German submarine U-196

History
Nazi Germany
Name:	U-196
Ordered:	4 November 1940
Builder:	AG Weser, Bremen
Yard number:	1042
Laid down:	10 June 1941
Launched:	24 April 1942
Commissioned:	11 September 1942
Fate:	Unknown; listed as missing ~ 12 December 1944
General characteristics
Class and type:	Type IXD2 submarine
Displacement:	1,610 t (1,580 long tons) surfaced 1,799 t (1,771 long tons) submerged
Length:	87.58 m (287.3 ft) o/a 68.50 m (224.7 ft) pressure hull
Beam:	7.50 m (24.6 ft) o/a 4.40 m (14.4 ft) pressure hull
Height:	10.20 m (33.5 ft)
Draught:	5.40 m (17.7 ft)
Installed power:	9,000 PS (6,620 kW; 8,880 bhp) (diesels) 1,000 PS (740 kW; 990 shp) (electric)
Propulsion:	2 shafts 2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors
Speed:	surfaced 20.8 knots (38.5 km/h; 23.9 mph) submerged 6.9 knots (12.8 km/h; 7.9 mph)
Range:	surfaced 12,750 nmi (23,610 km; 14,670 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) submerged 57 nmi (106 km; 66 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph)
Test depth:	Calculated crush depth: 230 m (750 ft)
Complement:	55 – 64
Armament:	6 × torpedo tubes (four bow, two stern) 24 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedoes 2 × 10.5 cm (4.1 in) SK L/45 deck gun (240rounds) anti-aircraft guns
Service record
Part of:	4th U-boat Flotilla 11 September 1942 – 31 March 1943 12th U-boat Flotilla 1 April 1943 – 30 September 1944 33rd U-boat Flotilla 1 October – 1 December 1944
Commanders:	K.Kapt. Eitel-Friedrich Kentrat 11 September 1942 – 21 September 1944 Oblt.z.S. Werner Striegler 1 October – 1 December 1944
Operations:	Three 1st patrol: 13 March – 23 October 1943 2nd patrol: 16 March – 10 August 1944 3rd patrol: 30 November – 12 December 1944
Victories:	Three commercial ships sunk (17,739 GRT)

German submarine U-196 was a Type IXD2 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 10 June 1941 at the AG Weser yard in Bremen, launched on 24 April 1942, and commissioned on 11 September 1942 under the command of Kapitänleutnant Eitel-Friedrich Kentrat. After training with the 4th U-boat Flotilla at Stettin, U-196 was transferred to the 12th flotilla for front-line service on 1 April 1943.

German Type IXD2 submarines were considerably larger than the original Type IXs. U-196 had a displacement of 1,610 tonnes (1,580 long tons) when at the surface and 1,799 tonnes (1,771 long tons) while submerged. The U-boat had a total length of 87.58 m (287 ft 4 in), a pressure hull length of 68.50 m (224 ft 9 in), a beam of 7.50 m (24 ft 7 in), a height of 10.20 m (33 ft 6 in), and a draught of 5.35 m (17 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two MAN M 9 V 40/46 supercharged four-stroke, nine-cylinder diesel engines plus two MWM RS34.5S six-cylinder four-stroke diesel engines for cruising, producing a total of 9,000 metric horsepower (6,620 kW; 8,880 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 1.85 m (6 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 200 metres (660 ft).

...
Wikipedia