German submarine U-8 (1935)

Last updated
U-9 IWM HU 1012.jpg
U-9, a typical Type IIB boat
History
War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg Nazi Germany
NameU-8
Ordered20 July 1934
Builder Germaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number542
Laid down25 March 1935
Launched16 July 1935
Commissioned5 August 1935
FateScuttled on 5 May 1945, in the Raeder Lock at Wilhelmshaven.
General characteristics
Class and type Type IIB coastal submarine
Displacement
  • 279  t (275 long tons) surfaced
  • 328 t (323 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 4.08 m (13 ft 5 in) (o/a)
  • 4.00 m (13 ft 1 in) (pressure hull)
Height8.60 m (28 ft 3 in)
Draught3.90 m (12 ft 10 in)
Installed power
  • 700 PS (510 kW; 690 bhp) (diesels)
  • 410 PS (300 kW; 400 shp) (electric)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph) surfaced
  • 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph) submerged
Range
  • 1,800 nmi (3,300 km; 2,100 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) surfaced
  • 35–43 nmi (65–80 km; 40–49 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth80 m (260 ft)
Complement3 officers, 22 men
Armament
Service record
Part of:
Identification codes: M 06 994
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Harald Grosse
  • 13 August 1935 – 3 November 1936
  • Oblt.z.S. / Kptlt. Georg Peters
  • 24 June 1938 – 5 September 1939
  • Kptlt. Otto Schuhart
  • 2 September - 29 October 1938
  • Kptlt. Wolf-Harro Stiebler
  • 6 September - 13 October 1939
  • Kptlt. Heinrich Lehmann-Willenbrock
  • 14 October - 30 November 1939
  • Kptlt. Georg-Heinz Michel
  • 1 December 1939 - 4 May 1940
  • Kptlt. Eitel-Friedrich Kentrat
  • 5 May - 7 June 1940
  • Lt.z.S. Heinz Stein
  • 5 - 9 June 1940
  • Oblt.z.S. Walter Kell
  • 10 June - 6 July 1940
  • Oblt.z.S. Hans-Jürgen Zetzsche
  • 7 - 28 July 1940
  • Oblt.z.S. Walter Kell
  • 13 September - 17 December 1940
  • Kptlt. Heinrich Heinsohn
  • 18 December 1940 - 25 April 1941
  • Kptlt. Ulrich Borcherdt
  • 26 April - 22 May 1941
  • Oblt.z.S. Rolf Steinhaus
  • 23 May - 31 July 1941
  • Lt.z.S. / Oblt. Horst Deckert
  • 1 August 1941 - 16 May 1942
  • Oblt.z.S. Rudolf Hoffmann
  • 17 May 1942 - 15 March 1943
  • Oblt.z.S.d.R Alfred Werner
  • 16 March 1943 - 12 May 1944
  • Oblt.z.S. Jürgen Iversen
  • 13 May - 24 November 1944
  • Oblt.z.S. Jürgen Kriegshammer
  • 25 November 1944 - 31 March 1945
Operations:
  • 1 patrol:
  • a. 19 May – 5 June 1940
  • b. 5–7 June 1940
Victories: No ships sunk or damaged

The German submarine U-8 was a Type IIB U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine , based at Kiel during World War II. It was one of the smaller versions, and was first launched on 16 July 1935. Its first commander was Harald Grosse. U-8 would have 18 commanders over the course of its service, the last being Jürgen Kriegshammer.

Contents

Design

German Type IIB submarines were enlarged versions of the original Type IIs. U-8 had a displacement of 279 tonnes (275 long tons) when at the surface and 328 tonnes (323 long tons) while submerged. Officially, the standard tonnage was 250 long tons (250 t), however. [1] The U-boat had a total length of 42.70 m (140 ft 1 in), a pressure hull length of 28.20 m (92 ft 6 in), a beam of 4.08 m (13 ft 5 in), a height of 8.60 m (28 ft 3 in), and a draught of 3.90 m (12 ft 10 in). The submarine was powered by two MWM RS 127 S four-stroke, six-cylinder diesel engines of 700 metric horsepower (510 kW; 690 shp) for cruising, two Siemens-Schuckert PG VV 322/36 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 460 metric horsepower (340 kW; 450 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 0.85 m (3 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 80–150 metres (260–490 ft). [1]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph). [1] When submerged, the boat could operate for 35–42 nautical miles (65–78 km; 40–48 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 3,800 nautical miles (7,000 km; 4,400 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph). U-8 was fitted with three 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes at the bow, five torpedoes or up to twelve Type A torpedo mines, and a 2 cm (0.79 in) anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of twenty. [1]

Service history

U-8 was ordered on 20 July 1934, i.e. in violation of the Versailles Treaty, which denied Germany possession of submarines. The U-boat was not laid down until 25 March 1935, and launched on 16 July 1935, within weeks of the Anglo-German Naval Agreement, which granted Germany parity with the British Empire in submarines.

Commissioned on 5 August 1935 with Kapitänleutnant Harald Grosse in command, U-8 was used as a training boat until 31 March 1945, when the U-boat was decommissioned.

Fate

U-8 was scuttled in the Raeder Lock at Wilhelmshaven on 5 May 1945. [2]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Gröner 1991, pp. 39–40.
  2. ↑ Neistlé 2014, p. 22.

Bibliography

53°31′N8°10′E / 53.517°N 8.167°E / 53.517; 8.167

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