German submarine U-876

German submarine U-876 was a long-range Type IXD2 U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-876
Ordered	25 August 1941
Builder	DeSchiMAG AG Weser, Bremen
Yard number	1084
Laid down	5 June 1943
Launched	29 February 1944
Commissioned	24 May 1944
Fate	Scuttled on 3 May 1945
General characteristics
Class and type	Type IXD2 submarine
Displacement	1,610 t (1,580 long tons) surfaced 1,799 t (1,771 long tons) submerged
Length	87.58 m (287 ft 4 in) o/a 68.50 m (224 ft 9 in) pressure hull
Beam	7.50 m (24 ft 7 in) o/a 4.40 m (14 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height	10.20 m (33 ft 6 in)
Draught	5.35 m (17 ft 7 in)
Installed power	9,000 PS (6,620 kW; 8,880 bhp) (diesels) 1,000 PS (740 kW; 990 shp) (electric)
Propulsion	2 shafts 2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors
Speed	20.8 knots (38.5 km/h; 23.9 mph) surfaced 6.9 knots (12.8 km/h; 7.9 mph) submerged
Range	12,750 nmi (23,610 km; 14,670 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced 57 nmi (106 km; 66 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth	230 m (750 ft)
Complement	66
Armament	6 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, two stern) 24 × torpedoes or 48 TMA or 72 TMB naval mines 1 × 10.5 cm (4.1 in) SK C/32 (150 rounds) 1 × 3.7 cm (1.5 in) Flak M42 AA gun 2 × 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns
Service record
Part of:	4th U-boat Flotilla 24 May 1944 – 3 May 1945
Identification codes:	M 36 700
Commanders:	Kptlt. Rolf Bahn 24 May 1944 – 5 May 1945
Operations:	None
Victories:	None

She was ordered on 25 August 1941, and was laid down on 5 June 1943 at DeSchiMAG AG Weser, Bremen, as yard number 1084. She was launched on 29 February 1944 and commissioned under the command of Kapitänleutnant Rolf Bahn on 24 May 1944.

Design

German Type IXD2 submarines were considerably larger than the original Type IXs. U-876 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. 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).

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). 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-876 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) Flak M42 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.

Service history

On 9 April 1945, U-876 was damaged by bombs in a British air raid.

U-876 was scuttled at Eckernförde on 3 May 1945, as part of Operation Regenbogen. Her wreck was raised and broken up in 1947.

Bibliography

• Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1997). Der U-Boot-Krieg, 1939-1945: Der U-Boot Bau auf deutschen Werften (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.
• Sharpe, Peter (1998). U-Boat Fact File, 1935-1945. Great Britain: Midland Publishing. ISBN 1-85780-072-9.

External links

• Helgason, Guðmundur. "U-876". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 6 January 2014.