German submarine U-83 (1940)

Last updated

U 52.jpg
U-52, a typical Type VIIB boat
History
War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg Nazi Germany
NameU-83
Ordered9 June 1938
Builder Flender Werke, Lübeck
Yard number291
Laid down5 October 1939
Launched9 December 1940
Commissioned8 February 1941
FateSunk, 4 March 1943 by a British aircraft [1]
Badge U83emblem.gif
General characteristics
Class and type Type VIIB submarine
Displacement
Length
Beam
  • 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a
  • 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height9.50 m (31 ft 2 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
  • 17.9 knots (33.2 km/h; 20.6 mph) surfaced
  • 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) submerged
Range
  • 9,400  nmi (17,400  km; 10,800  mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 90 nmi (170 km; 100 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth
  • 220 m (720 ft)
  • Crush depth: 230–250 m (750–820 ft)
Complement4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Sensors and
processing systems		 Gruppenhorchgerät
Armament
Service record [2] [3]
Part of:
Identification codes: M 32 441
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Hans-Werner Kraus
  • 8 February 1941 – 21 September 1942
  • Kptlt. Ulrich Wörisshoffer
  • 16 October 1942 – 4 March 1943
Operations:
  • 12 patrols:
  • 1st patrol:
  • 26 July – 9 September 1941
  • 2nd patrol:
  • 28 September – 31 October 1941
  • 3rd patrol:
  • 11 – 23 December 1941
  • 4th patrol:
  • 25 – 30 December 1941
  • 5th patrol:
  • 12 – 24 February 1942
  • 6th patrol:
  • a. 10 – 21 March 1942
  • b. 24 – 28 March 1942
  • 7th patrol:
  • 5 April – 30 May 1942
  • 8th patrol:
  • 4 – 20 June 1942
  • 9th patrol:
  • a. 6 – 20 August 1942
  • b. 31 August – 4 September 1942
  • 10th patrol:
  • 21 November – 17 December 1942
  • 11th patrol:
  • 12 – 31 January 1943
  • 12th patrol:
  • 1 – 4 March 1943
Victories:
  • 5 merchant ships sunk
    (8,425  GRT)
  • 1 auxiliary warship sunk
    (96  GRT)
  • 1 merchant ship damaged
    (2,590  GRT)
  • 1 auxiliary warship damaged
    (6,746  GRT)

German submarine U-83 was a Type VIIB U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

Contents

She was laid down in the Flender Werke at Lübeck as yard number 291 on 5 October 1939. Launched on 9 December 1940, she was commissioned on 8 February 1941. U-83 served with 1st U-boat Flotilla from 8 February 1941 to 31 December, with the 23rd flotilla from 1 January 1942 to 30 April and with the 29th flotilla from 1 March 1942 until she was sunk. [2]

Design

German Type VIIB submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIA submarines. U-83 had a displacement of 753 tonnes (741 long tons) when at the surface and 857 tonnes (843 long tons) while submerged. [4] She had a total length of 66.50 m (218 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 48.80 m (160 ft 1 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.50 m (31 ft 2 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 460/8-276 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). [4]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.9 knots (33.2 km/h; 20.6 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph). [4] When submerged, the boat could operate for 90 nautical miles (170 km; 100 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,700 nautical miles (16,100 km; 10,000 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). Differently from other VII B U-Boats, U-83 was fitted with only the front four 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes, and only twelve instead of 14 torpedoes, [5] one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and one 2 cm (0.79 in) anti-aircraft gun The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty. [4]

Service history

U-83 conducted twelve patrols and sank five ships totalling 8,425  gross register tons  (GRT) and one auxiliary warship - the Q-ship HMS Farouk, of 96 GRT. [6] She damaged one other ship of 2,590 GRT and damaged the fighter catapult ship HMS Ariguani, of 6,746 GRT. [2] [7]

U-83 was sunk on 4 March 1943 with all hands southeast of Cartagena in Spain in position 37°10′N00°05′E / 37.167°N 0.083°E / 37.167; 0.083 , by three depth charges dropped from an RAF Hudson bomber (500 Squadron). [2] [1]

Wolfpacks

U-83 took part in three wolfpacks, namely:

Summary of raiding history

DateShipNationalityTonnage [Note 1] Fate [8]
12 October 1941 Corte Real Flag of Portugal.svg  Portugal 2,044Sunk
26 October 1941 HMS Ariguani Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 6,746Damaged
17 March 1942 Crista Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 2,590Damaged
8 June 1942 Esther Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Palestine 100Sunk
8 June 1942 Said Flag of Egypt (1922-1958).svg  Egypt 231Sunk
9 June 1942 Typhoon Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Palestine 175Sunk
13 June 1942 HMS Farouk Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 96Sunk
17 August 1942 Princess Marguerite Canadian Red Ensign (1921-1957).svg  Canada 5,875Sunk

See also

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References

Notes

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

Citations

  1. 1 2 Kemp 1999, p. 105.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIB boat U-83". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 27 December 2009.
  3. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "War Patrols by German U-boat U-83". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 27 December 2009.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Gröner, Jung & Maass 1991, pp. 43–44.
  5. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Type VIIB". U-Boat War in World War II. Uboat.net. Retrieved 13 February 2010.
  6. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "HMS Farouk (Q-ship)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 27 December 2009.
  7. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "HMS Ariguani (F 105) (Fighter catapult ship)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 27 December 2009.
  8. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-83". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net.

Bibliography

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