Recognition Guide Warships of the Second World War
Kriegsmarine — Submarine

German submarine U-878

Type IXC/40 submarine

Displacement
1,126 long tons (1,144 t)
Length
76.76 m (251.8 ft)
Beam
6.86 m (22.5 ft)
Speed
19 knots (35.2 km/h, 21.9 mph)
Complement
48
Main gun
105 mm (4.1 in)

Service

  1. Kriegsmarine as U-87814 April 1944 — 10 April 1945361 days of the war
Type IXC/40 submarine Particulars
Name
U-878
Builder
DeSchiMAG AG Weser, Bremen
Ordered
2 April 1942
Laid down
16 June 1943
Launched
6 January 1944
Commissioned
14 April 1944
Fate
Sunk on 10 April 1945 (1945)
Status
Wreck

Specifications

Displacement, surfaced
1,126 long tons (1,144 t)
Displacement, submerged
1,237 long tons (1,257 t)
Length
76.76 m (251.8 ft) OA
Beam
6.86 m (22.5 ft)
Draught
4.67 m (15.3 ft)
Speed
19 knots (35.2 km/h, 21.9 mph)
Range
13,850 nmi (25,650 km)
Complement
48
Main gun
105 mm (4.1 in)

U-878 was a Type IXC/40 submarine of the Kriegsmarine. DeSchiMAG AG Weser, Bremen laid her keel on 16 June 1943. She entered service on 14 April 1944, having been launched on 6 January 1944.

Her class ran to 142 ships. The class followed the Type I and was succeeded by the Type XXI.

The boat displaced 1,126 long tons surfaced and 1,237 long tons submerged. She measured 76.8 m (252 ft) long with a beam of 6.9 m (23 ft). Her designed speed was 19 knots, and she carried a complement of 48.

Her main battery was one 105 mm (4.1 in) guns.

She was in commission for 361 days of the Second World War.

She was sunk on 10 April 1945, at 47°35′N 10°33′W. 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
  • 4400 PS (diesels)
  • 1000 PS (electric)
Armament
  • 6 × torpedo tubes (4 bow, 2 stern)
  • 22 × 53.3 cm torpedoes
  • 1 × 10.5 cm SK C/32 deck gun (180 rounds)
  • 1 × 3.7 cm Flak M42 AA gun
  • 2 x twin 2 cm C/30 AA guns

Sister ships

117 more in the class

Sources