Recognition Guide Warships of the Second World War
Kriegsmarine — Submarine

German submarine U-868

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-86823 December 1943 — 9 May 1945503 days of the war
Type IXC/40 submarine Particulars
Name
U-868
Builder
DeSchiMAG AG Weser, Bremen
Ordered
25 August 1941
Laid down
11 March 1943
Launched
18 August 1943
Commissioned
23 December 1943
Fate
Surrendered on 9 May 1945
Sunk on 30 November 1945 during Operation Deadlight (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-868 was a Type IXC/40 submarine built for the Kriegsmarine. Her keel was laid at DeSchiMAG AG Weser, Bremen on 11 March 1943. Launched on 18 August 1943, she entered service on 23 December 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 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 503 days of the Second World War.

She was sunk on 9 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 (four bow, two stern)
  • 22 × 53.3 cm torpedoes
  • 1 × 10.5 cm SK C/32 deck gun (180 rounds)
  • 1 × 3.7 cm Flak M42
  • 2 × twin 2 cm C/30 anti-aircraft guns

Sister ships

117 more in the class

Sources