| History | |
|---|---|
 Nazi Germany | |
| Name | U-794 |
| Ordered | 7 August 1942 [1] |
| Builder | Germaniawerft, Kiel |
| Yard number | 718 |
| Laid down | 1 February 1943 [1] |
| Launched | 7 October 1943 [1] |
| Commissioned | 14 November 1943 [1] |
| Fate | Scuttled on 5 May 1945, later broken up [1] |
| General characteristics [2] [3] | |
| Class & type | Type XVIIA submarine |
| Displacement | |
| Length | 36.60 m (120 ft 1 in) o/a |
| Beam |
|
| Draught | 4.55 m (14 ft 11 in) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed |
|
| Range |
|
| Complement | 12 |
| Armament |
|
| Service record [1] | |
| Part of |
|
| Identification codes | M 52 496 |
| Commanders |
|
| Operations | None |
| Victories | None |
German submarine U-794 was a Type XVIIA U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during the Second World War. She was one of a small number of U-boats fitted with Hellmuth Walter's high test peroxide propulsion system, which offered a combination of air-independent propulsion and high submerged speeds. She spent the war as a trials vessel and was scuttled on 5 May 1945 in Gelting Bay.
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U-794 was built by Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft, Kiel. The keel was laid down on 1 February 1943, and the boat was launched on 7 October. She was commissioned on 14 November. The Feldpost Number was M 52 496.
U-794 did not undertake any combat patrols and was instead assigned as a trials boat at first to the 5th U-boat Flotilla, followed by the 8th U-boat Flotilla, before returning to the 5th flotilla for the rest of the war. In late March 1944, Admiral Karl Dönitz and four other admirals took part in a trial of U-794. Although they were enthusiastic, the boat, designed for high underwater speed (over 20 m.p.h.) was difficult to manoeuvre, and the keel to beam ratio was too high.
