German submarine U-83 (1940)
 U-52, a typical Type VIIB boat | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Nazi Germany
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| Name: | U-83 |
| Ordered: | 9 June 1938 |
| Builder: | Flender Werke, Lübeck |
| Yard number: | 291 |
| Laid down: | 5 October 1939 |
| Launched: | 9 December 1940 |
| Commissioned: | 8 February 1941 |
| Fate: | Sunk, 4 March 1943 by a British aircraft[1] |
| Badge: |
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| General characteristics | |
| Class & type: | Type VIIB submarine |
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| Height: | 9.50 m (31 ft 2 in) |
| Draught: | 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in) |
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| Complement: | 4 officers, 40–56 enlisted |
| Sensors and processing systems: | Gruppenhorchgerät |
| Armament: |
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| Service record[2][3] | |
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German submarine U-83 was a Type VIIB U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
She was laid down in the Flender Werke at Lubeck as yard number 291 on 5 October 1939. Launched on 9 December 1940, she was commissioned on 8 February 1941. U-83 served with 1st U-boat Flotilla from 8 February 1941 to 31 December, with the 23rd flotilla from 1 January 1942 to 30 April and with the 29th flotilla from 1 March 1942 until she was sunk.[2]
Design
German Type VIIB submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIA submarines. U-83 had a displacement of 753 tonnes (741 long tons) when at the surface and 857 tonnes (843 long tons) while submerged.[4] She had a total length of 66.50 m (218 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 48.80 m (160 ft 1 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.50 m (31 ft 2 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 AEG GU 460/8-276 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 17.9 knots (33.2 km/h; 20.6 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph).[4] When submerged, the boat could operate for 90 nautical miles (170 km; 100 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,700 nautical miles (16,100 km; 10,000 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-83 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and one 2 cm (0.79 in) anti-aircraft gun The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.[4]
Service history
U-83 conducted twelve patrols and sank five ships totalling 8,194 gross register tons (GRT) and one auxiliary warship - the Q-ship HMS Farouk, of 91 GRT.[5] She damaged one other ship of 2,590 GRT and damaged the fighter catapult ship HMS Ariguani, of 6,746 GRT.[2][6]
U-83 was sunk on 4 March 1943 with all hands southeast of Cartagena in Spain in position 37°10′N 00°05′E / 37.167°N 0.083°ECoordinates: 37°10′N 00°05′E / 37.167°N 0.083°E, by three depth charges dropped from an RAF Hudson bomber (500 Squadron).[2][1]
Wolfpacks
U-83 took part in three wolfpacks, namely.
Summary of raiding history
| Date | Ship | Nationality | Tonnage | Fate[7] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 October 1941 | Corte Real |  Portugal |
2,044 | Sunk |
| 26 October 1941 | HMS Anguani |  Royal Navy |
6,746 | Damaged |
| 17 March 1942 | Crista |  United Kingdom |
2,590 | Damaged |
| 8 June 1942 | Esther* |  Palestine |
100 | Sunk |
| 8 June 1942 | Said | .svg.png){kind=small} Egypt |
231 | Sunk |
| 9 June 1942 | Typhoon* | Palestine |
175 | Sunk |
| 13 June 1942 | HMS Farouk | Royal Navy |
96 | Sunk |
| 17 August 1942 | Princess Marguerite |  Canada |
5,875 | Sunk |
* Sailing vessel
See also
References
- 1 2 Kemp 1999, p. 105.
- 1 2 3 4 Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIB boat U-83". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 2009-12-27.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "War Patrols by German U-boat U-83". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 2009-12-27.
- 1 2 3 4 Gröner 1991, pp. 43–44.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "HMS Farouk (Q-ship)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 2009-12-27.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "HMS Ariguani (F 105) (Fighter catapult ship)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 2009-12-27.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-83". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net.
Bibliography
- Bishop, Chris (2006). Kriegsmarine U-Boats, 1939-45. London: Amber Books. ISBN 978-1-904687-96-2.
- Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945. Der U-Boot-Krieg (in German) IV (Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler). ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
- Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel (London: Conway Maritime Press). ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
- Kemp, Paul (1999). U-Boats Destroyed - German Submarine Losses in the World Wars. London: Arms & Armour. ISBN 1-85409-515-3.
External links
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIB boat U-83". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
- Hofmann, Markus. "U 83". Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 - u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 8 December 2014.