 U-570 Type VIIC submarine that was captured by the British in 1941. This U-boat is almost identical toU-963. | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Nazi Germany | |
| Name | U-963 |
| Ordered | 5 June 1941 |
| Builder | Blohm & Voss,Hamburg |
| Yard number | 163 |
| Laid down | 20 April 1942 |
| Launched | 30 December 1942 |
| Commissioned | 17 February 1943 |
| Fate | Scuttled on 20 May 1945 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Type VIICsubmarine |
| Displacement | |
| Length |
|
| Beam |
|
| Height | 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in) |
| Draught | 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in) |
| Installed power |
|
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed |
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| Range | |
| Test depth |
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| Complement | 4 officers, 44–52 enlisted |
| Armament |
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| Service record | |
| Part of: |
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| Identification codes: | M 50 702 |
| Commanders: | |
| Operations: |
|
| Victories: | None |
German submarineU-963 was aType VIICU-boat ofNazi Germany'sKriegsmarine duringWorld War II.
She was ordered on 5 June 1941, and waslaid down on 20 April 1942 atBlohm & Voss,Hamburg, as yard number 163. She waslaunched on 30 December 1942 andcommissioned under the command ofLeutnant zur See Karl Boddenberg on 17 February 1943.[4]
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorterType VIIB submarines.U-963 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.[5] 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, twoGarbe, Lahmeyer & Co. RP 137/cdouble-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).[5]
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).[5] 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-963 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in)torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteentorpedoes or 26 TMAmines, 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 44 — 52 men.[5]
U-963 had a recorded five attacks on her. The first two during her fourth war patrol. On 5 February 1944, when she shot down aBritishB-24 Liberator of53 Squadron/T RAF. Then on 26 March 1944, off ofBrest, France, she came under attack by an unidentified Allied airplane. This attack left nine men wounded, with two of them being badly injured.U-963 docked at Brest the next day.[4]
Shortly afterU-963 left Brest on 7 June 1944, on her fifth war patrol, she came under attack by another British B-24 of 53 Squadron RAF, piloted by John William Carmichael. The bomber was able to damageU-963 so severely that she had to return to Brest less than 24 hours after leaving for her patrol.[4]
On 12 August 1944, thesubmarine base in Brest was bombed, killing one man during the air raid and severely wounding another, who died the next day.[4]
The last attack came on 21 August 1944, in theBay of Biscay. Just after midnightU-963 was forced into acrash dive and one man was lost overboard.[4]
On 20 May 1945, the crew ofU-963scuttled her off ofNazaré, Portugal. The entire crew survived.[4]
The wreck is located at39°36′N09°05′W / 39.600°N 9.083°W /39.600; -9.083.[4]
U-963 took part in eightwolfpacks, namely:[4]
