German submarine U-76 (1940)
| Career (Germany) |  |
|---|---|
| Name: | U-76 |
| Ordered: | 2 June 1938[1] |
| Builder: | Bremer Vulkan, Bremen-Vegesack |
| Laid down: | 28 December 1939[1] |
| Launched: | 3 October 1940[1][2] |
| Commissioned: | 9 December 1940[1][2] |
| Fate: |
Sunk, 5 April 1941 by British warships 1 dead, 42 rescued[1][2] |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type: | Type VIIB U-boat |
| Displacement: |
753 t (741 long tons) surfaced 857 t (843 long tons) submerged[3] |
| Length: |
66.5 m (218 ft 2 in) (o/a) 48.8 m (160 ft 1 in) (pressure hull)[3] |
| Beam: |
6.2 m (20 ft 4 in) 4.7 m (15 ft 5 in) (pressure hull)[3] |
| Draught: | 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in)[3] |
| Propulsion: |
2 × supercharged MAN, 6 cylinder, 4-stroke M6V 40/46 diesel engines totalling 2,800–3,200 shp (2,100–2,400 kW). Max rpm: 470-490 surfaced 2 × BBC GG UB 720/8-276 electric motors with 750 shp (560 kW) for 295 rpm submerged[4] |
| Speed: |
17.9 knots (33.2 km/h; 20.6 mph) surfaced 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph)[3] |
| Range: |
9,700 nmi (18,000 km; 11,200 mi) at 10 knots surfaced 90 nautical miles (170 km; 100 mi) at 4 knots submerged[3] |
| Test depth: | 230 m (750 ft). Calculated crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft) |
| Boats & landing craft carried: | 1 inflatable rubber boat[4] |
| Complement: | 44 to 48 officers and ratings |
| Sensors and processing systems: | FuMO 61 Hohentwiel U |
| Armament: |
5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes: four bow, one stern 14 × torpedoes or 26 TMA mines 1 × 8.8 cm (3.5 in) deck gun with 220 rounds 1 × C30 20 mm AA |
| Service record | |
|---|---|
| Part of: |
7th U-boat Flotilla (3 December 1940–5 April 1941) |
| Commanders: |
Kptlt. Friedrich von Hippel (December 1940–April 1941) |
| Operations: | 28 March–5 April 1941 |
| Victories: | Two commercial ships sunk (7,290 GRT) |
German submarine U-76 was a Type VIIB U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. She played a minor role in the Battle of the Atlantic, but was destroyed south of Iceland.
History
Construction
She was laid down at Bremer Vulkan in Bremen on 28 December 1939 as 'werk' 4. She was launched on 3 October 1940 and commissioned on 9 December.
U-76 was available for service from March 1941 following the completion of her working-up period and sea trials. Her commander, Kapitänleutnant (Kptlt.) Friedrich von Hippel, had previously served in U-144 during her trials until November the previous year.
War patrol
Six days into her first and only patrol on 2 April, U-76 sank the Finnish steam merchant ship SS Daphne which was on her way to Lillehammer, Norway. All twenty-two crew members were killed in the attack.[5][6]
The next day, U-76 followed the mostly British convoy SC 26 travelling from Sydney, Nova Scotia to Liverpool. The U-boat fired a torpedo at the British merchantman SS Athenic, disabling the vessel. The 40 people aboard were rescued by HMS Arbutus.[6]
The attack attracted the attention of the armed escort vessels, who pinpointed her position. Deploying depth-charges from HMS Wolverine and Scarborough, U-76 was sunk. Forty-two of her forty-three-man crew survived and were captured.
Summary of Raiding Career
| Date | Ship | Nationality | Tonnage | Fate[7] |
| 3 April 1941 | SS Daphne |  Finland |
1,939 | Sunk |
| 4 April 1941 | SS Athenic |  United Kingdom |
5,351 | Sunk |
See also
- List of German U-boats
References
- Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "Uboat.net article on U-76". Uboat Encyclopedia. Uboat.net. Retrieved 2010-02-15.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Kemp 1997, pp. 69-70
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Gröner 1990, p. 71.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Gröner 1990, p. 74.
- ↑ "Uboat.net article on SS Daphne". Uboat Encyclopedia. Uboat.net. Retrieved 2010-02-15.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Uboat.net article on Patrol". Uboat Encyclopedia. Uboat.net. Retrieved 2010-02-15.
- ↑ http://uboat.net/boats/successes/u.76html
- Bibliography
- Gröner, Erich (1990). German Warships, 1815–1945. Conway Maritime Press.
- Kemp, Paul (1997). U-Boats Destroyed, German Submarine Losses in the World Wars. Arms and Armour. pp. 69–70. ISBN 1-85409-515-3.
- U-boat.net webpage for U-76
- U-76 Interrogation report
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Coordinates: 58°35′N 20°20′W / 58.583°N 20.333°W