Recognition Guide Warships of the Second World War
Kriegsmarine — Submarine

German submarine U-963

Type VIIC submarine

German submarine U-963
DR — https://www.jornaldeleiria.pt/noticia/das-boot-odisseia-do-submarino-u-963-na-onda-da-nazare-2451 — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons Plate A 20 de Maio de 1945, 13 dias depois da rendição incondicional da Alemanha aos Aliados, o U-963 entrou para a história da vila piscatória (Fotos: DR)

Service

  1. Kriegsmarine as U-96317 February 1943 — 20 May 1945823 days of the war
Type VIIC submarine Particulars
Name
U-963
Builder
Blohm & Voss, Hamburg
Ordered
5 June 1941
Laid down
20 April 1942
Launched
30 December 1942
Commissioned
17 February 1943
Fate
Scuttled on 20 May 1945 (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-963 was a Type VIIC submarine in service with the Kriegsmarine. Blohm & Voss, Hamburg laid her keel on 20 April 1942. She entered service on 17 February 1943, having been launched on 30 December 1942.

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 823 days of the Second World War.

She was scuttled on 20 May 1945, at 39°36′N 9°05′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 × twin 2 cm C/30 anti-aircraft gun

Sister ships

587 more in the class

Sources

  • Facts harvested from German submarine U-963 on Wikipedia. Figures only — no wording is taken from it.
  • Photograph: DR — https://www.jornaldeleiria.pt/noticia/das-boot-odisseia-do-submarino-u-963-na-onda-da-nazare-2451 — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons