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German submarine U-988

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German submarine U-988 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 2 October 1942 by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg as yard number 188, launched on 3 June 1943 and commissioned on 15 July 1943 under Oberleutnant zur See Erich Dobberstein.

Design[edit]

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type 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.[1] She had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel 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, two Brown, Boveri & Cie GG UB 720/8 double-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-988 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and one twin 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.[1]

Service history[edit]

U-988′s career began on 15 July 1943 with training as part of the 5th U-boat Flotilla. On 8 September 1943, she collided with U-983 in the Baltic Sea north of Loba (54°46′N 17°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.[2]

U-988 began active service on 1 June 1944 as part of the 7th U-boat Flotilla.

Wolfpacks[edit]

U-988 took part in no wolfpacks.

Fate[edit]

U-988 send last radio message on 18 June, informing about an air attack, and was lost with all hands thereafter, and her fate is not certain.[3] It is believed, that U-988 attacked three ships in 27-29 June and then was sunk on 29/30 June 1944 in the English Channel west of Guernsey at 49°37′N 03°41′W / 49.617°N 3.683°W / 49.617; -3.683 at dawn by the Royal Navy frigates Template:HMS, Template:HMS, Template:HMS, and Template:HMS, after being damaged by and Royal Air Force Liberators of No. 244 Squadron.[4]

There appeared however a theory, that U-988 could have been sunk after an attack of Polish Wellington Mk XIV from 304 Squadron, piloted by Leopold Antoniewicz, which was credited with sinking a submarine on 18 June in the approximate position 49°03′N 04°48′W / 49.050°N 4.800°W / 49.050; -4.800.[3] Then, the submarine sank on 29/30 June could have been U-1191.[3]

Summary of raiding history[edit]

Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 1] Fate[5]
27 June 1944 HMS Pink  Royal Navy 925 Total loss
28 June 1944 HMS Maid of Orleans  Royal Navy 2,385 Sunk
29 June 1944 Empire Portia  United Kingdom 7,058 Total loss

References[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.

Citations[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.
  2. ^ Script error: No such module "Vorlage:Internetquelle". Uboat, abgerufen am 25. April 2012.Vorlage:Cite web/temporär
  3. ^ a b c Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2058: attempt to index a boolean value.
  4. ^ Script error: No such module "Vorlage:Internetquelle". Legion, 25. Juni 2009;.Vorlage:Cite web/temporär
  5. ^ Guðmundur Helgason: Script error: No such module "Vorlage:Internetquelle". In: Script error: No such module "Vorlage:Internetquelle". Abgerufen am 30. März 2015.Vorlage:Cite web/temporär

Bibliography[edit]

  • Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2058: attempt to index a boolean value.
  • Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2058: attempt to index a boolean value.
  • Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2058: attempt to index a boolean value.
  • Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2058: attempt to index a boolean value.

External links[edit]

Template:German Type VII submarines Template:September 1943 shipwrecks Template:June 1944 shipwrecks

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