German submarine U-83 (1940)

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-83.

German submarine U-83 was a Type VIIB U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

U-52, a typical Type VIIB boat
History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-83
Ordered	9 June 1938
Builder	Flender Werke, Lübeck
Yard number	291
Laid down	5 October 1939
Launched	9 December 1940
Commissioned	8 February 1941
Fate	Sunk, 4 March 1943[1]
Badge
General characteristics
Class & type	Type VIIB submarine
Displacement	753 tonnes (741 long tons) surfaced 857 t (843 long tons) submerged
Length	66.50 m (218 ft 2 in) o/a 48.80 m (160 ft 1 in) pressure hull
Beam	6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height	9.50 m (31 ft 2 in)
Draught	4.74 m (15 ft 7 in)
Installed power	2,800–3,200 PS (2,100–2,400 kW; 2,800–3,200 bhp) (diesels) 750 PS (550 kW; 740 shp) (electric)
Propulsion	2 shafts 2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors
Speed	17.9 knots (33.2 km/h; 20.6 mph) surfaced 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) submerged
Range	9,400 nmi (17,400 km; 10,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced 90 nmi (170 km; 100 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth	220 m (720 ft) Crush depth: 230–250 m (750–820 ft)
Complement	4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Sensors & processing systems	Gruppenhorchgerät
Armament	4 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four bow) 12 × torpedoes or 26 TMA mines 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds) 1 × 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun
Service record[2][3]
Part of:	1st U-boat Flotilla 8 February – 31 December 1941 23rd U-boat Flotilla 1 January – 30 April 1942 29th U-boat Flotilla 1 May 1942 – 4 March 1943
Identification codes:	M 32 441
Commanders:	Oblt.z.S. / Kptlt. Hans-Werner Kraus 8 February 1941 – 21 September 1942 Kptlt. Ulrich Wörisshoffer 16 October 1942 – 4 March 1943
Operations:	12 patrols: 1st patrol: 26 July – 9 September 1941 2nd patrol: 28 September – 31 October 1941 3rd patrol: 11 – 23 December 1941 4th patrol: 25 – 30 December 1941 5th patrol: 12 – 24 February 1942 6th patrol: a. 10 – 21 March 1942 b. 24 – 28 March 1942 7th patrol: 5 April – 30 May 1942 8th patrol: 4 – 20 June 1942 9th patrol: a. 6 – 20 August 1942 b. 31 August – 4 September 1942 10th patrol: 21 November – 17 December 1942 11th patrol: 12 – 31 January 1943 12th patrol: 1 – 4 March 1943
Victories:	5 merchant ships sunk (8,425 GRT) 1 auxiliary warship sunk (96 GRT) 1 merchant ship damaged (2,590 GRT) 1 auxiliary warship damaged (6,746 GRT)

She was laid down in the Flender Werke at Lübeck as yard number 291 on 5 October 1939. Launched on 9 December 1940, she was commissioned on 8 February 1941. U-83 served with 1st U-boat Flotilla from 8 February 1941 to 31 December, with the 23rd flotilla from 1 January 1942 to 30 April and with the 29th flotilla from 1 March 1942 until she was sunk.^[2]

Design

German Type VIIB submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIA submarines. U-83 had a displacement of 753 tonnes (741 long tons) when at the surface and 857 tonnes (843 long tons) while submerged.^[4] She had a total length of 66.50 m (218 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 48.80 m (160 ft 1 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.50 m (31 ft 2 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 AEG GU 460/8-276 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 17.9 knots (33.2 km/h; 20.6 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph).^[4] When submerged, the boat could operate for 90 nautical miles (170 km; 100 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,700 nautical miles (16,100 km; 10,000 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). Differently from other VII B U-Boats, U-83 was fitted with only the front four 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes, and only twelve instead of 14 torpedoes,^[5] one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and one 2 cm (0.79 in) anti-aircraft gun The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.^[4]

Service history

U-83 conducted twelve patrols and sank five ships totalling 8,425 gross register tons (GRT) and one auxiliary warship - the Q-ship HMS Farouk, of 96 GRT.^[6] She damaged one other ship of 2,590 GRT and damaged the fighter catapult ship HMS Ariguani, of 6,746 GRT.^[2][7]

U-83 was sunk on 4 March 1943 with all hands southeast of Cartagena in Spain in position 37°10′N 00°05′E, by three depth charges dropped from an RAF Hudson bomber (500 Squadron).^[2][1]

Wolfpacks

U-83 took part in three wolfpacks, namely:

• Bosemüller (28 August - 2 September 1941)
• Seewolf (2 – 7 September 1941)
• Breslau (2 – 29 October 1941)

Summary of raiding history

Date	Ship	Nationality	Tonnage[Note 1]	Fate[8]
12 October 1941	Corte Real	Portugal	2,044	Sunk
26 October 1941	HMS Ariguani	Royal Navy	6,746	Damaged
17 March 1942	Crista	United Kingdom	2,590	Damaged
8 June 1942	Esther	Palestine	100	Sunk
8 June 1942	Said	Egypt	231	Sunk
9 June 1942	Typhoon	Palestine	175	Sunk
13 June 1942	HMS Farouk	Royal Navy	96	Sunk
17 August 1942	Princess Marguerite	Canada	5,875	Sunk

See also

• Mediterranean U-boat Campaign (World War II)