Recognition Guide Warships of the Second World War
Kriegsmarine — Submarine 1940

German submarine U-108 (1940)

Type IXB U-boat

German submarine U-108 (1940)
Unknown author — U.S. Navy photo NH 71374 — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons Plate — 1940 A German type IX submarine docking at Tromsø, Norway, during World War II. It is known that two Type IX submarines used an emblem of two crosses with a crown above: U-108, U-864. Type VIIC submarines U-431 and U-1209 also used such an emblem. It is not known, if either boat ever visited Tromsø. U-108 operated in the Atlantic Ocean 1941-1943 and returned to Germany in mid-1943. 1943-1945 it was use

Service

  1. Kriegsmarine as U-10822 October 1940 — 11 April 19441,267 days of the war
Type IXB U-boat Particulars
Name
U-108
Pennant / hull number
1940
Builder
DeSchiMAG AG Weser, Bremen
Ordered
24 May 1938
Laid down
27 December 1938
Launched
15 July 1940
Commissioned
22 October 1940
Fate
Sunk, 11 April 1944 (1944)
Status
Wreck

Specifications

Displacement, surfaced
1,034 long tons (1,051 t)
Displacement, submerged
1,159 long tons (1,178 t)
Length
76.5 m (251 ft) OA
Beam
6.76 m (22.2 ft)
Draught
4.7 m (15.4 ft)
Speed
18.2 knots (33.7 km/h, 20.9 mph)
Range
12,000 nmi (22,224 km)
Complement
48
Main gun
105 mm (4.1 in)

U-108 was a submarine of the Type IXB U-boat in service with the Kriegsmarine. She carried the pennant number 1940. Her keel was laid at DeSchiMAG AG Weser, Bremen on 27 December 1938. She entered service on 22 October 1940, having been launched on 15 July 1940.

14 ships of the class were built. The class followed the Type IXA submarine and was succeeded by the Type IXC submarine.

The boat displaced 1,034 long tons surfaced and 1,159 long tons submerged. She measured 76.5 m (251 ft) long with a beam of 6.8 m (22 ft). Her designed speed was 18.2 knots, and she carried a complement of 48.

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

She was in commission for 1,267 days of the Second World War.

She was sunk on 11 April 1944, at 47°13′N 22°24′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 SK C/30 AA gun
  • 1 × twin 2 cm FlaK 30 AA guns

Sister ships

Sources