Name U-981 Yard number 181 Commissioned 3 June 1943 Construction started 24 August 1942 Length 67 m Beam 6.2 m | Ordered 5 June 1941 Laid down 24 August 1942 Fate Sunk on 12 August 1944 Launched 29 April 1943 Draft 4.74 m Builder Blohm + Voss | |
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Part of 5th U-boat Flotilla, 6th U-boat Flotilla | ||
German submarine U-981 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
Contents
She was ordered on 5 June 1941, and was laid down on 24 August 1942 at Blohm & Voss, Hamburg, as yard number 181. She was launched on 29 April 1943 and commissioned under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Walter Sitek on 3 June 1943.
Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-981 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-981 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
On 25 March 1944, U-981 was sunk by an air-laid mine and depth charges off of La Rochelle, France, in the Bay of Biscay. U-981 struck a mine in the British field Cinnamon and was attacked by a British Halifax of 502 Squadron/F RAF. Forty of the crew of fifty-two survived.
The wreck is located at 46°09′N 01°35′W.
Wolfpacks
U-921 took part in six wolfpacks, namely.