German submarine U-406
| Career (Nazi Germany) |  |
|---|---|
| Name: | U-406 |
| Ordered: | 16 October 1939 |
| Builder: | Danziger Werft, Danzig |
| Yard number: | 107 |
| Laid down: | 6 September 1940 |
| Launched: | 16 June 1941 |
| Commissioned: | 22 October 1941 |
| Fate: | Sunk 18 February 1944 in the North Atlantic in position 48°32′N 23°36′W / 48.533°N 23.600°W, by depth charges from HMS Spey. |
| General characteristics [1] | |
| Class and 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 F46 diesel engines, totalling 2,800–3,200 bhp (2,100–2,400 kW). Max rpm: 470-490 2 × BBC GG UB 720/8 electric motors, totalling 750 shp (560 kW) and max rpm: 296 |
| Speed: | 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged |
| Range: | 8,500 nmi (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged |
| Test depth: | 230 m (750 ft) Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft) |
| Complement: | 44–52 officers & ratings |
| Armament: | 5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (4 bow, 1 stern) 14 × torpedoes 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds) Various AA guns |
| Service record[2] | |
|---|---|
| Part of: |
8th U-boat Flotilla (22 October 1941 - 30 April 1942) - Training 7th U-boat Flotilla (1 May 1942 - 18 February 1944) |
| Commanders: |
Oblt.z.S. Horst Dietrichs (22 October 1941 - 18 February 1944) |
| Operations: |
1st patrol: 4–19 April 1942 2nd patrol: 5 May - 1 July 1942 3rd patrol: 9 August - 8 October 1942 4th patrol: 14 December 1942 - 12 January 1943 5th patrol: 22 February - 30 March 1943 6th patrol: 25 April - 11 May 1943 7th patrol: 26 June - 15 September 1943 8th patrol: 8–10 December 1943 |
| Victories: |
1 merchant ships sunk (7,452 GRT) 3 merchant ships damaged (13,285 GRT) |
German submarine U-406 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 6 September 1940 by Danziger Werft, Danzig as yard number 107, launched on 16 June 1941 and commissioned on 22 October 1941 under Oberleutnant zur See Horst Dietrichs.
Service History
The boat's career began with training at 8th U-boat Flotilla on 22 October 1941, followed by active service on 1 May 1942 as part of the 7th Flotilla for the remainder of her service.
In eight patrols she sank one merchant ship, for a total of 7,452 gross register tons (GRT), and 3 merchant ships for a total of 13,285 GRT.
Wolfpacks
U-406 took part in eleven wolfpacks, namely
- Hecht (8 May - 18 June 1942)
- Blücher (14–28 August 1942)
- Iltis (6–23 September 1942)
- Spitz (22–31 December 1942)
- Neuland (4–13 March 1943)
- Dränger (14–20 March 1943)
- Drossel (29 April - 5 May 1943)
- Rügen (14–26 January 1944)
- Stürmer (26 January - 3 February 1944)
- Igel 1 (3–17 February 1944)
- Hai 1 (17–18 February 1944)
Fate
U-406 was sunk on 18 February 1944 in the North Atlantic in position 48°32′N 23°36′W / 48.533°N 23.600°WCoordinates: 48°32′N 23°36′W / 48.533°N 23.600°W, by depth charges from Royal Navy frigate HMS Spey. 12 of the crew were killed.
Summary of raiding career
| Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage (GRT) |
Fate[3] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 August 1942 | City of Manila |  United Kingdom |
7,452 | Sunk |
| 28 December 1942 | Baron Cochrane | United Kingdom |
3,385 | Damaged |
| 28 December 1942 | Lynton Grange | United Kingdom |
5,029 | Damaged |
| 28 December 1942 | Zarian | United Kingdom |
4,871 | Damaged |
See also
References
- ↑ Gröner 1985, pp. 72-74.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-406". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-406". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
Bibliography
- Edwards, Bernard (1996). Dönitz and the Wolf Packs - The U-boats at War. pp. 66, 137, 173. ISBN 0-304-35203-9.
- Sharpe, Peter (1998). U-Boat Fact File. Great Britain: Midland Publishing. ISBN 1-85780-072-9.
External links
- Hofmann, Markus. "U 406". Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 - u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 26 December 2014.
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-406". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 26 December 2014.