Submarines

German U-Boats: Type IX Submarines

Kriegsmarine · Types IXA, IXB, IXC, IXC/40, IXD, XIV

Type 9 U-boat

The Type 9 U-boat was designed in 1935 and 1936 as a large ocean-going submarine for sustained operations far from the home support facilities. It was derived from the Type IA, and appeared in various sub-types.

Type 9 s had six torpedo tubes, four at the bow and two at the stern. They carried six reloads internally and had five external torpedo containers (three at the stern and two at the bow) which stored ten additional torpedoes. The total of 22 torpedoes allowed U-boat commanders to follow a convoy and strike night after night. As mine-layers they could carry 44 TMA or 66 TMB mines, but many of the IXC boats were not fitted for mine operations.

Secondary armament was provided by one large Utof 105/45 gun with about 110 rounds. Antiaircraft armament differed throughout the war. They had two periscopes in the tower. Types IXA and IXB had an additional periscope in the control room, which was deleted in Type 9C and afterward.

Germany was stripped of her U-boats by the Treaty of Versailles at the end of World War I, but in the late 1920s and early 1930s began to rebuild her armed forces. The pace of program accelerated under Adolf Hitler, and the first Type II U-boat was laid down on February 11, 1935. Knowing that the world would see this step towards rearmament, Hitler reached an agreement with Britain to build a navy up to 35% of the size of the British Royal Navy in surface vessels, but equal to the British in number of submarines. This agreement was signed on June 18, 1935, and U-1 was commissioned 11 days later.

CIA / KGB intelligencegame. Run your own operation game. Travel around the world and set up espionage game, trade with state secrets, weapon systems, spy codes, WMD, hire secretaries, agents, lawyers and soldiers, establish secret agent stations, cells and bases and search for criminals and politicians. Involve in agent game. Game contains more than 40 missions including Nuclear Game, Cold War Game, Secret Agent, CIA Games, USAF, Prime Minister, RAF, Bin Laden, Sadam, KGB, Operations Iran…

Type 9A

Eight Type 9A U-boats were built AG Weser of Bremen.

U-37 - U-38 - U-39 - U-40 - U-41 - U-42 - U-43 - U-44

General characteristics

  • Displacement: surfaced 1032 tons, submerged 1152 tons, total 1408 tons
  • Length: overall 76.6 meters, pressure hull 58.7 meters
  • Beam: overall 6.5 meters, pressure hull 4.4 meters
  • Draft: 4.7 meters
  • Height: 9.4 meters
  • Power: surfaced 4400 horsepower, submerged 1000 horsepower
  • Speed: surfaced 18.2 knots, submerged 7.7 knots
  • Range: surfaced 16,800km (10,500 miles) at 10 knots, submerged 125km (78 miles) at 4 knots
  • Torpedoes: 22 (4 bow, 2 stern tubes)
  • Deck gun: Utof 105/45 with 110 rounds
  • Crew: 48-56 men
  • Max depth: 230m (750 feet)

Type 9B

Type 9 B was an improved with an increased range. It was the most successful overall with each boat averaging a total of over 100,000 tons sunk.

Famous 9 B boats included U-123 under the command of Hardegen, which opened up the attack in the US waters in early 1942 known as Operation Drumbeat, and U-107 out of Freetown, Africa under the command of Hessler, which had the most successful single mission of the war over with close to 100,000 tons sunk.

14 Type 9B U-boats were built AG Weser of Bremen.

U-64 - U-65 - U-103 - U-104 - U-105 - U-106 - U-107 - U-108 - U-109 - U-110 - U-111 - U-122 - U-123 - U-124

General characteristics

  • Displacement: surfaced 1051 tons, submerged 1178 tons, total 1430 tons
  • Length: overall 76.5 meters, pressure hull 58.7 meters
  • Beam: overall 6.8 meters, pressure hull 4.4 meters
  • Draft: 4.7 meters
  • Height: 9.6 meters
  • Power: surfaced 4400 horsepower, submerged 1000 horsepower
  • Speed: surfaced 18.2 knots, submerged 7.3 knots
  • Range: surfaced 19,200km (12,000 miles) at 10 knots, submerged 100km (64 miles) at 4 knots
  • Torpedoes: 22 (4 bow, 2 stern tubes)
  • Deck gun: Utof 105/45 with 110 rounds
  • Crew: 48-56 men
  • Max depth: 230m (750 feet)

Type 9C

Type 9C was a further refinement with storage for additional 43 tons of fuel, giving an increased range. These series omitted the control room periscope leaving the boats with two tower scopes.

