German submarine U-999

U-995 Type VIIC/41 at the Laboe Naval Memorial. This U-boat is almost identical to U-999.
History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-999
Ordered	14 October 1941
Builder	Blohm & Voss, Hamburg
Yard number	199
Laid down	19 December 1942
Launched	17 September 1943
Commissioned	21 October 1943
Fate	Scuttled on 5 May 1945
General characteristics
Type	Type VIIC/41 submarine
Displacement	757 long tons (769  t) surfaced 857 long tons (871 t) submerged
Length	67.10 m (220 ft 2 in) o/a 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in) pressure hull
Beam	6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height	9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught	4.74 m (15 ft 7 in)
Installed power	2 × diesel engines 2,800–3,200 PS (2,100–2,400 kW; 2,800–3,200 bhp) (diesels) 750 PS (550 kW; 740 shp) (electric)
Propulsion	2 × electric motors 2 × screws
Speed	17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged
Range	8,500  nmi (15,700  km; 9,800  mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth	250 m (820 ft) Calculated crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft)
Complement	44-52 officers & ratings
Armament	5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (4 bow, 1 stern) 14 × torpedoes 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds) 1 × 3.7 cm (1.5 in) Flak M42 AA gun 2 × 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 AA guns
Service record
Part of:	5th U-boat Flotilla 21 October 1943 – 31 May 1944 6th U-boat Flotilla 1 – 30 June 1944 24th U-boat Flotilla 1 July 1944 – 28 February 1945 31st U-boat Flotilla 1 March – 5 May 1945
Identification codes:	M 52 784
Commanders:	Oblt.z.S. Hermann Hansen [1] 21 October 1943 – 15 July 1944 Oblt.z.S. Wilhelm Peters [2] 16 July – November 1944 Oblt.z.S. Wolfgang Heibges [3] November 1944 – 5 May 1945
Operations:	1 patrol: [4] a. 8 – 27 June 1944 b. 1 July 1944 c. 3 – 4 July 1944 d. 6 – 8 July 1944 e. 14 March 1945 f. 30 March – 1 April 1945 g. 28 April 1945 h. 3 May 1945
Victories:	None

German submarine U-999 was a Type VIIC/41 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

She was ordered on 14 October 1941, and was laid down on 19 December 1942, at Blohm & Voss, Hamburg, as yard number 199. She was launched on 17 September 1943, and commissioned under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Hermann Hansen on 21 October 1943. ^[5]

Design

German Type VIIC/41 submarines were preceded by the heavier Type VIIC submarines. U-999 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged. She had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), an overall beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 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 BBC GG UB 720/8 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). ^[6]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph). When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nautical miles (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-999 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, (220 rounds), one 3.7 cm (1.5 in) Flak M42 and two 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and fifty-two. ^[6]

Service history

U-999 was scuttled in Flensburg Fjord on 5 May 1945, after participating in only one war patrol that yielded no ships sunk or damaged. The wreck was recovered and broken up in 1948. ^[5]

See also

• Battle of the Atlantic

References

1. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Hermann Hansen". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
2. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Wilhelm Peters". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Wolfgang Heibges". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
4. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Patrol info for U-999". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
5. Helgason, Guðmundur. "U-999". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
6. Gröner 1991, pp. 43–44.

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). Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945[German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945]. Der U-Boot-Krieg (in German). Vol. IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN   3-8132-0514-2.
• Gröner, Erich; 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.