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German Type IXC submarine

U-505chicago.jpg
U-505, a type IXC U-boat
Class overview
Operators:
Preceded by: Type VII submarine
Succeeded by: Type X submarine
Built: 1937 -1944
In commission: 1938 -1945
Building: 195
Planned: 290
Completed: 194
Cancelled: 95
Preserved: 2
General characteristics
Type: Submarine
Propulsion:
  • 2 × MAN M 9 V 40/46 supercharged 9-cylinder diesel engines, 4,400 PS (4,300 shp; 3,200 kW)
  • 2 × SSW 1 GU 345/34 double-acting electric motors, 1,000 PS (990 shp; 740 kW)
  • 6 × Daimler-Benz MB501 20 cylinder Diesel marine engines with total power of 9,000hp (IX-D/42 Variant)
Test depth: 230 m (750 ft)
Complement: 48 to 56 (55 to 63 in Type IXD)
Armament:
  • 6 × torpedo tubes (4 bow, 2 stern)
  • 22 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedoes (24 in Type IXD)
  • 1 × 10.5 cm SK C/32 naval gun
  • various AA guns
General characteristics (IXA)
Displacement:
  • 1,032 t (1,016 long tons) surfaced
  • 1,152 t (1,134 long tons) submerged
Length:
Beam:
  • 6.51 m (21 ft 4 in) o/a
  • 4.40 m (14 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height: 9.40 m (30 ft 10 in)
Draft: 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in)
Range:
  • 10,500 nmi (19,400 km; 12,100 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 65 nmi (120 km; 75 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
General characteristics (IXB)
Displacement:
  • 1,051 t (1,034 long tons) surfaced
  • 1,178 t (1,159 long tons) submerged
Length:
Beam:
  • 6.76 m (22 ft 2 in) o/a
  • 4.40 m (14 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height: 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draft: 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in)
Range:
  • 12,000 nmi (22,000 km; 14,000 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 64 nmi (119 km; 74 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
General characteristics (IXC)
Displacement:
  • 1,120 t (1,100 long tons) surfaced
  • 1,232 t (1,213 long tons) submerged
Length:
Beam:
  • 6.76 m (22 ft 2 in) o/a
  • 4.40 m (14 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height: 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draft: 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in)
Range:
  • 13,450 nmi (24,910 km; 15,480 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
General characteristics (IXC/40)
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
  • 4.40 m (14 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height: 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draft: 4.67 m (15 ft 4 in)
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
General characteristics (IXD)
Displacement:
  • 1,610 t (1,580 long tons) surfaced
  • 1,799 t (1,771 long tons) submerged
Length:
Beam:
  • 7.50 m (24 ft 7 in) o/a
  • 4.40 m (14 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height: 10.20 m (33 ft 6 in)
Draft: 5.35 m (17 ft 7 in)
Range:
  • 12,750 nmi (23,610 km; 14,670 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 115 nmi (213 km; 132 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged

The Type IX U-boat was designed by Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine in 1935 and 1936 as a large ocean-going submarine for sustained operations far from the home support facilities. Type IX boats were briefly used for patrols off the eastern United States in an attempt to disrupt the stream of troops and supplies bound for Europe. It was derived from the Type IA, and appeared in various sub-types.

Type IXs had six torpedo tubes; four at the bow and two at the stern. They carried six reloads internally and had five external torpedo containers (three at the stern and two at the bow) which stored ten additional torpedoes. The total of 22 torpedoes allowed U-boat commanders to follow a convoy and strike night after night. Some of the IXC boats were fitted for mine operations; as mine-layers they could carry 44 TMA or 66 TMB mines.

Secondary armament was provided by one 10.5 cm (4.1 in) deck gun with 180 rounds. Anti-aircraft armament differed throughout the war. They had two periscopes in the tower. Types IXA and IXB had an additional periscope in the control room, which was removed in Type IXC and afterward.

DeSchiMAG AG Weser of Bremen built eight Type IXA U-boats.

Type IXB was an improved model with an increased range. It was the most successful version overall with each boat averaging a total of over 100,000 GRT sunk.

Notable IXB boats included U-123 commanded by Reinhard Hardegen, which opened up the attack in the US waters in early 1942 known as Operation Drumbeat, and U-107 operating off Freetown, Sierra Leone under the command of Günther Hessler, which had the most successful single mission of the war ever with close to 100,000 GRT sunk.


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