As mine-layers they could carry 44 TMA or 66 TMB mines, though U-162 through U-170 and U-505 through U-550 (35 boats), were not fitted for mine operations.

54 of this type were built by AG Weser and Seebeck Yard of Bremen, and Deutsche Werft of Hamburg.

U-66 - U-67 - U-68 - U-125 - U-126 - U-127 - U-128 - U-129 - U-130 - U-131 - U-153 - U-154 - U-155 - U-156 - U-157 - U-158 - U-159 - U-160 - U-161 - U-162 - U-163 - U-164 - U-165 - U-166 - U-171 - U-172 - U-173 - U-174 - U-175 - U-176 - U-501 - U-502 - U-503 - U-504 - U-505 - U-506 - U-507 - U-508 - U-509 - U-510 - U-511 - U-512 - U-513 - U-514 - U-515 - U-516 - U-517 - U-518 - U-519 - U-520 - U-521 - U-522 - U-523 - U-524

General characteristics

  • Displacement: surfaced 1120 tons, submerged 1232 tons, total 1540 tons
  • Length: overall 76.8 meters, pressure hull 58.7 meters
  • Beam: overall 6.8 meters, pressure hull 4.4 meters
  • Draft: 4.7 meters
  • Height: 9.4 meters
  • Power: surfaced 4400 horsepower, submerged 1000 horsepower
  • Speed: surfaced 18.3 knots, submerged 7.3 knots
  • Range: surfaced 21,500km (13,450 miles) at 10 knots, submerged 100km (63 miles) at 4 knots
  • Torpedoes: 22 (4 bow, 2 stern tubes)
  • Deck gun: Utof 105/45 with 110 rounds
  • Crew: 48-56 men
  • Max depth: 230m (750 feet)

Type 9C / 40

Type 9C / 40 was a slight modification of Type IXC with a slightly increased range and somewhat higher surface speed.

87 of this type were built by AG Weser and Seebeck Yard of Bremen, and Deutsche Werft of Hamburg.

U-167 - U-168 - U-169 - U-170 - U-183 - U-184 - U-185 - U-186 - U-187 - U-188 - U-189 - U-190 - U-191 - U-192 - U-193 - U-194 - U-525 - U-526 - U-527 - U-528 - U-529 - U-530 - U-531 - U-532 - U-533 - U-534 - U-535 - U-536 - U-537 - U-538 - U-539 - U-540 - U-541 - U-542 - U-543 - U-544 - U-545 - U-546 - U-547 - U-548 - U-549 - U-550 - U-801 - U-802 - U-803 - U-804 - U-805 - U-806 - U-841 - U-842 - U-843 - U-844 - U-845 - U-846 - U-853 - U-854 - U-855 - U-856 - U-857 - U-858 - U-865 - U-866 - U-867 - U-868 - U-869 - U-870 - U-877 - U-878 - U-879 - U-880 - U-881 - U-889 - U-1221 - U-1222 - U-1223 - U-1224 - U-1225 - U-1226 - U-1227 - U-1228 - U-1229 - U-1230 - U-1231 - U-1232 - U-1233 - U-1234 - U-1235

General characteristics

  • Displacement: surfaced 1120 tons, submerged 1232 tons, total 1545 tons
  • Length: overall 76.8 meters, pressure hull 58.7 meters
  • Beam: overall 6.9 meters, pressure hull 4.4 meters
  • Draft: 4.7 meters
  • Height: 9.6 meters
  • Power: surfaced 4400 horsepower, submerged 1000 horsepower
  • Speed: surfaced 19 knots, submerged 7.3 knots
  • Range: surfaced 22,150km (13,850 miles) at 10 knots, submerged 100km (63 miles) at 4 knots
  • Torpedoes: 22 (4 bow, 2 stern tubes)
  • Deck gun: Utof 105/45 with 110 rounds
  • Crew: 48-56 men
  • Max depth: 230m (750 feet)

Type 9D

Type 9D was significantly longer and heavier than the IXC/40. A variant of the Type 9D, known as the IXD/42, was almost identical but with more engine power (5400 ehp instead of 4400).

