German submarine U-972

Type VIIC submarine U-570 which looked almost identical to U-972.
History
Nazi Germany
Name:	U-972
Ordered:	5 June 1941
Builder:	Blohm & Voss, Hamburg
Yard number:	648
Laid down:	15 June 1942
Launched:	22 February 1943
Commissioned:	8 April 1943
Fate:	Missing since 15 December 1943
General characteristics
Class and type:	Type VIIC submarine
Displacement:	864.7 t (851 long tons) submerged
Length:	67.10 m (220 ft 2 in) o/a 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in) pressure hull
Beam:	6.18 m (20 ft 3 in) o/a 4.68 m (15 ft 4 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 × 4-stroke M6V 40/46 Germaniawerft 2 x 62 batteries 2 x six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines 2 × electric motors
Speed:	17.6 knots (32.6 km/h; 20.3 mph) surfaced 7.5 knots (13.9 km/h; 8.6 mph) submerged
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:	220 m (720 ft) Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft)
Complement:	44–57 crew
Armament:	5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern) 14 × torpedoes 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds) 1 x 3.7 cm (1.5 in) Flak M42 anti-aircraft gun
Service record
Part of:	5th U-boat Flotilla (Training) 8 April 1943 – 30 November 1943 6th U-boat Flotilla (Active Service) 1 December 1943 – 15 December 1943
Commanders:	Oberleutnant zur See Klaus-Dietrich König 8 April 1943 – 15 December 1943
Operations:	1 patrol
Victories:	None

German submarine U-972 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

The U-972 was laid down on 15 June 1942 at the Blohm & Voss yard in Hamburg, Germany. She was launched on 22 February 1943 and commissioned on 8 April 1943 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Klaus-Dietrich König. Her U-boat emblem was a skull with tophat.

When she was completed, the submarine was 67.10 metres (220 ft 2 in) long, with a beam of 6.18 metres (20 ft 3 in), a height of 9.60 metres (31 ft 6 in) and a draft of 4.74 metres (15 ft 7 in). She was assessed at 864.7 t (851 long tons) submerged. 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 and two BBC 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 submarine was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft), had a maximum surface speed of 17.6 knots (32.6 km/h; 20.3 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.5 knots (13.9 km/h; 8.6 mph).When submerged, the U-boat could operate for 80 nautical miles (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) and when surfaced, she could travel 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph).