German submarine U-465

Last updated

History
War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg Nazi Germany
NameU-465
Ordered15 August 1940
Builder Deutsche Werke, Kiel
Yard number296
Laid down17 May 1941
Launched30 March 1942
Commissioned20 May 1942
FateSunk by an Australian aircraft in the Bay of Biscay on 2 May 1943 [1]
General characteristics
Class and type Type VIIC 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)
  • Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft)
Complement4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Armament
Service record [2]
Part of:
Identification codes: M 04 059
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Heinz Wolf
  • 20 May 1942 – 2 May 1943
Operations:
  • 4 patrols:
  • 1st patrol:
  • 16 November – 21 December 1942
  • 2nd patrol:
  • 16 January – 18 February 1943
  • 3rd patrol:
  • 7 – 14 April 1943
  • 4th patrol:
  • 29 April – 2 May 1943
Victories: None

German submarine U-465 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

Contents

She carried out four patrols. She sank no ships.

She was a member of four wolfpacks.

She was sunk by an Australian aircraft in the Bay of Biscay on 2 May 1943. [1]

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-465 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged. [3] 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 Siemens-Schuckert GU 343/38–8 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 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph). [3] 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-465 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 twin 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty. [3]

Service history

The submarine was laid down on 17 May 1941 at Deutsche Werke in Kiel as yard number 296, launched on 30 March 1942 and commissioned on 20 May under the command of Kapitänleutnant Heinz Wolf.

She served with the 8th U-boat Flotilla from 20 May 1942 for training and the 7th flotilla from 1 October for operations.

First patrol

U-432's first patrol was preceded by a short journey from Kiel in Germany to Arendal (northeast of Kristiansand) in Norway. The patrol itself began when the boat departed Arendal on 16 November 1942. She passed through the gap separating Iceland and the Faroe Islands and headed for Newfoundland. She arrived at St. Nazaire in occupied France on 21 December.

Second patrol

The U-boat was attacked by an Allied aircraft in mid-Atlantic on 6 February 1943. The damage sustained was serious enough to force the abandonment of her patrol.

Third patrol

The boat's third foray was relatively uneventful.

Fourth patrol and loss

She was attacked and sunk in the Bay of Biscay by an Australian Sunderland flying boat of No. 461 Squadron RAAF on 2 May 1943.

Forty-eight men went down with U-465; there were no survivors. [1] [2]

Wolfpacks

U-465 took part in four wolfpacks, namely:

Previously recorded fate

Sunk on 7 May 1943 in the Bay of Biscay by depth charges from an Australian Sunderland flying boat of No. 10 Squadron RAAF. This attack was on U-663.

Related Research Articles

German submarine U-268 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II.

German submarine U-414 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 14 June 1941 by Danziger Werft, Danzig as yard number 115, launched on 25 March 1942 and commissioned on 1 July 1942 under Oberleutnant zur See Walther Huth.

German submarine U-211 was a Type VIIC U-boat of the Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 29 March 1941 by the Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft yard at Kiel as yard number 640, launched on 15 January 1942 and commissioned on 7 March under the command of Korvettenkapitän Karl Hause.

German submarine U-258 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. She was laid down at the Bremer Vulkan yard at Bremen-Vegesack on 20 March 1941 as yard number 23. She was launched on 13 December and commissioned on 4 February 1942.

German submarine U-304 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. She saw service in the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. Built in 1941 and 1942 at Flender-Werke, Lübeck, U-304 was a Type VIIC U-boat, capable of lengthy ocean patrols and of operating in distant environments.

German submarine U-212 was a Type VIIC U-boat that served with the Kriegsmarine during World War II. Laid down on 17 May 1941 as yard number 641 at F. Krupp Germaniawerft in Kiel, she was launched on 11 March 1942 and commissioned on 25 April under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Helmut Vogler.

German submarine U-265 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 3 July 1941 at the Bremer Vulkan yard at Bremen-Vegesack as yard number 30, launched on 23 April 1942 and commissioned on 6 June under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Leonhard Aufhammer. After training with the 8th U-boat Flotilla, U-265 was transferred to the 7th U-boat Flotilla, for front-line service from 1 February 1943.

German submarine U-281 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine U-311 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 21 March 1942 at the Flender Werke yard at Lübeck as yard number 311, launched on 20 January 1943 and commissioned on 23 March under the command of Kapitänleutnant Joachim Zander.

German submarine U-382 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine U-389 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine U-418 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine U-419 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine U-426 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine U-439 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine U-563 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. She carried out eight patrols and sank three ships, totalling 14,689 gross register tons (GRT), as well as one warship of 1,870 tons. Two ships were damaged, totalling 16,266 GRT. She was a member of nine wolfpacks, and was sunk by Allied aircraft in the Bay of Biscay on 31 May 1943.

German submarine U-590 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine U-664 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 11 July 1941 by Howaldtswerke, Hamburg as yard number 813, launched on 28 April 1942 and commissioned on 17 June 1942 under Oberleutnant zur See Adolf Graef.

German submarine U-663 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 31 March 1941 by Deutsche Werft, Hamburg as yard number 812, launched on 26 March 1942 and commissioned on 14 May 1942 under Kapitänleutnant Heinrich Schmid.

German submarine U-665 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 10 June 1941 by Deutsche Werft, Hamburg as yard number 814, launched on 9 June 1942 and commissioned on 22 July 1942 under Leutnant zur See Hans-Jürgen Haupt.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Kemp 1999, p. 112.
  2. 1 2 Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-465". German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.

Bibliography