| History | |
|---|---|
 Nazi Germany | |
| Name | U-792 |
| Ordered | 19 June 1942 |
| Builder | Blohm & Voss,Hamburg |
| Yard number | 455 |
| Laid down | 1 December 1942 |
| Launched | 28 September 1943 |
| Commissioned | 16 November 1943 |
| Fate | Scuttled on 4 May 1945 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Type XVIIAsubmarine |
| Displacement | |
| Length |
|
| Beam |
|
| Draught | 4.30 m (14 ft 1 in) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed |
|
| Range |
|
| Complement | 12 |
| Armament |
|
| Service record | |
| Part of: |
|
| Identification codes: | M 52 456 |
| Commanders: | |
| Operations: | None |
| Victories: | None |
German submarineU-792 was aType XVIIAU-boat ofNazi Germany'sKriegsmarine during theSecond World War. She was one of a small number of U-boats fitted withHellmuth Walter'shigh test peroxide propulsion system, which offered a combination ofair-independent propulsion and high submerged speeds. She spent the war as a trials vessel and was scuttled on 4 May 1945 in the Audorfer See, nearRendsburg.[1]
TheU-792 waslaid down on 1 December 1942 at theBlohm & Voss shipyard inHamburg, Germany. She waslaunched on 28 September 1943 andcommissioned on 16 November 1943 under the command ofOberleutnant zur See Horst Heitz.[1]
When she was completed, the submarine was 39.05 metres (128 ft 1 in) long overall, with a beam of 4.50 metres (14 ft 9 in) and a draught of 4.30 metres (14 ft 1 in). She was assessed at 309 t (304 long tons) submerged. The submarine was powered by oneDeutz SAA SM517supercharged 8-cylinder four-strokediesel engine producing a total of 210 metric horsepower (150 kW; 210 shp) for use while surfaced and two Walter gas turbines producing a total of 5,000 metric horsepower (3,700 kW; 4,900 shp) for use while submerged. She had one shaft and one 1.23 m (4 ft)propeller. The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph) when submerged, theU-boat could operate for 127 nautical miles (235 km; 146 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) and when surfaced, she could travel 1.840 nautical miles (3.408 km; 2.117 mi) at 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph).[2]
The submarine was fitted with two 53.3 cm (21 in)torpedo tubes (All fitted at the bow) and fourtorpedoes. The boat had acomplement of 12 men.[2][3]
U-792 did not undertake any combat patrols and was instead assigned as a trials boat at first to the5th U-boat Flotilla, followed by the8th U-boat Flotilla, before returning to the 5th flotilla for the rest of the war and was used in March 1945 as a floating fuel bunker. In December 1944, her commander was replaced byOberleutnant zur See Hans Diederich Duis.[4]
TheU-792 was scuttled on 4 May 1945 at 01:30 in the Audorfer See (Kaiser Wilhelm Canal), nearRendsburg duringOperation Regenbogen.[1]
The wreck ofU-792 lay at54°19′N09°43′E / 54.317°N 9.717°E /54.317; 9.717 until 26 May 1945, when she was lifted by the British and taken to theHowaldtswerke inKiel to be examined. She was first raised as a British prize and used for trials, but was soon torn down for parts and finally scrapped.[4]
