German Type IXA submarine
Encyclopedia
The German Type IXA submarine was a sub-class of the German Type IX submarine
built by the German Navy (Kriegsmarine
) between 1937 and 1938. These U-boat
s were designed between 1935 and 1936 and were intended to be fairly large ocean-going submarines. The inspiration for the Type IXA submarine came from the German Type IA submarine
, which had a similar diving depth and identical submerged horsepower.
Two of the eight Type IXA submarines ( and ) would become the 6th and 10th most successful U-boats that saw service in World War II, sinking 53 and 35 ships respectively. All of the Type IXA submarines were sunk fairly early in the war except for U-37 and U-38, which were scuttled in May 1945 to prevent them from falling into the hands of the Allies.
and the overall German plan of re-armament in violation of the Treaty of Versailles
. The design of the IXA submarines was derived from the German Type IA submarine. All contracts for the construction of the submarines were awarded to AG Weser
, Bremen
. The first U-boat to be laid down in the Bremen ship yards was U-37, whose keel was laid down on 15 March 1937. The last U-boat to be laid down was , whose construction began on 15 September 1937. By November 1939, all eight submarines had been fully constructed and commissioned into the Kriegsmarine.
s that produced 4400 shp as well as two SSW
GU345/34 double-acting electric motor
s that produced 1000 hp and allowed them to travel at 18.2 knots (9.9 m/s) while surfaced and 7.7 knots (4.2 m/s) submerged. The Type IXA submarines had a range of 19425 nmi (35,975.1 km) at 10 knots (5.4 m/s) while on the surface and 144 nmi (266.7 km) at 4 kn (2.2 m/s) while submerged. The fuel capacity was 154 tons. The maximum crew capacity was 56, though the number on board was usually around 45–48.
The Type IXA submarines were equipped with a Utof 10.5 cm SK C/32 deck gun
forward of the conning tower. Shell storage was 110 rounds. The gun fired a 33.3 pounds (15.1 kg) HE round at a muzzle velocity of 780 m/s out to a maximum range of 15175 m (16,595.6 yd). Against aircraft the weapon's ceiling was 10000 m (10,936.1 yd). Training and elevation was manual. The rate of fire was 15 rounds per minute.
They were also armed with 2 cm FlaK 30
and 37 mm (1.5 in) anti-aircraft guns. The 2 cm FlaK 30 guns had a range of 4900 metres (5,358.7 yd) firing at up to 280 rounds per minute; firing against aircraft the ceiling was reduced to 3,700 m. The muzzle velocity was 835 m/s and each round weighed 0.71 lbs. The 3.7 cm SK C/30U
had a range of 8500 metres (9,295.7 yd) and a firing rate of 30 rounds per minute. Its muzzle velocity was 1000 m/s (3,280.8 ft/s) and the shell's total weight was 1.64 lb (0.7438914868 kg).
.
in command. Upon commissioning, U-38 was assigned to the 6th U-boat Flotilla. Like U-37, U-38 conducted eleven patrols. During these patrols she managed to sink or damage over 30 enemy vessels. Like U-37, U-38 ranks as one of the most successful U-boats of World War II, holding 10th place. With World War II drawing to a disastrous close for Germany, U-38 was scuttled by her own crew west of Wesermünde on 5 May 1945.
. All of her crew members survived and were captured by the British. U-39 was the first German U-boat to be sunk in World War II.
while attempting a short cut to a rendezvous with other U boats.
attack by the British destroyer off the coast of Ireland. All 49 crew members were lost with the ship.
by a torpedo
dropped by a United States Navy aircraft from the escort carrier ; all 55 hands were lost.
was laid down on 15 September 1938 by AG Weser, Bremen as Werk 949. She was launched on 5 August 1939 and commissioned on 4 November under the command of Korvettenkapitän Ludwig Mathes. During her service in the German Kriegsmarine, U-44 conducted only two war patrols (one as part of the 6th U-boat Flotilla and another as a member of the 2nd U-boat Flotilla) and sank a total of eight enemy vessels for a loss of . On 13 March 1940, U-44 struck a mine that was located in Minefield Number 7 off the north coast of the Netherlands. All 47 of U-44s crew members went down with the submarine.
German Type IX submarine
The Type IX U-boat was designed by Germany in 1935 and 1936 as a large ocean-going submarine for sustained operations far from the home support facilities. Type IX boats were briefly used for patrols off the eastern United States in an attempt to disrupt the stream of troops and supplies bound for...
built by the German Navy (Kriegsmarine
Kriegsmarine
The Kriegsmarine was the name of the German Navy during the Nazi regime . It superseded the Kaiserliche Marine of World War I and the post-war Reichsmarine. The Kriegsmarine was one of three official branches of the Wehrmacht, the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany.The Kriegsmarine grew rapidly...
