German submarine U-1163


U-995 Type VIIC/41 at the Laboe Naval Memorial. This U-boat is almost identical to U-1163.
Career
Name: U-1163
Ordered: 14 October, 1941[1]
Builder: Danziger Werft AG, Danzig[1]
Laid down: 5 December, 1942[1]
Launched: 12 June, 1943[1]
Commissioned: 6 October, 1943[1]
Fate: Traveled from Kristiansand-Süd, Norway to Loch Ryan and handed over to the Allies on 29 May 1945 to take part in Operation Deadlight where she was sunk on 11 December 1945, by aircraft.[2]
General characteristics (VIIC/41)[3]
Type: Type VIIC/41 submarine
Displacement: 999 long tons (1,015 t) surfaced
1,099 long tons (1,117 t) submerged
Length: 67.23 m (220 ft 7 in) o/a
50.9 m (167 ft 0 in) pressure hull
Beam: 6.85 m (22 ft 6 in) o/a
5 m (16 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Draft: 5 m (16 ft 5 in)
Propulsion: 2 × supercharged Germaniawerft, 6-cylinder, 4-stroke M6V 40/46 diesels totalling 2,800–3,200 hp (2,100–2,400 kW). Max rpm: 470-490
2 × electric motors, totalling 750 shp (560 kW) and max rpm: 296
Speed: 17.7 knots (20.4 mph; 32.8 km/h) surfaced
7.6 knots (8.7 mph; 14.1 km/h) submerged
Range: 15,170 km (8,190 nmi) at 10 kn (19 km/h) surfaced
150 km (81 nmi) at 4 kn (7.4 km/h) submerged
Test depth: 230 m (750 ft)
Calculated crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft)
Complement: 44-52 officers & ratings
Armament: • 5 × 533 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes (4 bow, 1 stern)
• 14 × torpedoes
• 1 × C35 88mm gun/L45 deck gun (220 rounds)
Service record
Commanders: Oberleutnant Ernst-Ludwig Balduhn
(6 October 1943–9 May 1945)
Victories: 1 ship sunk for a total of 433 GRT

German submarine U-1163 was a Type VIIC/41 U-boat of the German Kriegsmarine during World War II.

She was ordered on 14 October 1941, and was laid down on 5 December 1942 at Danziger Werft AG, Danzig, as 'werk 135'. She was launched on 12 June 1943 and commissioned under the command of Oberleutnant Ernst-Ludwig Balduhn on 6 October of that year.[2][3]

Contents

Service record

U-1163 did not have a very prosperous career. While she was commissioned on 6 October 1943, it was not until 3 December 1944 that she sank her first (and only) enemy vessel. Despite her lack of ships sunk, U-1163 was one of only a handful of German U-boats in World War II to help shoot down a De Havilland Mosquito on 2 August 1944.[2]

U-1163 spent her first eight months in the Kriegsmarine undergoing training operations with the German 8th Submarine Flotilla (8th U-boat Flotilla). At the end of her training, she was formally assigned to the 11th U-boat Flotilla stationed in Norway. She began her first patrol on 13 July 1944, almost a full three years after she was ordered.[2]

First patrol

Following training exercises with the 8th U-boat Flotilla and a journey from Kiel to Flekkefjord Norway, U-1163 began her first official war patrol with the 11. Unterseebootsflottille on 13 July, 1944. After only seven days at sea however, U-1163 returned to Norway in the coastal town of Arnöy on 19 July.[4]

Second patrol

After her first patrol, U-1163 spent the next three months traveling up the coast of Norway.[5] On 2 August, U-1163 and an accompanying U-boat, U-771 were traveling on the surface from Stavanger to Kristiansand and had the protection of surface escorts as well. Yet despite all of the measures, two de Havilland Mosquitos (E/333 and S/333) attacked the two U-boats. S/333 was shot down by anti-aircraft fire during the attack and the two U-boats were undamaged.[6]

On 15 October 1944, U-1163 began her second war patrol after leaving Bogenbucht. For 17 days, U-1163 roamed the Arctic Ocean in search of any Allied convoys heading to the Soviet Union. On 31 October, after not a single engagement with any enemy vessels, U-1163 entered Hammerfest, Norway.[5]

Third patrol

U-1163's third patrol began on 25 November 1944 after she left the port city of Kilbotn. For 22 days, she traveled through the Arctic Ocean in search of any Allied vessels heading to or from the Soviet Union. On 3 December 1944, U-1163 claimed the only enemy vessel in her career. The Revoljucija, a Soviet 433-ton cargo steam ship, had been separated from her convoy after developing engine trouble, and was stopped, protected by a single minesweeper. The U-1163 hit the Revoljucija with a single torpedo, sinking her along with her 23 crew. Thirteen days later, on 16 December, U-1163 returned to Bogenbucht.[7][8]

Fourth patrol

The last patrol that U-1163 took part in began on 15 April 1945. She left Kristiansand that day and traveled to the north coast of Ireland. After 25 days at sea, returned to Marviken, Norway where she was handed over to the Allies following the surrender of all German forces a few days before.[9]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "U-1163 Type VIIC/41". ubootwaffe.net. http://ubootwaffe.net/ops/boat.cgi?boat=1163. Retrieved 28 March 2010. 
  2. ^ a b c d Helgason, Guðmundur. "U-1163". U-Boat War in World War II. Uboat.net. http://www.uboat.net/boats/u1163.htm. Retrieved 28 March 2010. 
  3. ^ a b Helgason, Guðmundur. "Type VIIC/41". U-Boat War in World War II. Uboat.net. http://www.uboat.net/types/viic-41.htm. Retrieved 2 March 2010. 
  4. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Patrol info for U-1163 (First patrol)". U-Boat War in World War II. Uboat.net. http://www.uboat.net/boats/patrols/patrol_3143.html. Retrieved 28 March 2010. 
  5. ^ a b Helgason, Guðmundur. "Patrol info for U-1163 (Second patrol)". U-Boat War in World War II. Uboat.net. http://www.uboat.net/boats/patrols/patrol_3151.html. Retrieved 28 March 2010. 
  6. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "U-boat successes against aircraft". U-Boat War in World War II. Uboat.net. http://www.uboat.net/history/aircraft_losses.htm. Retrieved 2 March 2010. 
  7. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Patrol info for U-1163 (Third patrol)". U-Boat War in World War II. Uboat.net. http://www.uboat.net/boats/patrols/patrol_3155.html. Retrieved 31 March 2010. 
  8. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Revoljucija". uboat.net. http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/3381.html. Retrieved 2010-07-02. 
  9. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Patrol info for U-1163 (Fourth patrol)". U-Boat War in World War II. Uboat.net. http://www.uboat.net/boats/patrols/patrol_3158.html. Retrieved 31 March 2010. 

See also