In 1943 and 1944 the torpedo tubes were removed from the IXD boats and they converted for transport use. In their new role the could transport 252 tons of freight.

30 Type 9D U-boats were built AG Weser of Bremen. U-177 - U-178 - U-179 - U-180 - U-181 - U-182 - U-195 - U-196 - U-197 - U-198 - U-199 - U-200 - U-847 - U-848 - U-849 - U-850 - U-851 - U-852 - U-859 - U-860 - U-861 - U-862 - U-863 - U-864 - U-871 - U-872 - U-873 - U-874 - U-875 - U-876

Several Type IXD/42 U-boats were contracted to be built AG Weser of Bremen, but only one was commissioned.

U-883 was launched on April 28, 1944 and commissioned March 27, 1945. Her career ended in Operation Deadlight.

U-884 was launched on May 17, 1944 but was badly damaged on March 30, 1945 by US bombs while still in dockyard hands. U-885, U-886 U-887, and U-888 were laid down but construction halted on September 30, 1943 when all IXD/42 contracts were cancelled.

General characteristics

  • Displacement: surfaced 1610 tons, submerged 1799 tons, total 2150 tons
  • Length: overall 87.6 meters, pressure hull 68.5 meters
  • Beam: overall 7.5 meters, pressure hull 4.4 meters
  • Draft: 5.4 meters
  • Height: 10.2 meters
  • Power: surfaced 4400 horsepower, submerged 1000 horsepower
  • Speed: surfaced 20.8 knots, submerged 6.9 knots
  • Range: surfaced 20,400km (12,750 miles) at 10 knots, submerged 185km (115 miles) at 4 knots
  • Torpedoes: 24 (4 bow, 2 stern tubes)
  • Deck gun: Utof 105/45 with 150 rounds
  • Crew: 55-63 men
  • Max depth: 230m (750 feet)

Type 14 U-boat

The Type 14 U-boat was a modification of the Type 9D, designed to resupply other U-boats. They were nicknamed "Milchkuh/Milchkuehe" (Milk Cows). They had no offensive weaponry, only antiaircraft guns. Early in World War II, the Milk Cows successfully allowed the smaller Type VIIC boats to raid the American coast. The Milk Cows were of course a priority target for all allied forces, and improved radar and air coverage eliminated them during 1943. Milk Cow duty was especially hazardous; 289 sailors were killed out of an estimated complement of 530-576 men.

Ten boats of this type were commissioned: U-459, U-460, U-461, U-462, U-463, U-464, U-487, U-488, U-489, and U-490.

Fourteen planned Type XIVs were cancelled. Three of them (U-491, U-492, U-493) were about 75% done when all work was stopped and they were scrapped in July and August 1943. The other 11 had not been laid down when they were cancelled on May 27, 1944. On that same day Donitz dropped development plans for the XX class, large transport boats that would not have been ready until the summer of 1945.

General Characteristics

  • Displacement: 1668 tons surfaced, 1932 tons submerged, 2300 tons total
  • Length: 67.1 meters overall, 47.5 meters pressure hull
  • Beam: 9.35 meters overall, 4.9 meters pressure hull
  • Draft: 6.5 meters
  • Height: 11.7 meters
  • Power: 3200 horsepower diesel, 750 horsepower battery
  • Speed: 14.9 surfaced, 6.2 knots submerged
  • Range: 20,000 kilometers (12,350 miles) at 10 knots surfaced, 90 kilometers (55 miles) at 4 knots submerged
  • Armament: none
  • Crew: 53-60 men
  • Max depth: 240 meters (787 feet)



Credit: US Navy History Center