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

German submarine U-96 (1940)

Type VIIC submarine

German submarine U-96 (1940)
File:U-96 Model.jpg : Andrey Belenko from Moscow, Russia derivative work: Georgfotoart — This file was derived from: U-96 Model.jpg : — CC BY 2.0 — Wikimedia Commons Plate — 1940

Service

  1. Kriegsmarine as U-9614 September 1940 — 15 February 19451,615 days of the war
Type VIIC submarine Particulars
Name
U-96
Pennant / hull number
1940
Builder
Germaniawerft, Kiel
Ordered
30 May 1938
Laid down
16 September 1939
Launched
1 August 1940
Commissioned
14 September 1940
Decommissioned
15 February 1945
Fate
Sunk on 30 March 1945 at Wilhelmshaven by bombs during US air raid
By aircraft (1945)
Status
Wreck

Specifications

Displacement, surfaced
757 long tons (769 t)
Displacement, submerged
857 long tons (871 t)
Length
67.1 m (220.1 ft) OA
Beam
6.2 m (20.3 ft)
Draught
4.74 m (15.6 ft)
Speed
17.7 knots (32.8 km/h, 20.4 mph)
Range
8,500 nmi (15,742 km)
Main gun
88 mm (3.5 in)

U-96 was a Type VIIC submarine in service with the Kriegsmarine. She carried the pennant number 1940. Germaniawerft, Kiel laid her keel on 16 September 1939. She entered service on 14 September 1940, having been launched on 1 August 1940.

Her class ran to 612 ships. The class followed the Type UB III, Vetehinen class and was succeeded by the Type XXI (Late-war replacement).

The boat displaced 757 long tons surfaced and 857 long tons submerged. She measured 67.1 m (220 ft) long with a beam of 6.2 m (20 ft). Her designed speed was 17.7 knots.

Her main battery was one 88 mm (3.5 in) guns.

She was in commission for 1,615 days of the Second World War. She was decommissioned on 15 February 1945.

She was sunk on 30 March 1945 by aircraft, at 58°56′N 11°20′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
  • 2800 - 3200 PS (diesels)
  • 750 PS (electric)
Armament
  • 5 × 53.3 cm torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern)
  • 14 × torpedoes or 26 TMA mines
  • 1 × 8.8 cm deck gun (220 rounds)
  • 1 x 2 cm C/30 AA gun

Sister ships

587 more in the class

Sources

  • Facts harvested from German submarine U-96 (1940) on Wikipedia. Figures only — no wording is taken from it.
  • Photograph: File:U-96 Model.jpg : Andrey Belenko from Moscow, Russia derivative work: Georgfotoart — This file was derived from: U-96 Model.jpg : — CC BY 2.0 — Wikimedia Commons