German submarine U-459
| Career (Nazi Germany) |  |
|---|---|
| Name: | U-459 |
| Ordered: | 14 May 1940 |
| Builder: | Deutsche Werke, Kiel |
| Yard number: | 290 |
| Laid down: | 22 November 1940 |
| Launched: | 13 September 1941 |
| Commissioned: | 15 November 1941 |
| Fate: | Sunk, 24 July 1943 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | German Type XIV submarine |
| Displacement: | 1,668 long tons (1,695 t) surfaced 1,932 long tons (1,963 t) submerged |
| Length: | 67.1 m (220 ft 2 in) overall 47.5 m (155 ft 10 in) pressure hull |
| Beam: | 9.35 m (30 ft 8 in) overall 4.9 m (16 ft 1 in) pressure hull |
| Height: | 11.7 m (38 ft 5 in) |
| Draft: | 6.5 m (21 ft 4 in) |
| Propulsion: | 2 × Germaniawerft F46 supercharged 6-cylinder diesel engines, 3,200 hp (2,400 kW) 2 × SSW Gu343/388-8 double-acting electric motors 750 hp (560 kW) |
| Speed: | 14.9 knots (27.6 km/h) surfaced 6.2 knots (11.5 km/h) submerged |
| Range: | 12,350 nmi (22,870 km) at 10 kn (19 km/h) surfaced 55 nmi (102 km) at 4 kn (7.4 km/h) submerged |
| Test depth: | 240 m (790 ft) |
| Complement: | 53–60 men |
| Armament: | • 2 × 37 mm AA guns • 2 × 20 mm AA guns |
| Service record | |
| Part of: | 4th U-boat Flotilla (15 November 1941–31 March 1942) 10th U-boat Flotilla (1 April–31 October 1942) 12th U-boat Flotilla (1 November 1942–24 July 1943) |
| Commanders: | KrvKpt. Georg von Wilamowitz-Möllendorf (15 November 1941–24 July 1943) |
| Operations: | 1st patrol: 29 March–15 May 1942 2nd patrol: 6 June–19 July 1942 3rd patrol: 18 August–4 November 1942 4th patrol: 20 December 1942–7 March 1943 5th patrol: 20 April–3 June 1943 6th patrol: 22–24 July 1943 |
| Victories: | None |
German submarine U-459 was a Type XIV supply and replenishment U-boat ("Milchkuh") of the of the German Kriegsmarine during World War II.
Her keel was laid down 22 November 1940 by Deutsche Werke of Kiel. The submarine was commissioned 15 November 1941, with Kapitänleutnant Georg von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff in command, who remained in command until the boat was lost, receiving a promotion to Korvettenkapitän in the process.[1]
U-459 conducted six patrols. As a supply boat, she avoided combat.[2]
On 30 May 1943, she shot down a British Whitley aircraft.[1]
[edit] Fate
On 24 July 1943, U-459 was attacked by two British Wellington aircraft near Cape Ortegal, Spain. The boat shot down one of the Wellingtons, but 19 of her crew were killed and she was so heavily damaged by this attack that she had to be scuttled. 41 of her crew survived.[1]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ a b c "The Type XIV boat U-459 – German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net". www.uboat.net. http://www.uboat.net/boats/u459.htm. Retrieved 2009-12-02.
- ^ "War Patrols by German U-boat U-459 – Boats – uboat.net". www.uboat.net. http://www.uboat.net/boats/patrols/u459.html. Retrieved 2009-12-02.
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