German submarine U-850
| History | |
|---|---|
 Nazi Germany | |
| Name | U-850 |
| Ordered | 20 January 1941 |
| Builder | DeSchiMAG AG Weser, Bremen |
| Yard number | 1056 |
| Laid down | 17 March 1942 |
| Launched | 7 December 1942 |
| Commissioned | 17 April 1943 |
| Fate | Sunk west of Madeira on 20 December 1943 by US aircraft in position 32°54′N 37°1′W / 32.900°N 37.017°W |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Type IXD2 submarine |
| Displacement | |
| Length |
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| Beam |
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| Height | 10.20 m (33 ft 6 in) |
| Draught | 5.35 m (17 ft 7 in) |
| Installed power |
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| Propulsion |
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| Speed |
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| Range |
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| Test depth | 230 m (750 ft) |
| Complement | 66 |
| Armament |
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| Service record | |
| Part of: |
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| Identification codes: | M 41 858 |
| Commanders: |
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| Operations: |
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| Victories: | None |
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German submarine U-850 was a long-range Type IXD2 U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
Design
[edit]German Type IXD2 submarines were considerably larger than the original Type IXs. U-850 had a displacement of 1,610 tonnes (1,580 long tons) when at the surface and 1,799 tonnes (1,771 long tons) while submerged.[2] The U-boat had a total length of 87.58 m (287 ft 4 in), a pressure hull length of 68.50 m (224 ft 9 in), a beam of 7.50 m (24 ft 7 in), a height of 10.20 m (33 ft 6 in), and a draught of 5.35 m (17 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two MAN M 9 V 40/46 supercharged four-stroke, nine-cylinder diesel engines plus two MWM RS34.5S six-cylinder four-stroke diesel engines for cruising, producing a total of 9,000 metric horsepower (6,620 kW; 8,880 shp) for use while surfaced, two Siemens-Schuckert 2 GU 345/34 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 1,000 shaft horsepower (1,010 PS; 750 kW) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.85 m (6 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 200 metres (660 ft).[2]
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 20.8 knots (38.5 km/h; 23.9 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 6.9 knots (12.8 km/h; 7.9 mph).[2] When submerged, the boat could operate for 121 nautical miles (224 km; 139 mi) at 2 knots (3.7 km/h; 2.3 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 12,750 nautical miles (23,610 km; 14,670 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-850 was fitted with six 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and two at the stern), 24 torpedoes, one 10.5 cm (4.13 in) SK C/32 naval gun, 150 rounds, and a 3.7 cm (1.5 in) SK C/30 with 2575 rounds as well as two 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns with 8100 rounds. The boat had a complement of fifty-five.[2]
Service history
[edit]The U-boat was ordered on 20 January 1941 and laid down at the DESCHIMAG AG Weser shipyard on 17 March 1942. Assigned yard number 1056, she was launched on 7 December of that year. Commissioned on 17 April 1943 under the command of Korvettenkapitän Klaus Ewerth (Crew 25), who had previously commanded U-26. U-850 served with the 4th U-boat Flotilla until the end of October when she transferred to the 12th U-boat Flotilla for front-line service. U-850 left Kiel on 18 November 1943 destined for the Indian Ocean in order to join Monsoon Group,[3] she was, however, spotted and successfully attacked by US aircraft from USS Bogue west of Madeira on 20 December.
Fate
[edit]On 20 December 1943, while en route to the Indian Ocean, U-850 was spotted by aircraft of Squadron VC-19. The first aircraft, an Avenger piloted by Lieutenant W.A. La Fleur, attacked the U-boat with depth charges which missed their target. After La Fleur reported the sighting via radio, two Wildcats accompanied by two more Avengers - T18 and T19 - arrived on the scene. While the Wildcats strafed U-850, T19, piloted by Ensign G.C. Goodwin, made another attack with depth charges which hit their target. The U-boat tried to evade by crash diving, but T18, piloted by Lieutenant H.G. Bradshaw, dropped two FIDO torpedoes, which both hit the U-boat on the starboard side. USS George E. Badger and Du Pont later recovered some bodies, body parts, and pieces of wreckage. There were no survivors.[4]
Successes
[edit]U-850 did not sink or damage any ships while in service.
References
[edit]- ^ Busch & Röll 1997, p. 384.
- ^ a b c d Gröner 1991, pp. 74–75.
- ^ Busch & Röll 1997, p. 528.
- ^ Busch & Röll 1999, p. 180.
Bibliography
[edit]- Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1997). Der U-Boot-Krieg, 1939-1945: Die deutschen U-Boot-Kommandanten (in German). Vol. II. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0509-6.
- Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). German U-boat commanders of World War II: a biographical dictionary. Translated by Brooks, Geoffrey. London, Annapolis, Md: Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-186-6.
- Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). Der U-Boot-Krieg, 1939-1945: Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945] (in German). Vol. IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
- Gröner, Eric; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). German Warships 1815-1945: U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
- Der U-Boot-Krieg, 1939-1945: Die deutschen U-Boot-Kommandanten
- Sharpe, Peter (1998). U-Boat Fact File. Great Britain: Midland Publishing. ISBN 1-85780-072-9.
External links
[edit]- Helgason, Guðmundur. "U-850". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in December 1943 | |
|---|---|
| Shipwrecks |
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| Other incidents |
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- World War II submarines of Germany
- German Type IX submarines
- Ships built in Bremen (state)
- 1942 ships
- U-boats commissioned in 1943
- U-boats sunk in 1943
- Submarines lost with all hands
- World War II shipwrecks in the South Atlantic
- U-boats sunk by depth charges
- U-boats sunk by US aircraft
- Maritime incidents in December 1943