German submarine U-1228

Career (Nazi Germany)
Name: U-1228
Ordered: 14 October 1941
Builder: Deutsche Werft AG, Hamburg
Yard number: 391
Laid down: 16 February 1943
Launched: 2 October 1943
Commissioned: 22 December 1943
Fate: sunk 5 February 1946 by US warships in position 42°32′N 69°37′W / 42.533°N 69.617°WCoordinates: 42°32′N 69°37′W / 42.533°N 69.617°W[1]
General characteristics [2]
Class and type:Type IXC/40 submarine
Displacement:1,144 t (1,126 long tons) surfaced
1,257 t (1,237 long tons) submerged
Length:76.76 m (251 ft 10 in) o/a
58.75 m (192 ft 9 in) pressure hull
Beam:6.86 m (22 ft 6 in) o/a
4.44 m (14 ft 7 in) pressure hull
Height:9.6 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draft:4.67 m (15 ft 4 in)
Propulsion:2 × MAN M 9 V 40/46 supercharged 9-cylinder diesel engines, 4,400 hp (3,281 kW)
2 × SSW GU 345/34 double-acting electric motors, 1,000 hp (746 kW)
Speed:18.3 knots (33.9 km/h; 21.1 mph) surfaced
7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph) submerged
Range:13,850 nmi (25,650 km; 15,940 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
63 nmi (117 km; 72 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth:230 m (750 ft)
Complement:4 officers, 44 enlisted
Armament:
  • 6 × torpedo tubes (four bow, two stern)
  • 22 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedoes
  • 4 × twin anti-aircraft guns
Service record
Part of: 31st U-boat Flotilla
2nd U-boat Flotilla
33rd U-boat Flotilla
Identification codes: M 55 286
Commanders: Oblt.z.S. Friedrich-Wilhelm Marienfeld
Operations: 2 patrol
Victories: 1 warship

German submarine U-1228 was a Type IXC/40 U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

U-1228 was ordered in October 1941 from Deutsche Werft in Hamburg-Finkenwerder under the yard number 391. Her keel was laid down on 16 February 1943 and the U-boat was launched on 2 October. About three months later she was commissioned into service under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Friedrich-Wilhelm Marienfeld (Crew X/38) in the 31st U-boat Flotilla.

After work-up for deployment, U-1228 tranfered to the 2nd U-boat Flotilla and left Kiel for the West Atlantic on 5 September 1944 for her first and only patrol. Stopping briefly in Bergen, Norway, for replenishment, she experienced engine troubles in the Norwegian Sea and had to return to port. She set off again on 12 October from Bergen and operated south of Nova Scotia sinking one warship, HMCS Shawinigan.

She returned to Bergen on 28 December 1944 and continued her journey to Flensburg the same day. On 17 January 1945, she arrived in Wesermünde where she spent the next two months in the yard. U-1228 set out again on 1 April 1945 for operations in the West Atlantic. After the surrender of Germany, the U-boat made for the closest Allied port and surrendered to US forces in Portsmouth, New Hampshire on 17 May 1945.

In August 1945 U-1228 was awarded to the United States and after being tested, she was sunk by USS Sirago on 5 February 1946 in position 42°32′N 69°37′W / 42.533°N 69.617°W.[1]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Busch & Röll 1999, p. 397.
  2. Gröner 1985, pp. 105-6.

Bibliography