- Source: German submarine U-876
German submarine U-876 was a long-range Type IXD2 U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
She was ordered on 25 August 1941, and was laid down on 5 June 1943 at DeSchiMAG AG Weser, Bremen, as yard number 1084. She was launched on 29 February 1944 and commissioned under the command of Kapitänleutnant Rolf Bahn on 24 May 1944.
Design
German Type IXD2 submarines were considerably larger than the original Type IXs. U-876 had a displacement of 1,610 tonnes (1,580 long tons) when at the surface and 1,799 tonnes (1,771 long tons) while submerged. The U-boat had a total length of 87.58 m (287 ft 4 in), a pressure hull length of 68.50 m (224 ft 9 in), a beam of 7.50 m (24 ft 7 in), a height of 10.20 m (33 ft 6 in), and a draught of 5.35 m (17 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two MAN M 9 V 40/46 supercharged four-stroke, nine-cylinder diesel engines plus two MWM RS34.5S six-cylinder four-stroke diesel engines for cruising, producing a total of 9,000 metric horsepower (6,620 kW; 8,880 shp) for use while surfaced, two Siemens-Schuckert 2 GU 345/34 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 1,000 shaft horsepower (1,010 PS; 750 kW) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.85 m (6 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 200 metres (660 ft).
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 20.8 knots (38.5 km/h; 23.9 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 6.9 knots (12.8 km/h; 7.9 mph). When submerged, the boat could operate for 121 nautical miles (224 km; 139 mi) at 2 knots (3.7 km/h; 2.3 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 12,750 nautical miles (23,610 km; 14,670 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-876 was fitted with six 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and two at the stern), 24 torpedoes, one 10.5 cm (4.13 in) SK C/32 naval gun, 150 rounds, and a 3.7 cm (1.5 in) Flak M42 with 2575 rounds as well as two 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns with 8100 rounds. The boat had a complement of fifty-five.
Service history
On 9 April 1945, U-876 was damaged by bombs in a British air raid.
U-876 was scuttled at Eckernförde on 3 May 1945, as part of Operation Regenbogen. Her wreck was raised and broken up in 1947.
References
Bibliography
External links
Helgason, Guðmundur. "U-876". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 6 January 2014.