) between 1937 and 1938. These U-boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
s were designed between 1935 and 1936 and were intended to be fairly large ocean-going submarines. The inspiration for the Type IXA submarine came from the German Type IA submarine
German Type I submarine
The Type I U-boat was the first post-World War I attempt by the German Kriegsmarine to produce an ocean going submarine. Only two Type IAs were built, but the decision to halt production on further boats is believed to be because of political decisions and not because of major faults in the Type I...
, which had a similar diving depth and identical submerged horsepower.
Two of the eight Type IXA submarines ( and ) would become the 6th and 10th most successful U-boats that saw service in World War II, sinking 53 and 35 ships respectively. All of the Type IXA submarines were sunk fairly early in the war except for U-37 and U-38, which were scuttled in May 1945 to prevent them from falling into the hands of the Allies.
Construction
All Type IXA submarines were ordered by the German Kriegsmarine between 29 July 1936 and 21 November 1936 as part of Plan ZPlan Z
Plan Z was the name given to the planned re-equipment and expansion of the Nazi German Navy ordered by Adolf Hitler on January 27, 1939...
and the overall German plan of re-armament in violation of the Treaty of Versailles
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was one of the peace treaties at the end of World War I. It ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. It was signed on 28 June 1919, exactly five years after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The other Central Powers on the German side of...
. The design of the IXA submarines was derived from the German Type IA submarine. All contracts for the construction of the submarines were awarded to AG Weser
AG Weser
Aktien-Gesellschaft Weser was one of the great German shipbuilding companies, located at the Weser River in Bremen. Founded in 1873 it was finally closed in 1983. Altogether, AG Weser built about 1400 ships of different types, including many war ships...
, Bremen
Bremen
The City Municipality of Bremen is a Hanseatic city in northwestern Germany. A commercial and industrial city with a major port on the river Weser, Bremen is part of the Bremen-Oldenburg metropolitan area . Bremen is the second most populous city in North Germany and tenth in Germany.Bremen is...
. The first U-boat to be laid down in the Bremen ship yards was U-37, whose keel was laid down on 15 March 1937. The last U-boat to be laid down was , whose construction began on 15 September 1937. By November 1939, all eight submarines had been fully constructed and commissioned into the Kriegsmarine.
General characteristics
The Type IXA submarines were the first German submarines to have a double hull. This allowed for a greater chance of survival in the event of an attack and gave them better seaworthiness on the surface. The Type IXA submarines had a test depth of 230 metres (754.6 ft). The class had two MAN M9V40/46 supercharged 9-cylinder diesel engineDiesel engine
A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber...
s that produced 4400 shp as well as two SSW
Schichau Seebeckwerft
Schichau Seebeckwerft is a German shipbuilding company, headquartered in Bremerhaven. The name comes from the 1988 merger of Schichau with Seebeckwerft.-History:...
GU345/34 double-acting electric motor
Electric motor
An electric motor converts electrical energy into mechanical energy.Most electric motors operate through the interaction of magnetic fields and current-carrying conductors to generate force...
s that produced 1000 hp and allowed them to travel at 18.2 knots (9.9 m/s) while surfaced and 7.7 knots (4.2 m/s) submerged. The Type IXA submarines had a range of 19425 nmi (35,975.1 km) at 10 knots (5.4 m/s) while on the surface and 144 nmi (266.7 km) at 4 kn (2.2 m/s) while submerged. The fuel capacity was 154 tons. The maximum crew capacity was 56, though the number on board was usually around 45–48.
Armament
The Type IXA submarines had six torpedo tubes (four in the bow and two in the stern) and carried a total of twenty-two 533 mm (21 in) torpedoes. The torpedo warhead was between 617 pounds (279.9 kg) and 948 pounds (430 kg). These torpedoes could travel up to 6000 m (6,561.7 yd) and as fast as 44 knots (81 km/h). Twelve torpedoes were stowed internally and ten were in the topside deck containers. In order to get the torpedoes into the forward or bow torpedo room, the torpedoes were lifted over the U-boat by a crane. The crew would then pull the torpedo inside the vessel using a cradle that was set at an angle to allow the torpedo to slide into position inside the torpedo room. To reload a torpedo tube with a torpedo from one of the above-deck canisters, the submarine would have to surface in calm water. Then the torpedo would be pulled out of the compartment with winches and lowered into the forward or bow torpedo room. This process could take several hours for just one torpedo, during which the U-boat was unable to dive, making it an easy target for Allied aircraft.The Type IXA submarines were equipped with a Utof 10.5 cm SK C/32 deck gun
Deck gun
A deck gun is a type of artillery cannon mounted on the deck of a ship or submarine.The deck gun was used as a defensive weapon against smaller boats or ships and in certain cases where torpedo use was limited. Typically a crew of three; gunner, loader, and layer, operated the gun, while others...
forward of the conning tower. Shell storage was 110 rounds. The gun fired a 33.3 pounds (15.1 kg) HE round at a muzzle velocity of 780 m/s out to a maximum range of 15175 m (16,595.6 yd). Against aircraft the weapon's ceiling was 10000 m (10,936.1 yd). Training and elevation was manual. The rate of fire was 15 rounds per minute.
