German submarine U-846

History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-846
Ordered	20 January 1941
Builder	DeSchiMAG AG Weser, Bremen
Yard number	1052
Laid down	21 July 1942
Launched	17 February 1943
Commissioned	29 May 1943
Fate	Sunk by aircraft in position 46°4′N9°20′W / 46.067°N 9.333°W / 46.067; -9.333 on 4 May 1944
General characteristics
Class and type	Type IXC/40 submarine
Displacement	1,144  t (1,126 long tons) surfaced 1,257 t (1,237 long tons) submerged
Length	76.76 m (251 ft 10 in) o/a 58.75 m (192 ft 9 in) pressure hull
Beam	6.86 m (22 ft 6 in) o/a 4.44 m (14 ft 7 in) pressure hull
Height	9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught	4.67 m (15 ft 4 in)
Installed power	4,400 PS (3,200 kW; 4,300 bhp) (diesels) 1,000 PS (740 kW; 990 shp) (electric)
Propulsion	2 shafts 2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors
Speed	19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph) surfaced 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph) submerged
Range	13,850  nmi (25,650 km; 15,940 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced 63 nmi (117 km; 72 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth	230 m (750 ft)
Complement	4 officers, 44 enlisted
Armament	6 × torpedo tubes (4 bow, 2 stern) 22 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedoes 1 × 10.5 cm (4.1 in) SK C/32 deck gun (180 rounds) 1 × 3.7 cm (1.5 in) SK C/30 AA gun 1 × twin 2 cm FlaK 30 AA guns
Service record
Part of:	4th U-boat Flotilla 29 May – 30 November 1943 10th U-boat Flotilla 1 December 1943 – 4 May 1944
Identification codes:	M 51 907
Commanders:	Oblt.z.S.d.R. Berthold Hashagen 29 May 1943 – 4 May 1944
Operations:	2 patrols: 1st patrol: 4 December 1943 – 3 March 1944 2nd patrol: 29 April – 4 May 1944
Victories:	None

German submarine U-846 was a Type IXC/40 U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

Design

German Type IXC/40 submarines were slightly larger than the original Type IXCs. U-846 had a displacement of 1,144 tonnes (1,126 long tons) when at the surface and 1,257 tonnes (1,237 long tons) while submerged. ^[1] The U-boat had a total length of 76.76 m (251 ft 10 in), a pressure hull length of 58.75 m (192 ft 9 in), a beam of 6.86 m (22 ft 6 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.67 m (15 ft 4 in). The submarine was powered by two MAN M 9 V 40/46 supercharged four-stroke, nine-cylinder diesel engines producing a total of 4,400 metric horsepower (3,240 kW; 4,340 shp) for use while surfaced, two Siemens-Schuckert 2 GU 345/34 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 1,000 shaft horsepower (1,010 PS; 750 kW) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.92 m (6 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft). ^[1]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 18.3 knots (33.9 km/h; 21.1 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph). ^[1] When submerged, the boat could operate for 63 nautical miles (117 km; 72 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 13,850 nautical miles (25,650 km; 15,940 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-846 was fitted with six 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and two at the stern), 22 torpedoes, one 10.5 cm (4.13 in) SK C/32 naval gun, 180 rounds, and a 3.7 cm (1.5 in) SK C/30 as well as a 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of forty-eight. ^[1]

Service history

U-846 was ordered on 20 January 1941 from DeSchiMAG AG Weser in Bremen under the yard number 1052. Her keel was laid down on 21 July 1942. The U-boat was launched the following year on 17 February 1943. On 29 May she was commissioned into service under the command of Oberleutnant zur See der Reserve Berthold Hashagen (Crew 37) in 4th U-boat Flotilla.

After completing training, U-846 was transferred to 10th U-boat Flotilla and left Kiel for the North Atlantic on 4 December 1943. Joining groups Amrum and Rügen at the end of the month, returning without success to Lorient on 3 March 1944. U-846 left Lorient again on 29 April. During an air attack on 2 May she managed to shoot down one aircraft, Halifax 'H' of No. 58 Squadron RAF. The next day another aircraft attacked the U-boat without success, but early on 4 May a bomb hit from a Wellington, 'M' of 407 Squadron RCAF, sank U-846 in position 46°6′N9°20′W / 46.100°N 9.333°W / 46.100; -9.333 . ^[2]

References

1. Gröner 1991, p. 68.
2. Busch & Röll 1999, p. 230.

Bibliography

• Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). German U-boat commanders of World War II: a biographical dictionary. Translated by Brooks, Geoffrey. London, Annapolis, Md: Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press. ISBN   1-55750-186-6.
• Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). Der U-Boot-Krieg, 1939-1945: Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945] (in German). Vol. IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN   3-8132-0514-2.
• Gröner, Eric; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). German Warships 1815-1945: U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN   0-85177-593-4.

External links

• Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type IXC/40 boat U-846". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 2 February 2015.