German submarine U-103 (1940)

U-103 in 1939. Looking backwards from the conning tower. Note the width of casing of the Type IX compared to the Type VII U-boat
History
Nazi Germany
Name:	U-103
Ordered:	24 May 1938
Builder:	AG Weser, Bremen
Yard number:	966
Laid down:	6 September 1939
Launched:	12 April 1940
Commissioned:	5 July 1940
Fate:	Sunk 15 April 1945, Kiel by bombs. Only one man was killed.
General characteristics
Class and type:	German Type IXB submarine
Displacement:	1,051 t (1,034 long tons) surfaced 1,178 t (1,159 long tons) submerged
Length:	76.50 m (251 ft) o/a 58.75 m (192 ft 9 in) pressure hull
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)
Draught:	4.70 m (15 ft 5 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
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
Test depth:	230 m (750 ft)
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:	Kriegsmarine: 2nd U-boat Flotilla 24th U-boat Flotilla
Identification codes:	M 05 635
Commanders:	Viktor Schütze Werner Winter Gustav-Adolf Janssen Heinz Murl Hans-Norbert Schunck
Operations:	Eleven 1st patrol: 21 September – 19 October 1940 2nd patrol: 23 September – 19 December 1940 3rd patrol: 21 January – 24 February 1941 4th patrol: 1 April – 12 July 1941 5th patrol: 10 September – 9 November 1941 6th patrol: 3 January – 19 March 1942 7th patrol: 15 April – 22 June 1942 8th patrol: 21 October – 29 December 1942 9th patrol: 7 February – 26 March 1943 10th patrol: 24 April – 26 May 1943 11th patrol: a. 18–19 September 1943 b. 23 September 1943 – 1 January 1944
Victories:	45 ships sunk for a total of 237,596 GRT Three ships damaged for a total of 28,158 GRT

German submarine U-103 was a Type IXB U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine that operated during World War II. She was one of the most successful boats in the entire war, sinking over 237,000 gross register tons (GRT) of Allied shipping in 11 patrols, in a career lasting more than four years.

U-103 was laid down on 6 September 1939 at DeSchiMAG AG Weser in Bremen as yard number 966. She was launched on 12 April 1940 and commissioned on 5 July under the command of Korvettenkapitän Victor Schütze. After her warm-up, (designed to give her an opportunity to train and repair minor faults), she was deployed into the North Atlantic in September 1940 and saw overwhelming success, sinking 45 ships and damaging three other vessels.

German Type IXB submarines were slightly larger than the original German Type IX submarines, later designated IXA. U-103 had a displacement of 1,051 tonnes (1,034 long tons) when at the surface and 1,178 tonnes (1,159 long tons) while submerged. The U-boat had a total length of 76.50 m (251 ft), a pressure hull length of 58.75 m (192 ft 9 in), a beam of 6.76 m (22 ft 2 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.70 m (15 ft 5 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 metric horsepower (740 kW; 990 shp) 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).