They were also armed with 2 cm FlaK 30
2 cm FlaK 30
The Flak 30 and improved Flak 38 were 20 mm anti-aircraft guns used by various German forces throughout the Second World War. It was not only the primary German light anti-aircraft gun, but by far the most numerously produced German artillery piece throughout the war...
and 37 mm (1.5 in) anti-aircraft guns. The 2 cm FlaK 30 guns had a range of 4900 metres (5,358.7 yd) firing at up to 280 rounds per minute; firing against aircraft the ceiling was reduced to 3,700 m. The muzzle velocity was 835 m/s and each round weighed 0.71 lbs. The 3.7 cm SK C/30U
3.7 cm SK C/30
The 3.7 cm SK C/30 was the German Kriegsmarine's primary anti-aircraft gun during the Second World War...
had a range of 8500 metres (9,295.7 yd) and a firing rate of 30 rounds per minute. Its muzzle velocity was 1000 m/s (3,280.8 ft/s) and the shell's total weight was 1.64 lb (0.7438914868 kg).
List of Type IXA U-boats
The Type IXA class had eight U-boats, all of which were built by AG Weser of Bremen. After being commissioned and deployed, the Type IXA submarines were stationed in the German port city of WilhelmshavenWilhelmshaven
Wilhelmshaven is a coastal town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the western side of the Jade Bight, a bay of the North Sea.-History:...
.
| Name | Hull builder | Ordered | Laid down | Launched | Commissioned | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AG Weser, Bremen | 29 July 1936 | 15 March 1937 | 14 May 1938 | 4 August 1938 | Scuttled, 8 May 1945. | |
| AG Weser, Bremen | 29 July 1936 | 2 June 1937 | 15 April 1938 | 24 October 1938 | Scuttled 5 May 1945 west of Wesermünde and broken up in 1948. | |
| AG Weser, Bremen | 29 July 1936 | 2 June 1937 | 22 September 1938 | 10 December 1938 | Sunk on 14 September 1939 northwest of Ireland. All crew members survived. | |
| U-40 | AG Weser, Bremen | 29 July 1936 | 1 July 1937 | 9 November 1938 | 11 February 1939 | Sunk on 13 October 1939 in the English Channel by mines. 45 dead and 3 survivors. |
| AG Weser, Bremen | 21 November 1936 | 27 November 1937 | 28 January 1939 | 22 April 1939 | Sunk on 5 February 1940 south of Ireland. All 49 of her crew went down with the submarine. | |
| AG Weser, Bremen | 21 November 1936 | 27 December 1937 | 16 February 1939 | 15 July 1939 | Sunk on 13 October 1939 southwest of Ireland. 22 dead and 20 survivors. | |
| AG Weser, Bremen | 21 November 1936 | 15 August 1938 | 23 May 1939 | 26 August 1939 | Sunk southwest of the Azores, 30 July 1943. 55 dead. | |
| AG Weser, Bremen | 21 November 1936 | 15 September 1938 | 5 August 1939 | 4 November 1939 | Sunk by a mine on 13 March 1940 off the coast of the Netherlands. All crew members were lost. | |
U-37
U-37 was laid down by AG Weser of Bremen on 15 March 1937. Following just over a year of construction, she was launched from the Bremen shipyards on 14 May 1938 and commissioned into the Kriegsmarine on 4 August 1938 under the command of Kapitänleutnant Heinrich Schuch as a member of the 6th U-boat Flotilla. U-37 was by far the most successful Type IXA U-boat and the sixth most successful U-boat in World War II, sinking 53 merchant ships for a total of 200,124 gross register tons (GRT), along with two warships during eleven war patrols from August 1939 to March 1941. In spite of these victories, U-37 was later withdrawn from combat service and was used for training submarine crews until the end of the war. On 8 May 1945, the crew of U-37 scuttled the U-boat in Sonderburg Bay off Flensburg to keep her from falling into the hands of the Allies.U-38
The keel for U-38 was laid down on 15 April 1937 and after over a year and a half of construction she was commissioned on 24 October 1938 with Kapitänleutnant Heinrich LiebeHeinrich Liebe
Commander Heinrich Liebe was a highly decorated German naval officer who served as a U-boat commander during World War II until transferred to Oberkommando der Kriegsmarine . He sank 34 ships for a total of , placing him fourth on the Aces of the Deep list...
in command. Upon commissioning, U-38 was assigned to the 6th U-boat Flotilla. Like U-37, U-38 conducted eleven patrols. During these patrols she managed to sink or damage over 30 enemy vessels. Like U-37, U-38 ranks as one of the most successful U-boats of World War II, holding 10th place. With World War II drawing to a disastrous close for Germany, U-38 was scuttled by her own crew west of Wesermünde on 5 May 1945.
