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German submarine U 901

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Name
  
U-901

Yard number
  
14

Commissioned
  
29 April 1944

Launched
  
9 October 1943

Draft
  
4.74 m

Ordered
  
10 April 1941

Laid down
  
1 January 1942

Construction started
  
1 January 1942

Length
  
67 m

Beam
  
6.2 m

German submarine U-901

Builder
  
Stettiner Maschinenbau AG, Stettin

Part of
  
4th U-boat Flotilla, 11th U-boat Flotilla

German submarine U-901 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

Contents

She was ordered on 10 April 1941, and was laid down on 1 January 1942 at Stettiner Maschinenbau AG, Stettin, as yard number 14. She was launched on 9 October 1943 and commissioned under the command of Kapitänleutnant Hans Schrenk on 29 April 1944.

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-901 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 SSW GU 343/38-8 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-901 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-901 participated in one war patrol that yielded no ships sunk or damaged.

On 15 May 1945, U-901 surrendered at Stavanger, Norway. She was later transferred to Lisahally, on 27 May 1945. Of the 156 U-boats that eventually surrendered to the Allied forces at the end of the war, U-901 was one of 116 selected to take part in Operation Deadlight. U-901 was towed out and sank on 5 January 1946, by unknown causes.

The wreck now lies at 55°50′N 08°30′W.

References

German submarine U-901 Wikipedia