Name U-983 Yard number 183 Commissioned 16 June 1943 Launched 12 May 1943 Draft 4.74 m Builder Blohm + Voss | Ordered 25 May 1941 Laid down 7 September 1942 Construction started 7 September 1942 Length 67 m Beam 6.2 m | |
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Fate Sunk on 8 September 1943 | ||
German submarine U-983 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
Contents
She was ordered on 25 May 1941, and was laid down on 7 September 1942 at Blohm & Voss, Hamburg, as yard number 183. She was launched on 12 May 1943 and commissioned under the command of Leutnant zur See Hans Reimers on 16 June 1943.
Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-983 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-983 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 8 September 1943, U-983 sank north of Łeba in the Baltic Sea after colliding with U-988. Thirty-eight of the crew of forty-three survived.
The wreck was located at 54°56′N 17°14′E.