German submarine U-863

History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-863
Ordered	5 June 1941
Builder	DeSchiMAG AG Weser, Bremen
Yard number	1069
Laid down	15 September 1942
Launched	29 June 1943
Commissioned	3 November 1943
Fate	Sunk on 29 September 1944
General characteristics
Class and type	Type IXD2 submarine
Displacement	1,610 t (1,580 long tons) surfaced; 1,799 t (1,771 long tons) submerged;
Length	87.58 m (287 ft 4 in) o/a ; 68.50 m (224 ft 9 in) pressure hull ;
Beam	7.50 m (24 ft 7 in) o/a; 4.40 m (14 ft 5 in) pressure hull;
Height	10.20 m (33 ft 6 in)
Draught	5.35 m (17 ft 7 in)
Installed power	9,000 PS (6,620 kW; 8,880 bhp) (diesels); 1,000 PS (740 kW; 990 shp) (electric);
Propulsion	2 shafts; 2 × diesel engines ; 2 × electric motors ;
Speed	20.8 knots (38.5 km/h; 23.9 mph) surfaced; 6.9 knots (12.8 km/h; 7.9 mph) submerged;
Range	12,750 nmi (23,610 km; 14,670 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced; 57 nmi (106 km; 66 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged;
Test depth	230 m (750 ft)
Complement	66
Armament	6 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, two stern); 24 × torpedoes or 48 TMA or 72 TMB naval mines ; 1 × 10.5 cm (4.1 in) SK C/32 (150 rounds); 1 × 3.7 cm (1.5 in) Flak M42 AA gun ; 2 × 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns ;
Service record
Part of:	4th U-boat Flotilla ; 3 November 1943 – 30 June 1944; 12th U-boat Flotilla ; 1 July – 29 September 1944;
Identification codes:	M 53 881
Commanders:	Kptlt. Dietrich von der Esch; 3 November 1943 – 29 September 1944;
Operations:	1 patrol:; 26 July – 29 September 1944;
Victories:	None

Last updated April 05, 2024

German submarine U-863 was a long-range Type IXD2 U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

Design

German Type IXD2 submarines were considerably larger than the original Type IXs. U-863 had a displacement of 1,610 tonnes (1,580 long tons) when at the surface and 1,799 tonnes (1,771 long tons) while submerged.^[4] The U-boat had a total length of 87.58 m (287 ft 4 in), a pressure hull length of 68.50 m (224 ft 9 in), a beam of 7.50 m (24 ft 7 in), a height of 10.20 m (33 ft 6 in), and a draught of 5.35 m (17 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two MAN M 9 V 40/46 supercharged four-stroke, nine-cylinder diesel engines plus two MWM RS34.5S six-cylinder four-stroke diesel engines for cruising, producing a total of 9,000 metric horsepower (6,620 kW; 8,880 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 1.85 m (6 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 200 metres (660 ft).^[4]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 20.8 knots (38.5 km/h; 23.9 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 6.9 knots (12.8 km/h; 7.9 mph).^[4] When submerged, the boat could operate for 121 nautical miles (224 km; 139 mi) at 2 knots (3.7 km/h; 2.3 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 12,750 nautical miles (23,610 km; 14,670 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-863 was fitted with six 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and two at the stern), 24 torpedoes, one 10.5 cm (4.13 in) SK C/32 naval gun, 150 rounds, and a 3.7 cm (1.5 in) Flak M42 with 2575 rounds as well as two 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns with 8100 rounds. The boat had a complement of fifty-five.^[4]

Service history

On 20 July 1944, U-863 was attacked with 6pdr (57mm) cannon fire and depth charges from a TseTse flown by Norwegian pilot Rolf Leithe, flying for RAF 333 Squadron. U-863 was forced back to base to repair the minor damage suffered in the attack.^[3]

On 29 September; U-863 was sunk by depth charges east southeast of Recife, by two US Navy PB4Y-1 Liberator bomber from VB-107. All 69 of her crew were lost.^[3]

The wreck lies at 10°45′S25°30′W / 10.750°S 25.500°W / -10.750; -25.500 .^[3]

Related Research Articles

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References

↑ Busch & Röll 1997, p. 384.
↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Dietrich von der Esch". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
1 2 3 4 Helgason, Guðmundur. "U-863". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
1 2 3 4 Gröner 1991, pp. 74–75.

