German submarine U-1008

	U-995 Type VIIC/41 at the Laboe Naval Memorial. This U-boat is almost identical to U-1008.
History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-1008
Ordered	23 March 1942
Builder	Blohm & Voss, Hamburg
Yard number	208
Laid down	12 February 1943
Launched	8 December 1943
Commissioned	1 February 1944
Fate	Scuttled on 6 May 1945
General characteristics
Type	Type VIIC/41 submarine
Displacement	757 long tons (769 t) surfaced; 857 long tons (871 t) submerged;
Length	67.10 m (220 ft 2 in) o/a; 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in) pressure hull;
Beam	6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a; 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull;
Height	9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught	4.74 m (15 ft 7 in)
Installed power	2 × diesel engines; 2,800–3,200 PS (2,100–2,400 kW; 2,800–3,200 bhp) (diesels); 750 PS (550 kW; 740 shp) (electric);
Propulsion	2 × electric motors; 2 × screws;
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	250 m (820 ft); Calculated 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 or; 26 × TMA or TMB Naval mines; 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds); 1 × 3.7 cm (1.5 in) Flak M42 AA gun; 2 × 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 AA guns;
Service record
Part of:	31st U-boat Flotilla; 1 February – 31 October 1944; 24th U-boat Flotilla; 1 November 1944 – 31 January 1945; 18th U-boat Flotilla; 1 – 28 February 1945; 5th U-boat Flotilla; 1 March – 6 May 1945;
Identification codes:	M 55 064
Commanders:	Oblt.z.S. Diether Todenhagen; 1 February – 17 November 1944; Oblt.z.S. Hans Gessner; 18 November 1944 – 6 May 1945;
Operations:	None
Victories:	None

German submarine U-1008 was a Type VIIC/41 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

She was ordered on 23 March 1942, and was laid down on 12 February 1943, at Blohm & Voss, Hamburg, as yard number 208. She was launched on 8 December 1943, and commissioned under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Diether Todenhagen on 1 February 1944.^[3]

Design

German Type VIIC/41 submarines were preceded by the heavier Type VIIC submarines. U-1008 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged. She had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), an overall beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2,800 to 3,200 metric horsepower (2,060 to 2,350 kW; 2,760 to 3,160 shp) for use while surfaced, two BBC GG UB 720/8 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 metric horsepower (550 kW; 740 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m (4 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).^[4]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph). When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nautical miles (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-1008 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes or 26 TMA or TMB Naval mines, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, (220 rounds), one 3.7 cm (1.5 in) Flak M42 and two 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and fifty-two.^[4]

Service history

U-1008 did not participate in any war patrols.^[3]

On 5 May 1945, U-1008 was in the Kattegat, 56°06′N 11°06′E / 56.100°N 11.100°E / 56.100; 11.100, when she was attacked with depth charges by a British B-24 Liberator of the 224th/T piloted by F/Lt F.S. Murphy, W/Cdr M.A. Ensor. The B-24 was given credit for sinking U-3523 but the attack only resulted in minor damage to U-1008. It would seem though, through conflicting postwar accounts, that the boat was scuttled the next day at 56°14′N 10°51′E / 56.233°N 10.850°E / 56.233; 10.850 north of Hjelm Island with all 44 of her crew surviving.^[3]

References

^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Diether Todenhagen". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Hans Gessner". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
^ ^a ^b ^c Helgason, Guðmundur. "U-1008". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
^ ^a ^b Gröner 1991, pp. 43–44.

Bibliography

Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). German U-boat commanders of World War II : a biographical dictionary. Translated by Brooks, Geoffrey. London, Annapolis, Md: Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-186-6.
Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945]. Der U-Boot-Krieg (in German). Vol. IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). German Warships 1815–1945, U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.

External links

Helgason, Guðmundur. "Patrols by U-1008". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net.

[1] Helgason, Guðmundur. "Diether Todenhagen". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 March 2016.

[2] Helgason, Guðmundur. "Hans Gessner". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 March 2016.

[uboat-3] Helgason, Guðmundur. "U-1008". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 March 2016.

[FOOTNOTEGröner199143–44-4] Gröner 1991, pp. 43–44.

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