Name U-1197 Yard number 1567 Commissioned 2 December 1943 Construction started 13 March 1943 Draft 4.74 m | Ordered 25 August 1941 Laid down 13 March 1943 Decommissioned 25 April 1945 Launched 30 September 1943 Builder Schichau-Werke | |
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German submarine U-1197 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
Contents
She was ordered on 25 August 1941, and was laid down on 13 March 1943 at F Schichau GmbH, Danzig, as yard number 1567. She was launched on 30 September 1943 and commissioned under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Heinz Baum on 2 December 1943.
Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-1197 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 460/8-276 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).
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-1197 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes or 26 TMA mines, 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 44 — 52 men.
Service history
U-1197 was badly damaged during a US 8th AF raid on the Deschimag AG Weser shipyard in Bremen, on 30 March 1945. Due to the heavy bomb damage U-1197 was decommissioned on 25 April 1945, at Wesermünde.
U-1197 was captured by British forces, still at Wesermünde, in May 1945.
In February 1946, U-1197 was sunk by the US Navy in the North Sea.