Recognition Guide Warships of the Second World War
Kriegsmarine — Submarine

German submarine U-870

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-8703 February 1944 — 30 March 1945419 days of the war
Type IXC/40 submarine Particulars
Name
U-870
Builder
DeSchiMAG AG Weser, Bremen
Ordered
25 August 1941
Laid down
29 April 1943
Launched
29 October 1943
Commissioned
3 February 1944
Fate
Sunk on 30 March 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-870 was a Type IXC/40 submarine, operated by the Kriegsmarine. Her keel was laid at DeSchiMAG AG Weser, Bremen on 29 April 1943. She entered service on 3 February 1944, having been launched on 29 October 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 419 days of the Second World War.

She was sunk on 30 March 1945, at 43°02′N 19°19′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