German submarine U-170

Career (Nazi Germany)
Name: U-170
Ordered: 15 August 1940
Builder: DeSchiMAG, Bremen
Yard number: 709
Laid down: 21 May 1940
Launched: 6 June 1942
Commissioned: 19 January 1943
Fate: Sunk, 30 November 1945 as part of Operation Deadlight
General characteristics [1]
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:19 knots (35 km/h; 22 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 nautical miles (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:
Service record[2]
Part of: Kriegsmarine
4th U-boat Flotilla (training boat)
(19 January 1943–31 May 1943)
10th U-boat Flotilla
(1 June 1943–31 April 1944)
33rd U-boat Flotilla
(1 November 1944–8 May 1945)
Commanders: Kptlt. Gunther Pfeffer (19 January 1943–July 1944)
Oblt.z.S. Gerold Hauber (July 1944–8 May 1945)

German submarine U-170 was a Type IXC/40 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine built for service during World War II. Her keel was laid down on 21 May 1941 by the Deutsche Schiff- und Maschinenbau AG in Bremen as yard number 709. She was launched on 6 June 1942 and commissioned on 19 January 1943 with Kapitänleutnant Günther Pfeffer in command.

The U-boat's service began with training as part of the 4th U-boat Flotilla. She then moved to the 10th flotilla on 1 June 1943 for operations. She was reassigned to the 33rd flotilla on 1 November 1944.

Operational career

1st patrol

U-170‍ '​s first patrol began with her departure from Kiel on 27 May 1943. Her route took her the long way around the British Isles to the Atlantic Ocean west of the Azores. She had passed through the 'gap' between Iceland and the Faroe Islands. She arrived at Lorient in occupied France on 9 July.[3]

2nd patrol

Her second sortie was to the Brazilian coast. Here she sank the Campos (4,663 tons) on 23 October 1943,[4] 5 nautical miles (9.3 km; 5.8 mi) south of Alcatazes Island.

3rd patrol

The boat's third foray was to the US east coast. She departed Lorient on 9 February 1944 and returned to the same port on 27 May.

4th patrol

Her last patrol was to the waters off west Africa. On the return voyage to Germany, she was attacked by unidentified destroyers west of southern Ireland on 30 October 1944 and badly damaged. She also reported a damaged Schnorchel (underwater breathing device), on 5 November and docked in Norway for repairs. She arrived at Flensburg on 4 December.

Fate

U-170 surrendered in Horten, Norway on 9 May[5] 1945, and was transferred to Loch Ryan in Scotland. She was sunk on 30 November 1945 as part of Operation Deadlight.

Summary of raiding career

Date Name Nationality Tonnage
(GRT)		 Fate[4]
23 October 1943 Campos  Brazil 4,663 Sunk

References

  1. ↑ Gröner 1985, pp. 105-7.
  2. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type IXC/40 boat U-170 - German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 21 July 2012.
  3. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "War Patrols by German U-boat U-170". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-170". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net.
  5. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-170". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 29 December 2014.

Bibliography

External links