| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | U-957 |
| Ordered | 10 April 1941 |
| Builder | Blohm & Voss,Hamburg |
| Yard number | 157 |
| Laid down | 11 March 1942 |
| Launched | 21 November 1942 |
| Commissioned | 7 January 1943 |
| Decommissioned | 21 October 1944 |
| Fate | Probably scuttled in May 1945 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Type VIICsubmarine |
| Displacement | |
| Length |
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| Beam |
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| Height | 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in) |
| Draught | 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in) |
| Installed power |
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| Propulsion |
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| Speed |
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| Range | |
| Test depth |
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| Complement | 4 officers, 40–56 enlisted |
| Armament |
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| Service record | |
| Part of: |
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| Identification codes: | M 50 029 |
| Commanders: |
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| Operations: |
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| Victories: |
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German submarineU-957 was aType VIICU-boat ofNazi Germany'sKriegsmarine duringWorld War II.
Laid down by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg on 11 March 1942, theU-boat waslaunched on 21 November 1942, andcommissioned on 7 January 1943, byOberleutnant zur See Franz Saar.
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorterType VIIB submarines.U-957 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.[1] 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).[1]
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).[1] 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-957 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, and one twin2 cm (0.79 in) C/30anti-aircraft gun. The boat had acomplement of between forty-four and sixty.[1]
Under the command ofOberleutnant zur SeeGerhard SchaarU-957 carried out seven war patrols between December 1943 and October 1944, sinking two commercial vessels; the BritishFort Bellingham and the Soviet survey vesselNord; and two military vessels, the Americansubmarine chaserUSS PTC-38, and the SovietcorvetteBrilliant.
Her combat career ended on 19 October 1944 atLofoten, Norway, when she collided with a German steamer. On 21 October 1944 she was taken out of service inTrondheim.
In May 1945, she was probably scuttled in the Skjömenfjord.[2]
| Date | Ship Name | Nationality | Tonnage[Note 1] | Fate[3] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 January 1944 | Fort Bellingham | 7,153 | Sunk | |
| 26 January 1944 | USSPTC-38 | 54 | Sunk | |
| 26 August 1944 | Nord | 411 | Sunk | |
| 23 September 1944 | Brilliant | 550 | Sunk |