Jump to content

German submarine U-88 (1941)

Coordinates: 75°04′N 04°49′E / 75.067°N 4.817°E / 75.067; 4.817
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by ÄDA - DÄP (talk | contribs) at 12:15, 23 June 2013 (clean up using AWB). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.



History
Nazi Germany
NameU-88
Ordered25 January 1939
BuilderFlender Werke, Lübeck
Yard number292
Laid down1 July 1940
Launched16 August 1941
Commissioned15 October 1941
FateSunk 12 September 1942 south of Spitzbergen by a British warship[1]
General characteristics
TypeType VIIC submarine
Displacementlist error: <br /> list (help)
769 tonnes (757 long tons) ↑
871 t (857 long tons) ↓
Lengthlist error: <br /> list (help)
67.1 m (220 ft 2 in) o/a
50.5 m (165 ft 8 in) pressure hull
Beamlist error: <br /> list (help)
6.2 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a
4.7 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Draft4.74 m (15 ft 7 in)
Propulsionlist error: <br /> list (help)
2 × supercharged MAN 6-cylinder 4-stroke M 6 V 40/46 diesel engines, totalling 2,800–3,200 bhp (2,100–2,400 kW). Max rpm: 470-490
2 × BBC electric motors, totalling 750 shp (560 kW) and max rpm: 296
Speedlist error: <br /> list (help)
17.7 knots (20.4 mph; 32.8 km/h) surfaced
7.6 knots (8.7 mph; 14.1 km/h) submerged
Rangelist error: <br /> list (help)
8,500 nmi (15,700 km) at 10 kn (19 km/h) ↑
80 km (43 nmi) at 4 kn (7.4 km/h) ↓
Test depthlist error: <br /> list (help)
230 m (750 ft)
Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft)
Complement44–52 officers and ratings
Armamentlist error: <br /> list (help)
• 5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern)
• 14 × G7e torpedoes or 26 TMA mines
• 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds)
• Various AA guns
Service record
Part of: list error: <br /> list (help)
Kriegsmarine:
7th U-boat Flotilla
8th U-boat Flotilla
11th U-boat Flotilla
Identification codes: M 27 945
Commanders: Kptlt. Heino Bohmann
Operations: list error: <br /> list (help)
Three
1st patrol:
29 April–3 May 1942
2nd patrol:
17 June– 11 July 1942
3rd patrol:
25 August–12 September 1942
Victories: Two ships, totalling (12,304 GRT GRT uses unsupported parameter (help)) sunk

German submarine U-88 was a Type VIIC U-boat of the Nazi German Kriegsmarine during World War II.

She was laid down at the Flender Werke in Lübeck as 'werk' 292, launched on 16 August 1941 and commissioned on 15 October with Kapitänleutnant Heino Bohmann in command.

She was a fairly successful boat, succeeding in sinking over 12,000 tons of Allied shipping in a career lasting just one year over three patrols. She was a member of three wolfpacks.

Operational career

1st patrol

Having moved from Kiel to Kirkenes in Norway in April 1942, U-88 departed for her first patrol on the 29th. She returned on 3 May.

2nd patrol

The boat moved from Kirkenes to Narvik in early May and set-off for what was to be her most successful patrol on 17 June 1942. She sank two American ships, part of the ill-fated Convoy PQ-17, on 5 July. After a three hour pursuit, the Carlton was hit by a torpedo which did not detonate. A second torpedo did explode on impact, the ship sank in ten minutes. U-88's second victim was the Daniel Morgan which had already been attacked by German aircraft. Two 'eels' (U-boat slang for torpedoes), sent her to the bottom. Three men died, there were 51 survivors.

3rd patrol and loss

U-88 left Narvik for the last time on 25 August 1942. She was sunk south of Spitzbergen at 75°04′N 04°49′E / 75.067°N 4.817°E / 75.067; 4.817 by depth charges from the British destroyer HMS Faulknor on 12 September.

46 men died; there were no survivors.

Summary of raiding history

Date Ship Nationality Tonnage Fate[2]
5 July 1942 Carlton  USA 5,127 Sunk
5 July 1942 Daniel Morgan  USA 7,177 Sunk

References

  1. ^ Kemp, Paul: U-Boats Destroyed, German Submarine Losses in the World Wars. 1997. p. 89. Arms and Armour. ISBN 1-85409-515-3
  2. ^ http://uboat.net/boats/successes/u.88html

See also