German submarine U-1276

Last updated
History
War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg Nazi Germany
NameU-1276
Ordered13 June 1942
Builder Bremer Vulkan of Bremen-Vegesack
Yard number71
Laid down13 July 1943
Launched25 February 1944
Commissioned6 April 1944
FateSunk on 20 February 1945
General characteristics
Class and type Type VIIC/41 submarine
Displacement
Length
Beam
  • 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a
  • 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
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
  • 17.7 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
  • 230 m (750 ft)
  • Calculated crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft)
Complement44-52 officers & ratings
Armament
Service record
Part of:
Identification codes: M 07 089
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Karl-Heinz Wendt [1]
  • 6 April 1944 – 20 February 1945
Operations:
  • 1 patrol:
  • 28 January – 20 February 1945
Victories: 1 warship sunk
(925 tons)

German submarine U-1276 was a Type VIIC/41 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine , built for service during World War II. She was laid down at Bremer Vulkan of Bremen-Vegesack on 13 July 1943. She was commissioned 6 April 1944 with Oberleutnant zur See Karl-Heinz Wendt in command. U-1276 was equipped with a submarine snorkel (underwater-breathing apparatus) when she sailed on her last cruise.

Contents

Design

German Type VIIC/41 submarines were preceded by the heavier Type VIIC submarines. U-1276 had a displacement of 759 tonnes (747 long tons) when at the surface and 860 tonnes (850 long tons) while submerged. [2] 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 AEG GU 460/8–27 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). [2]

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). [2] 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-1276 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), one 3.7 cm (1.5 in) Flak M42 and two 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty. [2]

Service history

At 11:45 on 20 February 1945, U-1276 sank HMS Vervain, (Lt. Cdr. R.A. Howell, RNVR in command), a Flower-class corvette escorting convoy HX 337. Vervain sank after 20 minutes about 25 nautical miles (46 km; 29 mi) south-east of Dungarvan, Ireland. The commander, three officers and 56 ratings were lost. Three officers and 31 ratings were rescued. HMS Amethyst (Lt. Cdr. N. Scott-Elliot, DSC, RN in command), which was part of the same convoy, then sank U-1276 by depth charges, off Waterford, Ireland at position 51°48′N07°07′W / 51.800°N 7.117°W / 51.800; -7.117 . All hands aboard the U-boat (49) were lost.

Post war

In 2006, a group of divers from Ardmore Diving discovered the wreck site of U-1276 some 20 nautical miles (37 km; 23 mi) south of Youghal. The submarine is lying in 75 metres (41 fathoms) of water and largely intact, albeit visibly damaged by the depth charges that sank her.

Summary of raiding history

DateShip NameNationalityTonnage [Note 1] Fate [3]
20 February 1945 HMS Vervain Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 925Sunk

See also

Related Research Articles

German submarine <i>U-450</i> German world war II submarine

German submarine U-450 was a Type VIIC U-boat in the service of Nazi Germany during World War II.

German submarine <i>U-1022</i> German World War II submarine

German submarine U-1022 was a Type VIIC/41 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine. She was laid down on 6 May 1943 by Blohm & Voss in Hamburg, Germany, and commissioned on 7 June 1944, the day after the Allied landings in Normandy, with Kapitänleutnant Hans-Joachim Ernst in command. She sank two ships for a total of 1,720 GRT. After the war she was handed over to the Allies and sunk in Operation Deadlight.

German submarine U-431 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 4 January 1940 by Schichau-Werke in Danzig as yard number 1472, launched on 2 February 1941 and commissioned on 5 April 1941 under Kapitänleutnant Wilhelm Dommes.

German submarine U-409 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine in World War II. She was laid down on 26 October 1940 by Danziger Werft, Danzig as yard number 110, launched on 23 September 1941 and commissioned on 21 January 1942 under Oberleutnant zur See Hanns-Ferdinand Massmann.

German submarine U-267 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 9 August 1941 at the Bremer Vulkan yard at Bremen-Vegesack as yard number 32, launched on 23 May 1942 and commissioned on 11 July 1942. She took part in seven patrols between 11 July 1942 and when she was scuttled at the war's end. She neither sank nor damaged any ships. U-267 was scuttled in Geltinger Bucht on 5 May 1945, later raised and broken up.

German submarine U-208 was a Type VIIC U-boat of the Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 5 August 1940 by the Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft yard at Kiel as yard number 637, launched on 21 May 1941 and commissioned on 5 July under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Alfred Schlieper.

German submarine <i>U-245</i> German World War II submarine

German submarine U-245 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 18 November 1942 at the Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft yard at Kiel as yard number 679, launched on 25 November 1943 and commissioned on 18 December under the command of Korvettenkapitän Friederich Schumann-Hindenberg.

German submarine U-370 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine U-384 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine U-390 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine U-399 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine U-654 was a Type VIIC U-boat that was built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 1 June 1940 by Howaldtswerke, Hamburg as yard number 803, launched on 3 May 1941 and commissioned on 5 July 1941 under Korvettenkapitän Hans-Joachim Hesse.

German submarine U-619 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 19 June 1941 by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg as yard number 595, launched on 9 March 1942 and commissioned on 23 April 1942 under Oberleutnant zur See Kurt Makowski.

German submarine U-634 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 23 September 1941 by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg as yard number 610, launched on 10 June 1942 and commissioned on 6 August 1942 under Oberleutnant zur See Hans-Günther Brosin.

German submarine U-1208 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 30 June 1943 by Schichau-Werke, Danzig as yard number 1578, launched on 13 January 1944 and commissioned on 6 April 1944 under Korvettenkapitän Georg Hagene.

German submarine U-633 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 22 September 1941 by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg as yard number 609, launched on 10 June 1942 and commissioned on 30 July 1942 under Oberleutnant zur See Bernhard Müller.

German submarine <i>U-1002</i> German World War II submarine

German submarine U-1002 was a Type VIIC/41 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine <i>U-1009</i> German World War II submarine

German submarine U-1009 was a Type VIIC/41 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine <i>U-1010</i> German World War II submarine

German submarine U-1010 was a Type VIIC/41 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine <i>U-1052</i> German World War II submarine

German submarine U-1052 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

References

Notes

  1. Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.

Citations

  1. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Karl-Heinz Wendt". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.
  3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-1276". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 29 December 2014.

Bibliography