History | |
---|---|
Nazi Germany | |
Name: | U-964 |
Ordered: | 5 June 1941 |
Builder: | Blohm & Voss, Hamburg |
Yard number: | 164 |
Laid down: | 21 April 1942 |
Launched: | 30 December 1942 |
Commissioned: | 18 February 1943 |
Fate: | Sunk 16 October 1943 |
General characteristics | |
Class and type: | Type VIIC submarine |
Displacement: |
|
Length: |
|
Beam: |
|
Height: | 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in) |
Draught: | 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in) |
Installed power: |
|
Propulsion: |
|
Speed: |
|
Range: | |
Test depth: |
|
Complement: | 4 officers, 40–56 enlisted |
Armament: |
|
Service record | |
Part of: |
|
Commanders: |
|
Operations: | 1st patrol: 5–16 October 1943 |
Victories: | None |
German submarine U-964 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine built for service during World War II. A short-lived boat, U-964 is most noted for being one of three new boats ordered by the Kriegsmarine to attack Convoy ON 206 in the Western Approaches. To do this, the three boats had to travel a long distance on the surface during daylight hours in a region patrolled by Allied aircraft. This had fatal consequences for all U-boats involved.
U-964 was built by the Blohm & Voss shipyards in Hamburg during 1942 as a Type VIIC boat designed to fight in the waters of the Northern Atlantic Ocean. Her construction was rapid and smooth, and following her completion in February 1943 she was taken for training and working-up patrols in the Baltic Sea and off the Norwegian coast. Her commander during this period was veteran submariner Kapitänleutnant Emmo Hummerjohann, who was experienced in combat operations and was still in charge when she departed Bergen, Norway in early October 1943 for her maiden combat patrol in the North Atlantic.
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-964 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged. 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 Brown, Boveri & Cie GG UB 720/8 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).