German submarine U-706 (original) (raw)
German World War II submarine
| History | |
 Nazi Germany |
|
| Name | U-706 |
| Ordered | 9 October 1939 |
| Builder | H. C. Stülcken Sohn, Hamburg |
| Yard number | 766 |
| Laid down | 22 November 1940 |
| Launched | 24 November 1941 |
| Commissioned | 16 March 1942 |
| Fate | Sunk on 2 August 1943 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Type VIIC submarine |
| Displacement | 769 tonnes (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) |
| Speed | 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged |
| Test depth | 230 m (750 ft) Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft) |
| Complement | 4 officers, 40–56 enlisted |
| Armament | 5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern) 14 × torpedoes 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds) 1 x 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 AA gun |
| Service record | |
| Part of: | 5th U-boat Flotilla 16 March – 30 September 1942 3rd U-boat Flotilla 1 October 1942 – 2 August 1943 |
| Identification codes: | M 43 347 |
| Commanders: | Kptlt. / K.Kapt. Alexander von Zitzewitz 16 March 1942 – 2 August 1943 |
| Operations: | 5 patrols: 1st patrol: 22 September – 7 November 1942 2nd patrol: 8 December 1942 – 13 February 1943 3rd patrol: 15 March – 11 May 1943 4th patrol: 4 – 8 July 1943 5th patrol: a. 26 – 27 July 1943 b. 29 July – 2 August 1943 |
| Victories: | 3 merchant ships sunk (18,650 GRT) |
German submarine U-706, a type VIIC U-boat, was laid down on 22 November 1940. She was launched on 24 November 1941 and commissioned on 16 March 1942.
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-706 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 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).[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-706 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, and a 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.[1]
U-706 was commanded by Korvettenkapitän Alexander von Zitzewitz. She was attached to the 5th Flotilla from 16 March until 30 September 1942. On 1 October 1942, she was transferred to the 3rd Flotilla and made five patrols during the war, sinking three ships with a total tonnage of 18,650 GRT. On 2 August 1943, while in Bay of Biscay, she was disabled by depth charges from a Canadian Hampden aircraft, then finished off by a US Liberator aircraft from A/S Sqdn. 4. She sank at position 46°15′N 10°25′W / 46.250°N 10.417°W / 46.250; -10.417.
U-706 took part in ten wolfpacks, namely:
- Luchs (1 – 6 October 1942)
- Panther (6 – 20 October 1942)
- Südwärts (24 – 26 October 1942)
- Falke (28 December 1942 – 4 January 1943)
- Jaguar (18 – 31 January 1943)
- Seeteufel (23 – 30 March 1943)
- Löwenherz (1 – 10 April 1943)
- Lerche (10 – 16 April 1943)
- Meise (16 – 22 April 1943)
- Specht (22 April – 4 May 1943)
Summary of raiding history
[edit]
| Date | Ship Name | Nationality | Tonnage (GRT) | Fate[2] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 October 1942 | Stornest |  United Kingdom |
4,265 | Sunk |
| 5 April 1943 | British Ardour | United Kingdom |
7,124 | Sunk |
| 12 April 1943 | Fresno City | United Kingdom |
7,261 | Sunk |
- ^ a b c d Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-706". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 9 February 2014.
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). Der U-Boot-Krieg, 1939-1945: Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [_German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945_] (in German). Vol. IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
Gröner, Eric; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). German Warships 1815-1945: U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-706". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 29 December 2014.