Name U-1209 Yard number 1579 Commissioned 13 April 1944 Launched 9 February 1944 Builder Schichau-Werke | Ordered 2 April 1942 Laid down 14 July 1943 Construction started 14 July 1943 Draft 4.74 m | |
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Fate Scuttled on 18 December 1944 Part of 8th U-boat Flotilla, 11th U-boat Flotilla | ||
German submarine U-1209 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
Contents
She was ordered on 2 April 1943, and was laid down on 14 July 1943 at F Schichau GmbH, Danzig, as yard number 1579. She was launched on 9 February 1944 and commissioned under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Ewald Hülsenbeck on 13 April 1944.
Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-1209 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-1209 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-1209 was scuttled by her crew on 18 December 1944, east of the Isles of Scilly, in the English Channel, after running aground on Wolf Rock. Forty-four of her crew of fifty-three survived, Oblt.z.S. Ewald Hülsenbeck was among the dead.