German submarine U-482

Last updated

History
War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg Nazi Germany
NameU-482
Ordered5 June 1941
Builder Deutsche Werke, Kiel
Yard number317
Laid down13 February 1942
Launched25 September 1943
Commissioned1 December 1943
FateSunk by HMS Ascension on 25 November 1944.
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 [1] [2]
Part of:
Identification codes: M 54 717
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Hartmut Graf von Matuschka, Freiherr von Toppolczan und Spaetgen
  • 1 December 1943 – 25 November 1944
Operations:
  • 2 patrols:
  • 1st patrol:
  • 16 August – 26 September 1944
  • 2nd patrol:
  • 18 – 25 November 1944
Victories:
  • 4 merchant ships sunk
    (31,611  GRT)
  • 1 warship sunk
    (1,010 tons)

German submarine U-482 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. She was laid down on 13 February 1942 at Deutsche Werke in Kiel as yard number 317 and went into service on 1 December 1943 under the command of Hartmut Graf von Matuschka, Freiherr von Toppolczan und Spaetgen. [1]

Contents

U-482 began her service by training with the 5th U-boat Flotilla. She then transferred to the 9th, followed by the 11th flotillas.

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-482 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-482 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 twin 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty. [3]

Service history

U-482 carried out two war patrols from Bergen in Norway, having sailed briefly to Horten Naval Base (also in Norway), both under Matuschka's command. The first, which began on 14 August 1944, took U-482 off the coast of Ireland. Over a nine-day period, she sank two freighters, the two tankers Jacksonville and Empire Heritage as well as the British corvette HMS Hurst Castle for a total of 31,611  gross register tons  (GRT) and 1,010 tons. It was the single most successful war patrol by a Type VII U-boat in 1944. [2] [4]

U-482 mounted a second patrol beginning 18 November, but was sunk with all hands a week later by the British frigate HMS Ascension

Fate

During the war it was thought that the U-482 was not sunk until 16 January 1945, and that she had damaged the escort carrier HMS Thane (later determined to be the work of U-1172). Credit for her sinking was given to the ships of British Support Group 22. In the 1990s the British Admiralty revised that assessment and declared that U-482 had possibly struck a mine in the North Channel, off Malin Head, in early December 1944. [4] In 2005 U-boat researcher Axel Niestlé determined that U-482 was probably sunk by the British frigate HMS Ascension west of the Shetland Islands on 25 November 1944. [1]

Summary of raiding history

Between August and November 1944 U-482 sailed on two combat patrols, sinking four merchant ships totalling 31,611  GRT and 1,010 tons Castle-class corvette HMS Hurst Castle.

Ships attacked by U-482 [5]
DateShip NameNationalityTonnage [Note 1] ConvoyFate and location
30 August 1944 Jacksonville Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 10,448CU-36Sunk at 55°30′N07°38′W / 55.500°N 7.633°W / 55.500; -7.633 (Jacksonville (ship))
1 September 1944 HMS Hurst Castle Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 1,010Sunk at 55°27′N08°12′W / 55.450°N 8.200°W / 55.450; -8.200 (Hurst Castle (ship))
3 September 1944 Fjordheim Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 4,115ONF-251Sunk at 55°55′N09°28′W / 55.917°N 9.467°W / 55.917; -9.467 (Fjordheim (ship))
8 September 1944 Empire Heritage Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 15,702HX 305Sunk at 55°27′N08°01′W / 55.450°N 8.017°W / 55.450; -8.017 (Empire Heritage (ship))
8 September 1944 Pinto Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 1,346HX 305Sunk at 55°27′N08°01′W / 55.450°N 8.017°W / 55.450; -8.017 (Pinto (ship))

Related Research Articles

German submarine U-300 was a Type VIIC/41 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine U-325 was a Type VIIC/41 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine U-1021 was a Type VIIC/41 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine U-246 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 30 November 1942 at the Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft yard at Kiel, launched on 7 December 1943 and commissioned on 11 January 1944 under the command of Kapitänleutnant Ernst Raabe.

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 U-741 was a Type VIIC U-boat built by F Schichau GmbH of Danzig and commissioned on 10 April 1943.

German submarine U-286 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine U-295 was a Type VIIC/41 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine U-302 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 2 April 1941 at the Flender Werke yard at Lübeck as yard number 302, launched on 25 April 1942 and commissioned on 16 June under the command of Kapitänleutnant Herbert Sackel.

German submarine U-310 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 30 January 1942 at the Flender Werke yard at Lübeck as yard number 310, launched on 3 January 1943 and commissioned on 24 February under the command of Leutnant zur See Klaus Friedland.

German submarine U-319 was a Type VIIC/41 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine U-344 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine U-358 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine U-363 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 23 December 1941 at the Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft yard at Flensburg as yard number 482, launched on 17 December 1942 and commissioned on 18 March 1943 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Wolf-Werner Wilzer.

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

German submarine U-989 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 17 October 1942 by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg as yard number 189, launched on 16 June 1943 and commissioned on 22 July 1943 under Oberleutnant zur See Hardo Rodler von Roithberg.

German submarine U-1051 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 8 February 1943 by Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft, Kiel as yard number 685, launched on 3 February 1944 and commissioned on 4 March 1944 under Oberleutnant zur See Heinrich von Holleben.

German submarine <i>U-1278</i> German World War II submarine

German submarine U-1278 was a Type VIIC/41 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine <i>U-1001</i> German World War II submarine

German submarine U-1001 was a Type VIIC/41 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine <i>U-1014</i> German World War II submarine

German submarine U-1014 was a Type VIIC/41 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. 1 2 3 Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-482". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 12 December 2010.
  2. 1 2 Helgason, Guðmundur. "War Patrols by German U-boat U-482". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 12 December 2010.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.
  4. 1 2 Blair (2000), 630-631.
  5. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-482". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 12 December 2010.

Bibliography