German submarine U-677 (original) (raw)

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German World War II submarine
History
Nazi Germany
Name U-677
Ordered 5 June 1941
Builder Howaldtswerke, Hamburg
Yard number 826
Laid down 13 June 1942
Launched 6 July 1943
Commissioned 20 September 1943
Fate Sunk on 9 April 1945
General characteristics
Class and type Type VIIC submarine
Displacement 769 t (757 long tons) surfaced 871 t (857 long tons) submerged
Length 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in) (o/a) 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in) (pressure hull)
Beam 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) (o/a) 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) (pressure hull)
Height 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in)
Installed power 2,800–3,200 PS (2,100–2,400 kW; 2,800–3,200 bhp) (diesels) 750 PS (550 kW; 740 shp) (electric)
Propulsion 2 shafts 2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors
Speed 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged
Range 8,500 nmi (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth 230 m (750 ft) Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft)
Complement 4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Armament 5 × torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern) 14 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedoes or 26 TMA mines 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds) 1 × 3.7 cm (1.5 in) Flak M42 AA gun 2 × twin 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns
Service record
Part of: 5th U-boat Flotilla 20 September 1943 – 31 May 1944 3rd U-boat Flotilla 1 June – 1 July 1944 23rd U-boat Flotilla 1 July 1944 – 19 February 1945 31st U-boat Flotilla 20 February – 9 April 1945
Identification codes: M 52 352
Commanders: Oblt.z.S. Paul Weber 20 September 1943 – 16 July 1944 Oblt.z.S. Gerhard Ady 17 July 1944 – 9 April 1945
Operations: 1 patrol: a. 8 – 29 June 1944 b. 1 – 2 July 1944 c. 4 July 1944 d. 4 – 6 July 1944
Victories: None

German submarine U-677 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 20 September 1943 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Paul Weber.

Attached to 5th U-boat Flotilla based at Kiel, U-677 completed her training period on 31 May 1944 and was assigned to front-line service.

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-677 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-677 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]

During a British air raid on Hamburg on 5 April 1945, U-677 was damaged while in the Howaldtswerke yard. In a second air raid four days later, U-677 as well as another U-boat, U-982, sank in the U-boat pen Fink II.[2]

  1. ^ a b c d Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.
  2. ^ Busch & Röll 1999, p. 335.