German submarine U-383
German World War II submarine From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
German submarine U-383 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
| History | |
|---|---|
 Nazi Germany | |
| Name | U-383 |
| Ordered | 15 August 1940 |
| Builder | Howaldtswerke, Kiel |
| Yard number | 14 |
| Laid down | 29 March 1941 |
| Launched | 22 April 1942 |
| Commissioned | 6 June 1942 |
| Fate | Sunk on 1 August 1943[1] |
| Badge |  |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Type VIIC submarine |
| Displacement | |
| Length |
|
| Beam |
|
| Height | 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in) |
| Draught | 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in) |
| Installed power |
|
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed |
|
| Range | |
| Test depth |
|
| Complement | 4 officers, 40–56 enlisted |
| Armament |
|
| Service record[2][3] | |
| Part of: |
|
| Identification codes: | M 41 101 |
| Commanders: |
|
| Operations: |
|
| Victories: |
1 merchant ship sunk (423 GRT) |
The submarine was laid down on 29 March 1941 at the Howaldtswerke yard at Kiel, launched on 22 April 1942, and commissioned on 6 June under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Horst Kremser.[2]
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-383 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.[4] 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 Garbe, Lahmeyer & Co. RP 137/c 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).[4]
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).[4] 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-383 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 a 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.[4]
U-383 served with the 8th U-boat Flotilla for training, and then operationally with the 9th flotilla from 1 October 1942 to 1 August 1943.[2] She completed four patrols in that time, sinking only one ship, the 423 gross register tons (GRT) Icelandic trawler Jon Olafsson on 24 October 1942,[5] during her first patrol.[3]
On the evening of 1 August 1943 U-383 was attacked west of Brittany, at position 47°24′N 12°10′W, by a Short Sunderland of No. 228 Squadron RAF. Responding with flak, the U-boat holed the fuselage and shot away the starboard float and aileron of the aircraft, which pressed home its attack and straddled the U-boat with depth charges before heading back to base. Kremser radioed for assistance, and though three U-boats and three torpedo boats searched during the night and the next day, they failed to locate the crippled U-383 and she was presumed lost.[2]
Wolfpacks
U-383 took part in ten wolfpacks, namely:
- Puma (26 – 29 October 1942)
- Natter (30 October – 8 November 1942)
- Kreuzotter (8 – 18 November 1942)
- Habicht (10 – 19 January 1943)
- Haudegen (19 January – 15 February 1943)
- Sturmbock (23 – 26 February 1943)
- Amsel (22 April – 3 May 1943)
- Amsel 2 (3 – 6 May 1943)
- Elbe (7 – 10 May 1943)
- Elbe 2 (10 – 14 May 1943)
| Date | Ship Name | Nationality | Tonnage (GRT) |
Fate[6] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 October 1942 | Jon Olafsson |  Iceland |
423 | Sunk |
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