Type IX U-boat

The Type IX U-boat was designed in 1935 and 1936 as a large ocean-going submarine for sustained operations far from the home support facilities. It was derived from the Type IA[?], and appeared in various sub-types.

Type IXs had six torpedo tubes, four at the bow and two at the stern. They carried six reloads internally and had five external torpedo containers (three at the stern and two at the bow) which stored ten additional torpedoes. The total of 22 torpedoes allowed U-boat commanders to follow a convoy and strike night after night. As mine-layers they could carry 44 TMA[?] or 66 TMB mines[?], but many of the IXC boats were not fitted for mine operations.

Secondary armament was provided by one large Utof 105/45 gun with about 110 rounds. Antiaircraft armament differed throughout the war. They had two periscopes in the tower. Types IXA and IXB had an additional periscope in the control room, which was deleted in Type IXC and afterward.

Table of contents 1 Type IXA 1.1 General characteristics 2 Type IXB 2.1 General characteristics 3 Type IXC 3.1 General characteristics 4 Type IXC/40 4.1 General characteristics 5 Type IXD 5.1 General characteristics

Type IXA

Eight Type IXA U-boats were built AG Weser of Bremen.

U-37[?] - U-38[?] - U-39[?] - U-40[?] - U-41[?] - U-42[?] - U-43[?] - U-44[?]

General characteristics

• Displacement: surfaced 1032 tons, submerged 1152 tons, total 1408 tons
• Length: overall 76.6 meters, pressure hull 58.7 meters
• Beam: overall 6.5 meters, pressure hull 4.4 meters
• Draft: 4.7 meters
• Height: 9.4 meters
• Power: surfaced 4400 horsepower, submerged 1000 horsepower
• Speed: surfaced 18.2 knots, submerged 7.7 knots
• Range: surfaced 16,800km (10,500 miles) at 10 knots, submerged 125km (78 miles) at 4 knots
• Torpedoes: 22 (4 bow, 2 stern tubes)
• Deck gun: Utof 105/45 with 110 rounds
• Crew: 48-56 men
• Max depth: 230m (750 feet)

Type IXB

Type IXB was an improved with an increased range. It was the most successful overall with each boat averaging a total of over 100,000 tons sunk.

Famous IXB boats included U-123 under the command of Hardegen, which opened up the attack in the US waters in early 1942 known as Operation Drumbeat, and U-107[?] out of Freetown, Africa[?] under the command of Hessler, which had the most successful single mission of the war over with close to 100,000 tons sunk.

14 Type IXB U-boats were built AG Weser of Bremen.

U-64[?] - U-65[?] - U-103[?] - U-104[?] - U-105[?] - U-106[?] - U-107[?] - U-108[?] - U-109[?] - U-110 - U-111[?] - U-122[?] - U-123 - U-124[?]

General characteristics

• Displacement: surfaced 1051 tons, submerged 1178 tons, total 1430 tons
• Length: overall 76.5 meters, pressure hull 58.7 meters
• Beam: overall 6.8 meters, pressure hull 4.4 meters
• Draft: 4.7 meters
• Height: 9.6 meters
• Power: surfaced 4400 horsepower, submerged 1000 horsepower
• Speed: surfaced 18.2 knots, submerged 7.3 knots
• Range: surfaced 19,200km (12,000 miles) at 10 knots, submerged 100km (64 miles) at 4 knots
• Torpedoes: 22 (4 bow, 2 stern tubes)
• Deck gun: Utof 105/45 with 110 rounds
• Crew: 48-56 men
• Max depth: 230m (750 feet)

Type IXC

Type IXC was a further refinement with storage for additional 43 tons of fuel, giving an increased range. These series omitted the control room periscope leaving the boats with two tower scopes.

As mine-layers they could carry 44 TMA or 66 TMB mines, though U-162[?] through U-170[?] and U-505 through U-550[?] (35 boats), were not fitted for mine operations.

54 of this type were built by AG Weser and Seebeck Yard[?] of Bremen, and Deutsche Werft[?] of Hamburg.

U-66[?] - U-67[?] - U-68[?] - U-125[?] - U-126[?] - U-127[?] - U-128[?] - U-129[?] - U-130[?] - U-131[?] - U-153[?] - U-154[?] - U-155 - U-156[?] - U-157[?] - U-158[?] - U-159[?] - U-160[?] - U-161[?] - U-162[?] - U-163[?] - U-164[?] - U-165[?] - U-166[?] - U-171[?] - U-172[?] - U-173[?] - U-174[?] - U-175[?] - U-176[?] - U-501[?] - U-502[?] - U-503[?] - U-504[?] - U-505 - U-506[?] - U-507[?] - U-508[?] - U-509[?] - U-510[?] - U-511[?] - U-512[?] - U-513[?] - U-514[?] - U-515[?] - U-516[?] - U-517[?] - U-518[?] - U-519[?] - U-520[?] - U-521[?] - U-522[?] - U-523[?] - U-524[?]