U-39
The keel for U-39 was laid down on 2 June 1937. She was commissioned over a year later on 10 December 1938 with Kapitänleutnant Gerhard Glattes in command as a member of the 6th U-boat Flotilla. On 14 September 1939, just days after she began her first war time patrol, U-39 was hunted down by the British destroyers , , and and disabled with depth charges after she attempted to sink the British aircraft carrier HMS Ark RoyalHMS Ark Royal (91)
HMS Ark Royal was an aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy that served during the Second World War.Designed in 1934 to fit the restrictions of the Washington Naval Treaty, Ark Royal was built by Cammell Laird and Company, Ltd. at Birkenhead, England, and completed in November 1938. Her design...
. All of her crew members survived and were captured by the British. U-39 was the first German U-boat to be sunk in World War II.
U-40
U-40 was ordered for construction on 29 July 1936 and her keel was laid down on 1 July 1937. She was launched from Bremen on 9 November 1938 and commissioned on 11 February 1939 with Kapitänleutnant Werner von Schmidt in command. U-40 conducted only two war patrols during her career, both while part of the 6th U-boat Flotilla. During her short war-time service, U-40 sank no ships. She sank on 13 October 1939 after hitting mines in the English ChannelEnglish Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
while attempting a short cut to a rendezvous with other U boats.
U-41
U-41 was laid down on 27 November 1937 and was launched on 28 January 1939. She was commissioned into the Kriegsmarine on 22 April 1939 under the command of Korvettenkapitän Gustav-Adolf Mugler. U-41 only undertook three war patrols, two as part of the 6th U-boat Flotilla and one as a member of the 2nd U-boat Flotilla. During her brief career she sank five enemy vessels for a total of , captured two more ships for a total of , and damaged one ship of . On 5 February 1940, U-41 was sunk after a depth chargeDepth charge
A depth charge is an anti-submarine warfare weapon intended to destroy or cripple a target submarine by the shock of exploding near it. Most use explosives and a fuze set to go off at a preselected depth in the ocean. Depth charges can be dropped by either surface ships, patrol aircraft, or from...
attack by the British destroyer off the coast of Ireland. All 49 crew members were lost with the ship.
U-42
U-42 was ordered by the Kriegsmarine on 21 November 1936. Her keel was laid down on 21 December 1937 by AG Weser of Bremen as Werk 947. She was launched on 16 February 1939 and commissioned on 15 July 1939 with Kapitänleutnant Rolf Dau in command of the vessel. U-42 had a very short career, being sunk while still on her first war patrol. During her service with the German Kriegsmarine, U-42 conducted only one training patrol and one war patrol, during which she damaged one enemy vessel of . Both of U-42s patrols were as a member of the 6th U-boat Flotilla. On 13 October 1939, U-42 was sunk southwest of Ireland by the British warships and . Out of a crew of 46, twenty survived and 26 went down with the submarine.U-43
The keel for U-43 was laid down on 15 August 1938 at the AG Weser yard at Bremen; she was launched on 23 May 1939 and commissioned on 26 August 1939 under the command of Kapitänleutnant Wilhelm Ambrosius. Between November 1939 and July 1943 the U-boat conducted 14 combat patrols as a member of the 6. Unterseebootsflottile and later the 2. Unterseebootsflottile, sinking 21 merchant ships for a total of , damaging one ship of and another of , enough for it to be declared a total loss. U-43 was sunk on 30 July 1943 southwest of the AzoresAzores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
by a torpedo
Aerial torpedo
The aerial torpedo, airborne torpedo or air-dropped torpedo is a naval weapon, the torpedo, designed to be dropped into water from an aircraft after which it propels itself to the target. First used in World War I, air-dropped torpedoes were used extensively in World War II, and remain in limited...
dropped by a United States Navy aircraft from the escort carrier ; all 55 hands were lost.
U-44
U-44 was ordered by the German Kriegsmarine on 21 November 1936 andwas laid down on 15 September 1938 by AG Weser, Bremen as Werk 949. She was launched on 5 August 1939 and commissioned on 4 November under the command of Korvettenkapitän Ludwig Mathes. During her service in the German Kriegsmarine, U-44 conducted only two war patrols (one as part of the 6th U-boat Flotilla and another as a member of the 2nd U-boat Flotilla) and sank a total of eight enemy vessels for a loss of . On 13 March 1940, U-44 struck a mine that was located in Minefield Number 7 off the north coast of the Netherlands. All 47 of U-44s crew members went down with the submarine.