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German submarine U 608

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Name
  
U-608

Laid down
  
27 March 1941

Class and type
  
Type VIIC submarine

Launched
  
11 December 1941

Draft
  
4.74 m

Builder
  
Blohm + Voss

Ordered
  
22 May 1940

Commissioned
  
5 February 1942

Construction started
  
27 March 1941

Length
  
67 m

Beam
  
6.18 m

German submarine U-608 httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediacommonsthu

Fate
  
Scuttled, 10 August 1944

German submarine U-608 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. During the Battle of the Atlantic, she was commanded by Rolf Struckmeier as a unit of Wolfpack Vorwärts (2–15 September 1942).

Contents

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-608 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 BBC GG UB 720/8 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-608 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.

Fate

She was scuttled in the Bay of Biscay on 10 August 1944 after being attacked by a RAF Liberator aircraft with depth charges. The damaged boat surfaced unnoticed and was scuttled by her crew, which was rescued by HMS Wren six hours later suffering no losses.

Wolfpacks

U-608 took part in 19 wolfpacks, namely.

  • Stier (29 August – 2 September 1942)
  • Vorwärts (2–15 September 1942)
  • Pfeil (1–9 February 1943)
  • Neptun (18 February – 3 March 1943)
  • Neuland (8–13 March 1943)
  • Dränger (14–20 March 1943)
  • Trutz (1–16 June 1943)
  • Trutz 1 (16–29 June 1943)
  • Geier 1 (30 June – 15 July 1943)
  • Schlieffen (14–22 October 1943)
  • Siegfried (22–27 October 1943)
  • Siegfried 1 (27–30 October 1943)
  • Jahn (31 October – 2 November 1943)
  • Tirpitz 2 (2–8 November 1943)
  • Eisenhart 7 (9–11 November 1943)
  • Schill 2 (17–22 November 1943)
  • Igel 2 (9–17 February 1944)
  • Hai 1 (17–22 February 1944)
  • Preussen (22 February – 14 March 1944)

    • References

    German submarine U-608 Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA


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