General characteristics

• Displacement: surfaced 1120 tons, submerged 1232 tons, total 1540 tons
• Length: overall 76.8 meters, pressure hull 58.7 meters
• Beam: overall 6.8 meters, pressure hull 4.4 meters
• Draft: 4.7 meters
• Height: 9.4 meters
• Power: surfaced 4400 horsepower, submerged 1000 horsepower
• Speed: surfaced 18.3 knots, submerged 7.3 knots
• Range: surfaced 21,500km (13,450 miles) at 10 knots, submerged 100km (63 miles) at 4 knots
• Torpedoes: 22 (4 bow, 2 stern tubes)
• Deck gun: Utof 105/45 with 110 rounds
• Crew: 48-56 men
• Max depth: 230m (750 feet)

Type IXC/40

Type IXC/40 was a slight modification of Type IXC with a slightly increased range and somewhat higher surface speed.

87 of this type were built by AG Weser and Seebeck Yard[?] of Bremen, and Deutsche Werft[?] of Hamburg.

U-167[?] - U-168[?] - U-169[?] - U-170[?] - U-183[?] - U-184[?] - U-185[?] - U-186[?] - U-187[?] - U-188[?] - U-189[?] - U-190 - U-191[?] - U-192[?] - U-193[?] - U-194[?] - U-525[?] - U-526[?] - U-527[?] - U-528[?] - U-529[?] - U-530[?] - U-531[?] - U-532[?] - U-533[?] - U-534[?] - U-535[?] - U-536[?] - U-537[?] - U-538[?] - U-539[?] - U-540[?] - U-541[?] - U-542[?] - U-543[?] - U-544[?] - U-545[?] - U-546[?] - U-547[?] - U-548[?] - U-549[?] - U-550[?] - U-801[?] - U-802[?] - U-803[?] - U-804[?] - U-805[?] - U-806[?] - U-841[?] - U-842[?] - U-843[?] - U-844[?] - U-845[?] - U-846[?] - U-853[?] - U-854[?] - U-855[?] - U-856[?] - U-857[?] - U-858[?] - U-865[?] - U-866[?] - U-867[?] - U-868[?] - U-869 - U-870[?] - U-877[?] - U-878[?] - U-879[?] - U-880[?] - U-881[?] - U-889[?] - U-1221[?] - U-1222[?] - U-1223[?] - U-1224[?] - U-1225[?] - U-1226[?] - U-1227[?] - U-1228[?] - U-1229[?] - U-1230[?] - U-1231[?] - U-1232[?] - U-1233[?] - U-1234[?] - U-1235[?]

General characteristics

• Displacement: surfaced 1120 tons, submerged 1232 tons, total 1545 tons
• Length: overall 76.8 meters, pressure hull 58.7 meters
• Beam: overall 6.9 meters, pressure hull 4.4 meters
• Draft: 4.7 meters
• Height: 9.6 meters
• Power: surfaced 4400 horsepower, submerged 1000 horsepower
• Speed: surfaced 19 knots, submerged 7.3 knots
• Range: surfaced 22,150km (13,850 miles) at 10 knots, submerged 100km (63 miles) at 4 knots
• Torpedoes: 22 (4 bow, 2 stern tubes)
• Deck gun: Utof 105/45 with 110 rounds
• Crew: 48-56 men
• Max depth: 230m (750 feet)

Type IXD

Type IXD was significantly longer and heavier than the IXC/40. A variant of the Type IXD, known as the IXD/42, was almost identical but with more engine power (5400 ehp instead of 4400).

In 1943 and 1944 the torpedo tubes were removed from the IXD boats and they converted for transport use. In their new role the could transport 252 tons of freight.

30 Type IXD U-boats were built AG Weser of Bremen. U-177[?] - U-178[?] - U-179[?] - U-180[?] - U-181[?] - U-182[?] - U-195[?] - U-196[?] - U-197[?] - U-198[?] - U-199[?] - U-200[?] - U-847[?] - U-848[?] - U-849[?] - U-850[?] - U-851[?] - U-852[?] - U-859[?] - U-860[?] - U-861[?] - U-862 - U-863[?] - U-864[?] - U-871[?] - U-872[?] - U-873[?] - U-874[?] - U-875[?] - U-876[?]

Several Type IXD/42 U-boats were contracted to be built AG Weser of Bremen, but only one was commissioned.

U-883[?] was launched on April 28, 1944 and commissioned March 27, 1945. Her career ended in Operation Deadlight.

U-884[?] was launched on May 17, 1944 but was badly damaged on March 30, 1945 by US bombs while still in dockyard hands. U-885[?], U-886[?] U-887[?], and U-888[?] were laid down but construction halted on September 30, 1943 when all IXD/42 contracts were cancelled.

General characteristics

• Displacement: surfaced 1610 tons, submerged 1799 tons, total 2150 tons
• Length: overall 87.6 meters, pressure hull 68.5 meters
• Beam: overall 7.5 meters, pressure hull 4.4 meters
• Draft: 5.4 meters
• Height: 10.2 meters
• Power: surfaced 4400 horsepower, submerged 1000 horsepower
• Speed: surfaced 20.8 knots, submerged 6.9 knots
• Range: surfaced 20,400km (12,750 miles) at 10 knots, submerged 185km (115 miles) at 4 knots
• Torpedoes: 24 (4 bow, 2 stern tubes)
• Deck gun: Utof 105/45 with 150 rounds
• Crew: 55-63 men
• Max depth: 230m (750 feet)