German submarine U-865

History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-865
Ordered	25 August 1941
Builder	DeSchiMAG AG Weser, Bremen
Yard number	1073
Laid down	5 January 1943
Launched	12 July 1943
Commissioned	25 October 1943
Fate	Missing since 9 September 1944
General characteristics
Class & 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	18.3 knots (33.9 km/h; 21.1 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) Flak M42 AA gun 2 x twin 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 AA guns
Service record
Part of	4th U-boat Flotilla 25 October 1943 – 30 June 1944 10th U-boat Flotilla 1 July – 19 September 1944
Identification codes	M 53 961
Commanders	Oblt.z.S. Dietrich Stellmacher 25 October 1943 – September 1944
Operations	1 patrol: 8 – 9 September 1944
Victories	None

German submarine U-865 was a Type IXC/40 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine built for service during the Second World War. She was laid down in Bremen, Germany on 5 January 1943, and launched on 12 July 1943.

Design

German Type IXC/40 submarines were slightly larger than the original Type IXCs. U-865 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-865 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) Flak M42 as well as two twin 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of forty-eight. ^[1]

Service history

She had one commander, Oberleutnant zur See Dietrich Stellmacher, for her two patrols. ^[2] She had a crew complement of 59.

She did not sink any shipping on her two patrols, and went missing after leaving Trondheim in Norway on 9 September 1944, with all hands lost.

In late June/ early July 1944, she was attacked by an RAF B-24 Liberator, which did some damage to her, however she in turn did some damage to the attacking aircraft with the submarine's flak gun, setting the aircraft on fire. Both the U-boat and aircraft were forced to return to their respective bases. ^{[3] [4]}

References

1. Gröner 1991, p. 68.
2. Dietrich Stellmacher on Helgason, Guðmundur. "Dietrich Stellmacher". German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net. Retrieved 7 December 2014.
3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type IXC/40 boat U-865". German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net. Retrieved 7 December 2014.
4. "U-boat Archive - BDU KTB PG30350" . Retrieved 11 April 2017.

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-865". German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net. Retrieved 2 February 2015.