| History | |
|---|---|
 Nazi Germany | |
| Name | U-1021 |
| Ordered | 13 June 1942 |
| Builder | Blohm & Voss,Hamburg |
| Yard number | 221 |
| Laid down | 6 May 1943 |
| Launched | 13 April 1944 |
| Commissioned | 25 May 1944 |
| Fate | Sunk on 14 March 1945 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Type VIIC/41submarine |
| Displacement | |
| Length |
|
| Beam |
|
| Height | 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in) |
| Draught | 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in) |
| Installed power |
|
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed |
|
| Range | |
| Test depth |
|
| Complement | 4 officers, 40–56 enlisted |
| Armament |
|
| Service record[1][2] | |
| Part of |
|
| Identification codes | M 23 789 |
| Commanders |
|
| Operations |
|
| Victories | None |
German submarineU-1021 was aType VIIC/41U-boat ofNazi Germany'sKriegsmarine duringWorld War II.
Laid down on 6 May 1943 at theBlohm & Voss yard inHamburg, the submarine waslaunched on 13 April 1944, andcommissioned on 25 May 1944, under the command ofOberleutnant zur See William Holpert.
German Type VIIC/41 submarines were preceded by the heavierType VIIC submarines.U-1021 had a displacement of 759 tonnes (747 long tons) when at the surface and 860 tonnes (850 long tons) while submerged.[3] She had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), apressure hull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), abeam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and adraught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by twoGermaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylindersuperchargeddiesel engines producing a total of 2,800 to 3,200 metric horsepower (2,060 to 2,350 kW; 2,760 to 3,160 shp) for use while surfaced, twoBrown, Boveri & Cie GG UB 720/8double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 metric horsepower (550 kW; 740 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m (4 ft)propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).[3]
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph).[3] When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nautical miles (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph).U-1021 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in)torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteentorpedoes, one8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, (220 rounds), one3.7 cm (1.5 in) Flak M42 and two2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had acomplement of between forty-four and sixty.[3]
U-1021 was one of only ten Type VIIC's to be fitted with aBalkongerät (literally 'Balcony apparatus or equipment'). TheBalkongerät was used on U-boats (U-682,U-788,U-799,U-997,U-1105,U-1172,U-1306,U-1307 andU-1308).[4] TheBalkongerät was standard on the Type XXI and theType XXIII. Nonetheless, it was also fitted to several Type IXs and oneType X. TheBalkongerät was an improved version ofGruppenhorchgerät (GHG) (group listening device) with double the hydrophones.[5]
U-1021 served with31st U-boat Flotilla, a training unit, and later with11th U-boat Flotilla from 1 December 1944 until its disappearance in March 1945.
U-1021 sailed fromBergen on 20 February 1945 and headed for the waters aroundLand's End.[6]
U-1021 was presumed to have been sunk on 30 March 1945 inThe Minch in theHebrides, by depth charges from the British frigatesHMS Rupert andHMS Conn.[7]
However, the wreck ofU-1021 was identified by nautical archaeologistInnes McCartney and historian Axel Niestle in December 2006, 7 nautical miles (13 km) offNewquay,Cornwall, at position50°33.3′N5°11.6′W / 50.5550°N 5.1933°W /50.5550; -5.1933, close to two other U-boats,U-325 andU-400. Further research byInnes McCartney led to the conclusion that all three submarines were sunk in theBristol Channel by a deep-trap minefield.[7] Minefield "HW A3", which was fatal toU-1021, was laid byHMS Apollo on 3 December 1944.[8]
The attack of 30 March 1945 previously assumed to have sunkU-1021 is now believed to have sunkU-965.[7]
