German submarine U-1227

German submarine U-1227 was a Type IXC/40 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

History
Nazi Germany
Name: U-1227
Ordered: 14 October 1941
Builder: Deutsche Werft, Hamburg
Yard number: 390
Laid down: 1 February 1942
Launched: 18 September 1943
Commissioned: 8 December 1943
Decommissioned: 10 April 1945
Fate: Scuttled, 3 May 1945. Later raised and broken up.
General characteristics
Class and type: Type IXC/40 submarine
Displacement:
  • 1,144 t (1,126 long tons) surfaced
  • 1,257 t (1,237 long tons) submerged
Length:
Beam:
  • 6.86 m (22 ft 6 in) o/a
  • 4.44 m (14 ft 7 in) pressure hull
Height: 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught: 4.67 m (15 ft 4 in)
Installed power:
  • 4,400 PS (3,200 kW; 4,300 bhp) (diesels)
  • 1,000 PS (740 kW; 990 shp) (electric)
Propulsion:
Speed:
  • 18.3 knots (33.9 km/h; 21.1 mph) surfaced
  • 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph) submerged
Range:
  • 13,850 nmi (25,650 km; 15,940 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 63 nmi (117 km; 72 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth: 230 m (750 ft)
Complement: 4 officers, 44 enlisted
Armament:
Service record[1][2]
Part of:
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Friedrich Altmeier
  • 8 December 1943 – 10 April 1945
Operations: 1st patrol: 14 September – 26 December 1944
Victories: 1 warship a total loss (1,370 GRT)

The submarine was laid down on 1 February 1942 at the Deutsche Werft yard at Hamburg, launched on 18 September 1943, and commissioned on 8 December 1943 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Friedrich Altmeier. The U-boat then served with 31st U-boat Flotilla, a training unit, with 2nd U-boat Flotilla from 1 August to 31 December 1944, and with 33rd U-boat Flotilla from 1 January to 10 April 1945.[1]

Design

German Type IXC/40 submarines were slightly larger than the original Type IXCs. U-1227 had a displacement of 1,144 tonnes (1,126 long tons) when at the surface and 1,257 tonnes (1,237 long tons) while submerged.[3] The U-boat had a total length of 76.76 m (251 ft 10 in), a pressure hull length of 58.75 m (192 ft 9 in), a beam of 6.86 m (22 ft 6 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.67 m (15 ft 4 in). The submarine was powered by two MAN M 9 V 40/46 supercharged four-stroke, nine-cylinder diesel engines producing a total of 4,400 metric horsepower (3,240 kW; 4,340 shp) for use while surfaced, two Siemens-Schuckert 2 GU 345/34 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 1,000 shaft horsepower (1,010 PS; 750 kW) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.92 m (6 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).[3]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 18.3 knots (33.9 km/h; 21.1 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph).[3] When submerged, the boat could operate for 63 nautical miles (117 km; 72 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 13,850 nautical miles (25,650 km; 15,940 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-1227 was fitted with six 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and two at the stern), 22 torpedoes, one 10.5 cm (4.13 in) SK C/32 naval gun, 180 rounds, and a 3.7 cm (1.5 in) Flak M42 as well as two twin 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of forty-eight.[3]

Service history

U-1227 completed only one combat patrol, from 14 September to 26 December 1944. On 4 October 1944 she attempted to attack a convoy at night, but was seen in the bright moonlight and counter-attacked by convoy escorts. She torpedoed one of the escorts, the Canadian River-class frigate HMCS Chebogue, during the pursuit. The frigate was a total loss, but the U-boat escaped and continued its patrol.[4]

Fate

U-1227 was damaged at Kiel in a British night-bombing raid on 9 April 1945, and was decommissioned there on 10 April. U-1227 was scuttled to avoid capture on 3 May 1945.[1]

Summary of raiding history
Date Ship Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 1] Fate[5]
4 October 1944 HMCS Chebogue  Royal Canadian Navy 1,370 Total loss

References

Notes
  1. Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.

Citations
  1. Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type IXC/40 boat U-1227". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 5 March 2010.
  2. Helgason, Guðmundur. "War Patrols by German U-boat U-1227". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 5 March 2010.
  3. Gröner 1991, p. 68.
  4. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Patrol of U-boat U-1227 from 14 September 1944 to 26 December 1944". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 5 March 2010.
  5. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-1227". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 17 February 2014.

Bibliography
  • Bishop, Chris (2006). Kriegsmarine U-Boats, 1939–45. London: Amber Books. ISBN 978-1-904687-96-2.
  • Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). German U-boat commanders of World War II : a biographical dictionary. Translated by Brooks, Geoffrey. London, Annapolis, Md: Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-186-6.
  • Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945]. Der U-Boot-Krieg (in German). IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
  • Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
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