German submarine U-418
History | |
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Name | U-418 |
Ordered | 20 January 1941 |
Builder | Danziger Werft, Danzig |
Yard number | 119 |
Laid down | 21 October 1942 |
Launched | 11 July 1942 |
Commissioned | 21 October 1942 |
Fate | Sunk by a British aircraft in Bay of Biscay, June 1943[1] |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Type VIIC submarine |
Displacement |
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Length |
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Beam |
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Height | 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in) |
Draught | 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in) |
Installed power |
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Propulsion |
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Speed |
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Range | |
Test depth |
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Complement | 4 officers, 40–56 enlisted |
Armament |
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Service record[2] | |
Part of: |
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Commanders: |
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Operations: | 24 April – 1 June 1943 |
Victories: | None |
German submarine U-418 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
She carried out one patrol. She was a member of three wolfpacks. She did not sink or damage any ships.
She was sunk by a British aircraft in the Bay of Biscay in June 1943.[1][2]
Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-418 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.[3] 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), a 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 Siemens-Schuckert GU 343/38–8 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).[3]
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).[3] 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-418 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, and two twin 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.[3]
Service history
The submarine was laid down on 21 October 1941 at the Danziger Werft (yard) at Danzig (now Gdansk), as yard number 119, launched on 11 July 1942 and commissioned on 21 October under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Gerhard Lange.
She served with the 8th U-boat Flotilla from 21 October 1942 and the 1st flotilla from 1 May 1943.
Patrol and loss
U-418 left Kiel on 24 April 1943 and headed for the Atlantic Ocean via the gap between Iceland and the Faroe Islands. The boat was attacked, (but it was not reported), by a British Catalina flying boat of No. 210 Squadron RAF on 30 May. One man was killed, two others were wounded. The aircraft sank on its return to Pembroke Dock, but was later salvaged.
U-418 was sunk on 1 June 1943 by rockets from a British Bristol Beaufighter of 236 Squadron in the western Bay of Biscay.
Wolfpacks
U-418 took part in three wolfpacks, namely.
- Without name (5–10 May 1943)
- Isar (10–15 May 1943)
- Donau 1 (15–23 May 1943)
References
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.
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(help) - 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] (in German). Vol. IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
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(help) - Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
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(help) - Kemp, Paul (1999). U-Boats Destroyed - German Submarine Losses in the World Wars. London: Arms & Armour. ISBN 1-85409-515-3.
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External links
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-418". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
- Use dmy dates from September 2012
- German Type VIIC submarines
- U-boats commissioned in 1942
- U-boats sunk in 1943
- U-boats sunk by British aircraft
- 1942 ships
- Ships built in Danzig
- Ships lost with all hands
- World War II submarines of Germany
- World War II shipwrecks in the Atlantic Ocean
- Maritime incidents in June 1943