Recognition Guide Warships of the Second World War
Kriegsmarine — Submarine

German submarine U-708

Type VIIC submarine

German submarine U-708
Reminiscencerestore — https://www.flickr.com/photos/193481420@N03/51417112542/ — CC BY 2.0 — Wikimedia Commons Plate Image copied from a flickr collection of scanned contemporary photos of World War II U-boats (German: Unterseeboote, U-Boote, Uboote ) of Nazi Germany and the country's navy ( Kriegsmarine ), including the German naval submarine surrender at Lisahally , near Londonderry, Northern Ireland, UK in May 1945. The photos show vessels in harbours and at sea, interiors, officers, crew members, etc. No kno

Service

  1. Kriegsmarine as U-70824 July 1942 — 5 May 19451,016 days of the war
Type VIIC submarine Particulars
Name
U-708
Builder
H. C. Stülcken Sohn, Hamburg
Ordered
6 August 1940
Laid down
31 March 1941
Launched
24 March 1942
Commissioned
24 July 1942
Fate
Scuttled on 5 May 1945 in Wilhelmshaven (1945)
Status
Wreck

Specifications

Displacement, surfaced
757 long tons (769 t)
Displacement, submerged
857 long tons (871 t)
Length
67.1 m (220.1 ft) OA
Beam
6.2 m (20.3 ft)
Draught
4.74 m (15.6 ft)
Speed
17.7 knots (32.8 km/h, 20.4 mph)
Range
8,500 nmi (15,742 km)
Complement
44
Main gun
88 mm (3.5 in)

U-708 was a Type VIIC submarine, operated by the Kriegsmarine. Her keel was laid at H. C. Stülcken Sohn, Hamburg on 31 March 1941. Launched on 24 March 1942, she entered service on 24 July 1942.

Her class ran to 612 ships. The class followed the Type UB III, Vetehinen class and was succeeded by the Type XXI (Late-war replacement).

The boat displaced 757 long tons surfaced and 857 long tons submerged. She measured 67.1 m (220 ft) long with a beam of 6.2 m (20 ft). Her designed speed was 17.7 knots, and she carried a complement of 44.

Her main battery was one 88 mm (3.5 in) guns.

She was in commission for 1,016 days of the Second World War.

She was scuttled on 5 May 1945. The wreck survives.

Written from the harvested record. Every figure above is sourced; the wording is this site's own.

Armament and machinery

Armament and machinery
Propulsion
  • 2 shafts
  • 2 × diesel engines
  • 2 × electric motors
Power
  • 2800 - 3200 PS (diesels)
  • 750 PS (electric)
Armament
  • 5 × 53.3 cm torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern)
  • 14 × torpedoes
  • 1 × 8.8 cm deck gun (220 rounds)
  • 2 × twin 2 cm C/30 anti-aircraft guns

Sister ships

587 more in the class

Sources

  • Facts harvested from German submarine U-708 on Wikipedia. Figures only — no wording is taken from it.
  • Photograph: Reminiscencerestore — https://www.flickr.com/photos/193481420@N03/51417112542/ — CC BY 2.0 — Wikimedia Commons