| History | |
|---|---|
 Nazi Germany | |
| Name | U-988 |
| Ordered | 25 May 1941 |
| Builder | Blohm & Voss,Hamburg |
| Yard number | 188 |
| Laid down | 2 October 1942 |
| Launched | 3 June 1943 |
| Commissioned | 15 July 1943 |
| Fate | Sunk on 22 June 1944 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Type VIICsubmarine |
| Displacement | |
| Length |
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| Beam |
|
| 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 53 999 |
| Commanders: | |
| Operations: |
|
| Victories: | None |
German submarineU-988 was aType VIICU-boat built forNazi Germany'sKriegsmarine for service duringWorld War II.She waslaid down on 2 October 1942 byBlohm & Voss,Hamburg as yard number 188,launched on 3 June 1943 andcommissioned on 15 July 1943 underOberleutnant zur See Erich Dobberstein.
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorterType VIIB submarines.U-988 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.[2] 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).[2]
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).[2] 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-988 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.[2]
U-988′s career began on 15 July 1943 with training as part of the5th U-boat Flotilla. On 8 September 1943, she collided withU-983 in theBaltic Sea north of Loba (54°46′N17°14′E / 54.767°N 17.233°E /54.767; 17.233). As a result of the collision,U-983 sank with the loss of five of her 43 crew.[3]
U-988 began active service on 1 June 1944 as part of the7th U-boat Flotilla.
U-988 took part in nowolfpacks.
U-988 was sunk by depth charges from aUS Liberator on 22 June 1944. There were no survivors.[4]
U-988 sent her last radio message on 18 June, informing about an air attack, and was lost with all hands thereafter, and her fate is not certain.[5] It is believed thatU-988 attacked three ships on 27–29 June and then was sunk on 29/30 June 1944 in theEnglish Channel west ofGuernsey at49°37′N03°41′W / 49.617°N 3.683°W /49.617; -3.683 at dawn by theRoyal NavyfrigatesHMS Essington,HMS Cooke,HMS Duckworth, andHMS Domett, after being damaged byRoyal Air ForceLiberators ofNo. 244 Squadron.[6]
There appeared however a theory, thatU-988 could have been sunk after an attack of PolishWellington Mk XIV from304 Squadron, piloted by Leopold Antoniewicz, which was credited with sinking a submarine on 18 June in the approximate position49°03′N04°48′W / 49.050°N 4.800°W /49.050; -4.800.[5] Then, the submarine sank on 29/30 June could have beenU-1191.[5]
