| Career (Nazi Germany) | |
|---|---|
| Name: | U-1206 |
| Ordered: | April 2, 1942 |
| Builder: | F. Schichau GmbH, Danzig |
| Yard number: | 1576 |
| Laid down: | June 12, 1943 |
| Launched: | December 30, 1943 |
| Commissioned: | March 16, 1944 |
| Fate: | Sank due to accident on April 14, 1945 in the North Sea near Peterhead, Scotland, at position 57.21N, 01.39W. 4 dead and 46 survivors. |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Type VIIC submarine |
| Displacement: | 769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced 871 t (857 long tons) submerged |
| Length: | 67.1 m (220 ft 2 in) o/a 50.5 m (165 ft 8 in) pressure hull |
| Beam: | 6.2 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a 4.7 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull |
| Draft: | 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in) |
| Propulsion: | 2 × supercharged Germaniawerft 6-cylinder 4-stroke M6V 40/46 diesel engines, totalling 2,800–3,200 bhp (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) 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 or 26 TMA mines • 1 × C35 88mm gun/L45 deck gun (220 rounds) • Various AA guns |
| Service record | |
| Part of: | Kriegsmarine 8th U-boat Flotilla 11th U-boat Flotilla |
| Commanders: | Karl-Adolf Schlitt |
| Operations: | 1 patrol |
| Victories: | 0 ships sunk |
German submarine U-1206 was a German Type VIIC U-boat of the Kriegsmarine during World War II. She was laid down on June 12, 1943 at F. Schichau GmbH in Danzig and went into service on March 16, 1944. The boat's emblem was a white Stork on a black shield with green beak and legs.[1]
Contents |
After being commissioned, under the command of Oblt. Günther Fritze, the submarine took part in training exercises with the 8th U-boat Flotilla until July 1944 when it was assigned to the 11th U-boat Flotilla. Command was handed over to Kptlt. Karl-Adolf Schlitt. The boat was then fitted with a Schnorchel underwater-breathing apparatus before being released for patrol duties.
On March 28, 1945 the submarine departed from Kiel for its first training patrol in the North Sea, returning on March 30. The submarine departed from Horten for a one-day patrol on April 2, and its first active patrol began on April 6, when it departed from Kristiansand. On April 14, while on patrol, the vessel sank after the toilet was operated improperly.
U-1206 was one of the late war boats fitted with new deepwater high-pressure heads which allowed them to be used while running at depth. Flushing these facilities was extremely complicated and special technicians were trained to operate them.
On April 14, 1945, 8 miles (13 km) off Peterhead, Scotland, while cruising at a depth of 200 feet (61 m), misuse of the new head caused large amounts of water to flood the boat. According to the Commander's official report, while in the engine room helping to repair one of the diesel engines, he was informed that a malfunction involving the head caused a leak in the forward section. The leak flooded the submarine's batteries (located beneath the toilet) causing them to release chlorine gas, leaving him with no alternative than to surface. Once surfaced, U-1206 was discovered and bombed by British patrols, forcing Schlitt to scuttle the submarine. One man died in the attack, three men drowned in the heavy seas after abandoning the vessel and 46 were captured.[2] Schlitt recorded the location as but the wreck could not be relocated.
During survey work for the BP Forties Field oil pipeline to Cruden Bay in the mid 1970s, the remains of U-1206 were found at in approximately 70 m (230 ft) of water. The site survey performed by RCAHMS suggests that the leak that forced U-1206 to surface may have occurred after running into a wreck located at the same site.[3]
A large number of sources attribute this incident to U-120.[4]