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German submarine U 987

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Name
  
U-987

Yard number
  
187

Commissioned
  
8 July 1943

Construction started
  
2 October 1942

Length
  
67 m

Beam
  
6.2 m

Ordered
  
25 May 1941

Laid down
  
2 October 1942

Fate
  
Sunk on 15 June 1944

Launched
  
2 June 1943

Draft
  
4.74 m

Builder
  
Blohm + Voss

German submarine U-987

German submarine U-987 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 2 October 1942 at Blohm & Voss, Hamburg, as yard number 187. She was launched on 2 June 1943 and commissioned under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Hilmar-Karl Schreyer on 8 July 1943.

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-987 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-987 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 15 June 1944, 19 days out of Stavanger on her first, and only war patrol, U-987 was sunk by torpedoes west of Narvik, in the Norwegian Sea. U-987 was attacked by the British submarine Satyr. All Fifty-three of her crew were lost.

The wreck is located at 68°01′N 05°08′E.

Wolfpacks

U-987 took part in one wolfpack, namely.

  • Trutz (2 — 15 June 1944)
  • References

    German submarine U-987 Wikipedia