Name U-1055 Yard number 689 Commissioned 8 April 1944 Launched 9 March 1944 Draft 4.74 m | Ordered 5 June 1941 Laid down 30 March 1943 Construction started 30 March 1943 Length 67 m Beam 6.2 m | |
Status Missing since 23 April 1945 in the North Atlantic. Part of 5th U-boat Flotilla, 11th U-boat Flotilla | ||
German submarine U-1055 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 30 March 1943 by Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft, Kiel as yard number 689, launched on 9 March 1944 and commissioned on 8 April 1944 under Oberleutnant zur See Rudolf Meyer.
She was fitted with a Schnorchel underwater breathing apparatus in November 1944.
Contents
Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-1055 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged. 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 AEG GU 460/8–27 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).
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). 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-1055 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 an anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.
Service history
The boat's career began with training at 5th U-boat Flotilla on 8 April 1944, followed by active service on 1 December 1944 as part of the 11th Flotilla for the remainder of her service.
In two patrols she sank four merchant ships, for a total of 19,413 gross register tons (GRT).
Fate
On 6 April 1945 U-1055 was attacked by MTB-715 and MTB-719; apparently undamaged U-1055 went missing on 23 April 1945 in the North Atlantic with no explanation after sending a message while enroute to the English Channel. All hands were lost.