Recognition Guide Warships of the Second World War
Kriegsmarine — Submarine

German submarine U-1221

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
18.3 knots (33.9 km/h, 21.1 mph)
Complement
48
Main gun
105 mm (4.1 in)

Service

  1. Kriegsmarine as U-122111 August 1943 — 3 April 1945601 days of the war
Type IXC/40 submarine Particulars
Name
U-1221
Builder
Deutsche Werft AG, Hamburg
Ordered
25 August 1941
Laid down
28 October 1942
Launched
26 May 1943
Commissioned
11 August 1943
Fate
Sunk in Kiel harbour on 3 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
18.3 knots (33.9 km/h, 21.1 mph)
Range
13,850 nmi (25,650 km)
Complement
48
Main gun
105 mm (4.1 in)

U-1221 was a Type IXC/40 submarine built for the Kriegsmarine. Her keel was laid at Deutsche Werft AG, Hamburg on 28 October 1942. She entered service on 11 August 1943, having been launched on 26 May 1943.

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 18.3 knots, and she carried a complement of 48.

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

She was in commission for 601 days of the Second World War.

She was sunk on 3 April 1945, at 54°20′N 10°10′E. 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 × 53.3 cm torpedo tubes (4 bow, 2 stern)
  • 22 × 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

117 more in the class

Sources