German submarine U-183 (original) (raw)

German World War II submarine
History
Nazi Germany
Name U-183
Ordered 15 August 1940
Builder DeSchiMAG AG Weser, Bremen
Yard number 1023
Laid down 28 May 1941
Launched 9 January 1942
Commissioned 1 April 1942
Fate Sunk by USS Besugo, 23 April 1945
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 76.76 m (251 ft 10 in) o/a 58.75 m (192 ft 9 in) pressure hull
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 2 shafts 2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors
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 6 × torpedo tubes (4 bow, 2 stern) 22 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedoes 1 × 10.5 cm (4.1 in) SK C/32 deck gun (180 rounds) 1 × 3.7 cm (1.5 in) SK C/30 AA gun 1 × twin 2 cm FlaK 30 AA guns
Service record
Part of: 4th U-boat Flotilla 1 April – 30 September 1942 2nd U-boat Flotilla 1 October 1942 – 30 September 1944 33rd U-boat Flotilla 1 October 1944 – 23 April 1945
Identification codes: M 44 100
Commanders: Kptlt. Heinrich Schäfer 1 April 1942 – 19 November 1943 Kptlt. Fritz Schneewind 20 November 1943 – 23 April 1945
Operations: 6 patrols 1st patrol: 19 September – 23 December 1942 2nd patrol: 30 January – 13 May 1943 3rd patrol: a. 3 July – 30 October 1943 b. 10 – 11 November 1943 c. 28 – 30 January 1944 4th patrol: 10 February – 21 March 1944 5th patrol: a. 3 – 5 May 1944 b. 17 May – 7 July 1944 c. August 1944 d. 16 – 30 October 1944 e. 22 February – 9 March 1945 6th patrol: 21 – 23 April 1945
Victories: 4 merchant ships sunk (19,260 GRT) 1 merchant ship total loss (6,993 GRT)

German submarine U-183 was a Type IXC/40 U-boat of the German Navy (Kriegsmarine) during World War II. She was commissioned on 1 April 1942, one of the first IXC/40 boats, somewhat larger and faster than the IXC type. She began her service life in the 4th U-boat Flotilla, a training organization, moving on to the 2nd, then the 33rd Flotilla, both operational or front outfits.

U-183 was in the first wave of "Monsun boats" or Monsun Gruppe, which operated in the Indian Ocean from Japanese bases in the occupied Dutch East Indies and British Malaya, mostly Penang.

German Type IXC/40 submarines were slightly larger than the original Type IXCs. U-183 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.[1] 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).[1]

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).[1] 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-183 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) SK C/30 as well as a 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of forty-eight.[1]

After serving in the Atlantic, U-183 sailed from France in July 1943, arriving at Penang on 27 October, and operated in the zone for almost two years. She carried out six war patrols including In March 1944, torpedoing the oil tanker British Loyalty that was anchored in the Addu lagoon in the Maldives. The tanker was damaged but not sunk.[2]

The U-183 was sunk on 23 April 1945, 15 days before Germany's surrender, by the American submarine Besugo (SS-321) in the Java Sea. Only one crew member survived.[3]

In November 2013 the wreck of either this submarine or U-168 has been located.[4]

U-183 took part in three wolfpacks, namely:

Summary of raiding history

[edit]

Date Name Nationality Tonnage(GRT) Fate[5]
3 December 1942 Empire Dabchick United Kingdom 6,089 Sunk
11 March 1943 Olancho Honduras 2,493 Sunk
29 February 1944 Palma United Kingdom 5,419 Sunk
9 March 1944 British Loyalty United Kingdom 6,993 Total loss
5 June 1944 Helen Moller United Kingdom 5,259 Sunk
  1. ^ a b c d Gröner 1991, p. 68.
  2. ^ Kearney, Jonathan (23 September 2020). "Fascinating History of How WWII Brought to the Maldives". maldivestraveller.mv.
  3. ^ "National Archives Catalog". USS BESUGO - Report of FOURTH War Patrol, 3/24/45 - 5/20/45. pp. 20, 21. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
  4. ^ "Archaeologists Find Sunken Nazi Sub in Indonesia with 17 Skeletons". Io9.com. 23 April 1945. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  5. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-183". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 26 September 2014.

4°49′59″S 112°52′01″E / 4.833°S 112.867°E / -4.833; 112.867