of 6.76 m (22 ft 2 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.70 m (15 ft 5 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 metric horsepower (740 kW; 990 shp) 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). [4]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 18.2 knots (33.7 km/h; 20.9 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph). [4] When submerged, the boat could operate for 64 nautical miles (119 km; 74 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 12,000 nautical miles (22,000 km; 14,000 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-104 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) SK C/30 as well as a 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of forty-eight. [4]

Service history

During her short career, U-104 sank one enemy vessel and damaged another on her first and only war patrol in the North Sea, off the northern coast of Ireland and Great Britain. [1] She went to sea on her first and only war patrol on 12 November 1940. For a period of 17 days, she roamed the North Sea and eventually the northern coast of Scotland and Ireland in search of any Allied convoys heading to Great Britain. During that time she attacked two enemy vessels, sinking one and damaging the other. [5] On 27 November 1940, U-104 torpedoed and sank the British merchant vessel Diplomat, a straggler of convoy HX 88, with the loss of 14 of her crew. [6] The other merchant vessel was the British motor tanker Charles F. Meyer, of convoy HX 87, which survived the attack. The next day, U-104 went missing just north of neutral Ireland. She is presumed to have been sunk by a mine from the SN 44 minefield, which was laid on 8 November 1940, just 20 days prior to U-104's disappearance. [5] All of her crew are presumed dead. [1]

Summary of raiding history

DateShipNationalityTonnageFate [7]
27 November 1940 Charles F. Meyer Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 10,516Damaged
27 November 1940 Diplomat Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 8,240Sunk

Related Research Articles

German submarine <i>U-100</i> (1940) German World War II submarine

German submarine U-100 was a Type VIIB U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine <i>U-107</i> (1940) German World War II submarine

German submarine U-107 was a Type IXB U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine that operated during World War II. Between January 1941 and August 1944, she sailed on 13 active patrols at a time when a U-boat averaged a lifespan of seven to ten patrols. During that time, U-107 sank 39 Allied ships and damaged four. The U-boat was launched on 2 July 1940, based at the U-boat port of Lorient, with a crew of 53 under the initial command of Günter Hessler. She was later commanded, in order, by Harald Gelhaus, Valker Simmermacher and her final commander, Karl Heinz Fritz.

German submarine <i>U-42</i> (1939) German World War II submarine

German submarine U-42 was a Type IXA U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine that operated during World War II.

German submarine U-31 was a Type VIIA U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. She was laid down on 1 March 1936 as yard number 912, launched on 25 September and commissioned on 28 December 1936.

German submarine <i>U-131</i> (1941) German World War II submarine

German submarine U-131 was a Type IXC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine <i>U-41</i> (1939) German World War II submarine

The German submarine U-41 was a Type IXA U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine that operated during World War II. She conducted three war patrols during her short career, two as part of the 6th U-boat Flotilla and one as part of the 2nd flotilla. U-41 also sank five enemy vessels for a total of 22,815 gross register tons (GRT); captured two more for a total of 2,073 GRT and damaged one other of 8,096 GRT.

German submarine U-70 was a Type VIIC submarine of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine <i>U-501</i> German World War II submarine

German submarine U-501 was a Type IXC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 12 February 1940 at the Deutsche Werft yard in Hamburg, launched on 25 January 1941 and commissioned on 30 April 1941 under the command of Korvettenkapitän Hugo Förster. The boat served with the 2nd U-boat Flotilla until she was sunk on 10 September 1941.

German submarine U-438 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine U-122 was a Type IXB U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine that operated during World War II.

German submarine <i>U-44</i> (1939) German World War II submarine

German submarine U-44 was a Type IXA U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine that operated during World War II. She was ordered in November 1936 and laid down in September 1938 in Bremen. She was launched in August 1939 and commissioned in November.

German submarine <i>U-158</i> (1941) German World War II submarine

German submarine U-158 was a Type IXC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine built for service during World War II.

German submarine <i>U-29</i> (1936) German World War II submarine

German submarine U-29 was a Type VIIA U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine <i>U-162</i> (1941) German World War II submarine

German submarine U-162 was a Type IXC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

Type IXA submarine German submarine class

The German Type IXA submarine was a sub-class of the German Type IX submarine built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine between 1937 and 1938. These U-boats were designed between 1935 and 1936 and were intended to be fairly large ocean-going submarines. The inspiration for the Type IXA submarine came from the German Type IA submarine, which had a similar diving depth and identical submerged horsepower.

Type IXB submarine WW2 German submarine subclass

The German Type IXB submarine was a sub-class of the German Type IX submarine built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine between 1938 and 1940. The U-boats themselves were designed to be fairly large ocean-going submarines. The inspiration for the Type IXB submarine came from the earlier original Type IX submarine, the Type IXA submarine. The design of the IXA was developed to give an increased range, a change which resulted in a slightly heavier overall tonnage. This design was improved even further in the later Type IXC submarines.

German submarine U-64 was a Type IXB U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. She was ordered by them in July 1937. Her keel was laid down by AG Weser in Bremen in December 1938. Following about nine months of construction, she was launched in September 1939 and formally commissioned into the Kriegsmarine in December.

German submarine <i>U-111</i> (1940) German World War II submarine

German submarine U-111 was a Type IXB U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine U-65 was a Type IXB U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. Over the course of six war patrols between 9 April 1940 and 28 April 1941, she sank twelve ships and damaged three others for a total loss of 88,664 gross register tons (GRT).

German submarine <i>U-105</i> (1940) German World War II submarine

German submarine U-105 was a Type IXB U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine. She was ordered on 24 May 1938 as part of Germany's naval rearmament program. Her keel was laid down in Bremen on 16 November 1938. After roughly seven months of construction, she was launched on 15 June 1940 and formally commissioned into the Kriegsmarine on 10 September 1940.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type IXB boat U-104". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 8 June 2010.
  2. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "War Patrols by U-104". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 8 June 2010.
  3. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Type IXB". U-Boat War in World War II - uboat.net. Retrieved 8 June 2010.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Gröner 1991, p. 68.
  5. 1 2 Helgason, Guðmundur. "Patrol info for U-104 (First patrol)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 8 June 2010.
  6. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Diplomat (Steam merchant)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 8 June 2010.
  7. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-104". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 3 October 2014.

Bibliography

55°30′N8°0′W / 55.500°N 8.000°W / 55.500; -8.000

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.