German submarine U-676
German submarine U-676 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 13 June 1942 at the Howaldtswerke yard at Hamburg, launched on 6 July 1943, and commissioned on 4 August 1943 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Werner Sass.
History | |
---|---|
Nazi Germany | |
Name: | U-676 |
Ordered: | 5 June 1941 |
Builder: | Howaldtswerke, Hamburg |
Yard number: | 825 |
Laid down: | 13 June 1942 |
Launched: | 6 July 1943 |
Commissioned: | 4 August 1943 |
Fate: | Sunk by mine in the Gulf of Finland after 12 February 1945 |
General characteristics | |
Class and type: | Type VIIC submarine |
Displacement: |
|
Length: |
|
Beam: |
|
Height: | 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in) |
Draught: | 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in) |
Installed power: |
|
Propulsion: |
|
Speed: |
|
Range: |
|
Test depth: |
|
Complement: | 4 officers, 40–56 enlisted |
Armament: |
|
Service record | |
Identification codes: | M 54 607 |
Commanders: | Oblt.z.S. Werner Sass |
Operations: | 2 patrols |
Victories: | no ships sunk |
Attached to 5th U-boat Flotilla based at Kiel, U-676 completed her training period on 31 August 1944 and was assigned to front-line service.
Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-676 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.[1] 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 Siemens-Schuckert 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).[1]
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).[1] 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-676 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, (220 rounds), one 3.7 cm (1.5 in) Flak M42 and two twin 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.[1]
Service history
On the second and final patrol, U-676 was last heard of on 12 February 1945 while operating in the Gulf of Finland.[2] In 2012 the wreck of U-676 was detected in position 59°30′N 23°0′E. In the vicinity a mine barrage, Vantaa 3, had been laid by the Finnish minelayer Louhi and Ruotsinsalmi on 12 January 1945. All 57 crew members perished in the event.[3]
References
- Gröner 1991, pp. 43-46.
- Busch & Röll 1999, p. 315.
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-676". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
Bibliography
- 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.
External links
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-676". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 23 July 2015.