Name U-435 Yard number 1477 Commissioned 30 August 1941 Launched 31 May 1941 Beam 6.18 m | Ordered 16 October 1939 Laid down 11 April 1940 Construction started 11 April 1940 Length 67 m Builder Schichau-Werke | |
Fate Sunk by depth charges on 9 July 1943 west of Figueira, Portugal at position by a RAF Wellington bomber of 179 Squadron operating out of Gibraltar. | ||
German submarine U-435 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 11 April 1940 by F Schichau GmbH in Danzig as yard number 1477, launched on 31 May 1941 and commissioned on 30 August 1941 under Korvettenkapitän Siegfried Strelow (Knight’s Cross).
Contents
The boat's service began on 30 August 1941 with training as part of the 5th U-boat Flotilla. She was transferred to the 1st flotilla on 1 January 1942 for active service and then to the 11th flotilla on 1 July 1942. She returned to the 1st flotilla on 1 February 1943.
Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-435 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-435 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
In eight patrols she sank 13 ships for a total of 53,712 GRT, plus three warships and one auxiliary warship.
U-456 attacked and damaged the American freighter Effingham straggling the convoy. U-435 then finished off the abandoned vessel.
U-435 was more successful in April sinking both the Panamanian freighter El Occidente and British steamer Harpalion. The straggler Harpalion was finished off after being abandoned having been previously heavily damaged by Luftwaffe Ju 88 dive bombers.
U-435 had even more success when she was part of a combined attack on Arctic Convoy QP 14. She sank 4 vessels, comprising the minesweeper HMS Leda, RFA fleet oiler Gray Ranger, British Liberty ship Ocean Voice and American freighter Bellingham.
U-435 continued her earlier successes sinking 5 vessels in total namely the CAM ship Empire Shackleton, Norse King, the special service vessel and former freighter HMS Fidelity, HMS LCV-752 and HMS LCV-754; although the two landing craft were being carried as deck cargo when HMS Fidelity was sunk.
Wolfpacks
She took part in eleven wolfpacks, namely,
Fate
She was depth charged and sunk by on 9 July 1943 at position 39°48′N 14°22′W west of Figueira, Portugal by a RAF Wellington bomber from 179 Squadron.