Bibliography

Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1997). Der U-Boot-Krieg, 1939-1945: Die deutschen U-Boot-Kommandanten (in German). Vol. II. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0509-6.
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.
Sharpe, Peter (1998). U-Boat Fact File. Great Britain: Midland Publishing. ISBN 1-85780-072-9.

External links

Helgason, Guðmundur. "U-863". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 6 January 2014.

External links

Helgason, Guðmundur. "Patrols by U-863". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net.

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Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
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[FOOTNOTEBuschRöll1997384-1] Busch & Röll 1997, p. 384.

[2] Helgason, Guðmundur. "Dietrich von der Esch". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 12 April 2016.

[uboat-3] 1 2 3 4 Helgason, Guðmundur. "U-863". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 12 April 2016.

[FOOTNOTEGröner199174–75-4] 1 2 3 4 Gröner 1991, pp. 74–75.

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v t e German Type IXD submarine
Type IXD1	U-180 U-195
Type IXD2	U-177 U-178 U-179 U-181 U-182 U-196 U-197 U-198 U-199 U-200 U-847 U-848 U-849 U-850 U-851 U-852 U-859 U-860 U-861 U-862 U-863 U-864 U-871 U-872 U-873 U-874 U-875 U-876
IXD/42	U-883 U-884
Preceded by: Type IXC Followed by: Type X
List of U-boats of Germany

v t e German Type IX submarines
Type IXA	U-37 U-38 U-39 U-40 U-41 U-42 U-43 U-44
Type IXB	U-64 U-65 U-103 U-104 U-105 U-106 U-107 U-108 U-109 U-110 U-111 U-122 U-123 U-124
Type IXC	U-66 U-67 U-68 U-125 U-126 U-127 U-128 U-129 U-130 U-131 U-153 U-154 U-155 U-156 U-157 U-158 U-159 U-160 U-161 U-162 U-163 U-164 U-165 U-166 U-171 U-172 U-173 U-174 U-175 U-176 U-501 U-502 U-503 U-504 U-505 U-506 U-507 U-508 U-509 U-510 U-511 U-512 U-513 U-514 U-515 U-516 U-517 U-518 U-519 U-520 U-521 U-522 U-523 U-524
Type IXC/40	U-167 U-168 U-169 U-170 U-183 U-184 U-185 U-186 U-187 U-188 U-189 U-190 U-191 U-192 U-193 U-194 U-525 U-526 U-527 U-528 U-529 U-530 U-531 U-532 U-533 U-534 U-535 U-536 U-537 U-538 U-539 U-540 U-541 U-542 U-543 U-544 U-545 U-546 U-547 U-548 U-549 U-550 U-801 U-802 U-803 U-804 U-805 U-806 U-841 U-842 U-843 U-844 U-845 U-846 U-853 U-854 U-855 U-856 U-857 U-858 U-865 U-866 U-867 U-868 U-869 U-870 U-877 U-878 U-879 U-880 U-881 U-889 U-1221 U-1222 U-1223 U-1224 U-1225 U-1226 U-1227 U-1228 U-1229 U-1230 U-1231 U-1232 U-1233 U-1234 U-1235
Type IXD	U-177 U-178 U-179 U-180 U-181 U-182 U-195 U-196 U-197 U-198 U-199 U-200 U-847 U-848 U-849 U-850 U-851 U-852 U-859 U-860 U-861 U-862 U-863 U-864 U-871 U-872 U-873 U-874 U-875 U-876 U-883 U-884
Preceded by: Type VII Followed by: Type X List of U-boats of Germany

