 U-9, a typical Type IIB boat | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Nazi Germany | |
| Name | U-14 |
| Ordered | 2 February 1935 |
| Builder | Deutsche Werke,Kiel |
| Yard number | 249 |
| Laid down | 6 July 1935 |
| Launched | 28 December 1935 |
| Commissioned | 18 January 1936 |
| Fate | Scuttled on 5 May 1945 atWilhelmshaven |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Type IIB coastal submarine |
| Displacement | |
| Length |
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| Beam |
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| Height | 8.60 m (28 ft 3 in) |
| Draught | 3.90 m (12 ft 10 in) |
| Installed power |
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| Propulsion |
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| Speed |
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| Range |
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| Test depth | 80 m (260 ft) |
| Complement | 3 officers, 22 men |
| Armament |
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| Service record | |
| Part of: |
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| Identification codes: | M 28 451 |
| Commanders: |
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| Operations: |
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| Victories: | 9 merchant ships sunk (12,344 GRT) |
German submarineU-14 was aType IIBU-boat ofNazi Germany'sKriegsmarine duringWorld War II. It served with3rd U-boat Flotilla from 18 January 1936 to 31 October 1939.U-14 completed six wartime patrols and sank nine ships totalling 12,344 GRT.
German Type IIB submarines were enlarged versions of the originalType IIs.U-14 had a displacement of 279 tonnes (275 long tons) when at the surface and 328 tonnes (323 long tons) while submerged. Officially, the standard tonnage was 250 long tons (254 t), however.[1] The U-boat had a total length of 42.70 m (140 ft 1 in), apressure hull length of 28.20 m (92 ft 6 in), abeam of 4.08 m (13 ft 5 in), a height of 8.60 m (28 ft 3 in), and adraught of 3.90 m (12 ft 10 in). The submarine was powered by twoMWM RS 127 S four-stroke, six-cylinderdiesel engines of 700 metric horsepower (510 kW; 690 shp) for cruising, twoSiemens-Schuckert PG VV 322/36double-acting electric motors producing a total of 460 metric horsepower (340 kW; 450 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 0.85 m (3 ft)propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 80–150 metres (260–490 ft).[1]
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph).[1] When submerged, the boat could operate for 35–42 nautical miles (65–78 km; 40–48 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 3,800 nautical miles (7,000 km; 4,400 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph).U-14 was fitted with three 53.3 cm (21 in)torpedo tubes at the bow, fivetorpedoes or up to twelve Type A torpedo mines, and a2 cm (0.79 in) anti-aircraft gun. The boat had acomplement of twentyfive.[1]
Early in the war, on 3 September 1939 in the evening,U-14 attacked aPolish submarine with one torpedo from a surface, and claimed to have sunk it. In reality the Polish submarine,ORP Sęp, was not damaged as the torpedo launched byU-14 exploded prematurely.[2] According to Jan Bartelski, the torpedo also missed the target.[3]
After serving on six operational patrols,U-14 was used as a training boat and transferred to U-boat training flotillas, serving with the23rd and24th U-boat Flotillas until the end of the war. Despite the high casualties suffered by theUnterseebootwaffen (German submarine arm),U-14 suffered no known casualties during the war.
U-14 was scuttled on 5 May 1945 at Wilhelmshaven.
| Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage (GRT) | Fate[4] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 January 1940 | Biarritz |  Norway | 1,752 | Sunk |
| 15 February 1940 | Sliepner |  Denmark | 1,066 | Sunk |
| 16 February 1940 | Liana |  Sweden | 1,646 | Sunk |
| 16 February 1940 | Osmed | Sweden | 1,526 | Sunk |
| 16 February 1940 | Rhone | Denmark | 1,064 | Sunk |
| 7 March 1940 | Vecht |  Netherlands | 1,965 | Sunk |
| 9 March 1940 | Abbotsford |  United Kingdom | 1,585 | Sunk |
| 9 March 1940 | Akeld | United Kingdom | 643 | Sunk |
| 9 March 1940 | Borthwick | United Kingdom | 1,097 | Sunk |
