Recognition Guide Warships of the Second World War
Kriegsmarine — Submarine

German submarine U-858

Type IXC/40 submarine

German submarine U-858
Official US photograph. — https://www.history.navy.mil/our-collections/photography/numerical-list-of-images/nhhc-series/nh-series/80-G-K-03000/80-G-K-3319-A.html — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons Plate Title: U-858 Caption: German Submarine, Type IXC is brought to anchor at Cape Henlopen, Del. In May 1945, after being surrendered at sea with mega phone on her conning tower is LCDR. Willard D. Michael, Officer in charge. Note Sikorski HNS-I Helicopter and blimp overhead

Service

  1. Kriegsmarine as U-85830 September 1943 — 14 May 1945594 days of the war
Type IXC/40 submarine Particulars
Name
U-858
Builder
DeSchiMAG AG Weser, Bremen
Ordered
5 June 1941
Laid down
11 December 1942
Launched
17 June 1943
Commissioned
30 September 1943
Fate
Surrendered on 14 May 1945
Scuttled on 21 November 1947 (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-858 was a Type IXC/40 submarine of the Kriegsmarine. Her keel was laid at DeSchiMAG AG Weser, Bremen on 11 December 1942. Launched on 17 June 1943, she entered service on 30 September 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 594 days of the Second World War.

She was scuttled on 14 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
  • 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

  • Facts harvested from German submarine U-858 on Wikipedia. Figures only — no wording is taken from it.
  • Photograph: Official US photograph. — https://www.history.navy.mil/our-collections/photography/numerical-list-of-images/nhhc-series/nh-series/80-G-K-03000/80-G-K-3319-A.html — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons