German submarine U-96 (1940)

Scale model of U-96
History
Nazi Germany
Name:	U-96
Ordered:	30 May 1938
Builder:	Germaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number:	601
Laid down:	16 September 1939
Launched:	1 August 1940
Commissioned:	14 September 1940
Decommissioned:	15 February 1945
Fate:	Sunk on 30 March 1945 by US bombs in Wilhelmshaven
Badge:
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)
Installed power:	2,800–3,200 PS (2,100–2,400 kW; 2,800–3,200 bhp) (diesels) 750 PS (550 kW; 740 shp) (electric)
Propulsion:	2 shafts 2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors
Range:	8,500 nmi (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 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 or 26 TMA mines 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds) various AA guns
Service record
Part of:	Kriegsmarine: 7th U-boat Flotilla (Training) 7th U-boat Flotilla (Front Boat, 11 patrols) 24th U-boat Flotilla (Training) 22nd U-boat Flotilla (Schoolboat)
Identification codes:	M 29 052
Commanders:	Heinrich Lehmann-Willenbrock Hans-Jürgen Hellriegel Wilhelm Peters Horst Willner Robert Rix
Operations:	Eleven 1st patrol: 4–29 December 1940 2nd patrol: 9–22 January 1941 3rd patrol: 30 January – 28 February 1941 4th patrol: 12 April – 22 May 1941 5th patrol: 19 June – 9 July 1941 6th patrol: 2 August – 12 September 1941 7th patrol: 27 October – 6 December 1941 8th patrol: 31 January – 23 March 1942 9th patrol: 23 April – 1 July 1942 10th patrol: 28 August – 5 October 1942 11th patrol: 26 December 1942 – 8 February 1943
Victories:	27 ships sunk for a total of 181,206 GRT Four ships damaged for a total of 33,043 GRT One ship a total loss of 8,888 GRT

German submarine U-96 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. Her keel was laid down on 16 September 1939, by Germaniawerft, of Kiel as yard number 601. She was commissioned on 14 September 1940, with Kapitänleutnant Heinrich Lehmann-Willenbrock in command. Lehmann-Willenbrock was relieved in March 1942 by Oberleutnant zur See Hans-Jürgen Hellriegel, who was relieved in turn in March 1943 by Oblt.z.S. Wilhelm Peters. In February 1944, Oblt.z.S. Horst Willner took command, turning the boat over to Oblt.z.S. Robert Rix in June of that year. Rix commanded the boat until February 1945. During 1941, war correspondent Lothar-Günther Buchheim joined U-96 for a single patrol.

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-96 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 AEG GU 460/8–27 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).