Name U-706 Ordered 9 October 1939 Commissioned 1 July 1942 Length 67 m Beam 6.2 m | Operator Kriegsmarine Yard number 771 Launched 18 December 1941 Draft 4.74 m Builder H. C. Stülcken Sohn | |
Fate Sunk on 9 November 1943 off the Azores at | ||
German submarine U-707 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
Contents
Ordered 6 August 1940, she was laid down 2 January 1941 and launched 18 December 1941. She had a relatively brief career from 1 July 1942 to 9 November 1943, and during this time she was commanded by Oberleutnant zur See Günther Gretschel.
Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-707 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 Garbe, Lahmeyer & Co. RP 137/c 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-707 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.
Patrol History
During her career, U-707 sunk two ships, for a total tonnage of 11,811 GRT, namely the US freighter Jonathan Sturges, a straggler of convoy ON 166, and the British freighter North Britain also a straggler of convoy ONS 5.
She participated in nine wolfpacks, namely,
Fate
While on patrol east of the Azores, she was depth charged and sunk on 9 November 1943 from a RAF Fortress aircraft, from Sqdn. 220/J R.A.F, at position 40°31′N 20°17′W. She was lost with all hands; 51 dead.