v t e Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in September 1944
Shipwrecks	1 Sep: HMS Hurst Castle, Kehdingen, U-247 2 Sep: Empire Curzon, U-394 5 Sep: U-362 7 Sep: Shinyō Maru, (incident), Westfalen 8 Sep: Rex 9 Sep: Sava , U-484 10 Sep: U-20 , U-23 11 Sep: Giulio Cesare, U-19 12 Sep: Korei Maru, Nankai Maru, USS Noa, Rakuyō Maru, Shikinami 13 Sep: USS Perry, USS Warrington 14 Sep: Irene Oldendorff 16 Sep: I-364 17 Sep: Un'yō 18 Sep: Dr. Heinrich Wiegand, Gyōkū Maru, Jun'yō Maru 19 Sep: Isoshima ; U-407 , U-867 21 Sep: China Maru, Hōfuku Maru , Katsuriki , Noshiro Maru , Satsuki 22 Sep: Drache 23 Sep: Taranto , U-859 24 Sep: Akitsushima , Siberia Maru , T-120 , Yaeyama 25 Sep: USS Miantonomah 26 Sep: Aotaka , Ro-47, Saga , U-871 27 Sep: HMS Rockingham, Ural Maru 28 Sep: Dragoner 29 Sep: U-863 30 Sep: U-565 , U-596 , U-1062 Unknown date: U-703 , U-855 , U-865 , U-921
Other incidents	8–9 Sep: Yu 3001 12 Sep: USS Fullam 13 Sep: USS Segundo 14 Sep: USS Natchez, USS Temptress 15 Sep: Tirpitz 19 Sep: Jingei , U-565 24 Sep: U-565 , U-596 26 Sep: Don Marquis Unknown date: Schwabenland
1943 1944 1945 August 1944 October 1944

History

Nazi Germany
Name	U-863
Ordered	5 June 1941
Builder	DeSchiMAG AG Weser, Bremen
Yard number	1069
Laid down	15 September 1942
Launched	29 June 1943
Commissioned	3 November 1943
Fate	Sunk on 29 September 1944
General characteristics
Class and type	Type IXD2 submarine
Displacement	1,610 t (1,580 long tons) surfaced 1,799 t (1,771 long tons) submerged
Length	87.58 m (287 ft 4 in) o/a 68.50 m (224 ft 9 in) pressure hull
Beam	7.50 m (24 ft 7 in) o/a 4.40 m (14 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height	10.20 m (33 ft 6 in)
Draught	5.35 m (17 ft 7 in)
Installed power	9,000 PS (6,620 kW; 8,880 bhp) (diesels) 1,000 PS (740 kW; 990 shp) (electric)
Propulsion	2 shafts 2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors
Speed	20.8 knots (38.5 km/h; 23.9 mph) surfaced 6.9 knots (12.8 km/h; 7.9 mph) submerged
Range	12,750 nmi (23,610 km; 14,670 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced 57 nmi (106 km; 66 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth	230 m (750 ft)
Complement	66
Armament	6 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, two stern) 24 × torpedoes or 48 TMA or 72 TMB naval mines 1 × 10.5 cm (4.1 in) SK C/32 (150 rounds) 1 × 3.7 cm (1.5 in) Flak M42 AA gun 2 × 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns
Service record
Part of:	4th U-boat Flotilla 3 November 1943 – 30 June 1944 12th U-boat Flotilla 1 July – 29 September 1944^[1]
Identification codes:	M 53 881
Commanders:	Kptlt. Dietrich von der Esch^[2] 3 November 1943 – 29 September 1944
Operations:	1 patrol: 26 July – 29 September 1944
Victories:	None

German submarine U-863

Contents

Design

Service history

Related Research Articles

References

Bibliography

External links

External links