U-52, a typical Type VIIB boat
History
Nazi Germany
NameU-83
Ordered9 June 1938
BuilderFlender Werke, Lübeck
Yard number291
Laid down5 October 1939
Launched9 December 1940
Commissioned8 February 1941
FateSunk, 4 March 1943 by a British aircraft[1]
Badge
General characteristics
Class and typeType VIIB submarine
Displacement
  • 753 tonnes (741 long tons) surfaced
  • 857 t (843 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a
  • 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height9.50 m (31 ft 2 in)
Draught4.74 m (15 ft 7 in)
Installed power
  • 2,800–3,200 PS (2,100–2,400 kW; 2,800–3,200 bhp) (diesels)
  • 750 PS (550 kW; 740 shp) (electric)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 17.9 knots (33.2 km/h; 20.6 mph) surfaced
  • 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) submerged
Range
  • 9,400 nmi (17,400 km; 10,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 90 nmi (170 km; 100 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth
  • 220 m (720 ft)
  • Crush depth: 230–250 m (750–820 ft)
Complement4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Sensors and
processing systems		Gruppenhorchgerät
Armament
Service record[2][3]
Part of:
Identification codes: M 32 441
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Hans-Werner Kraus
  • 8 February 1941 – 21 September 1942
  • Kptlt. Ulrich Wörisshoffer
  • 16 October 1942 – 4 March 1943
Operations:
  • 12 patrols:
  • 1st patrol:
  • 26 July – 9 September 1941
  • 2nd patrol:
  • 28 September – 31 October 1941
  • 3rd patrol:
  • 11 – 23 December 1941
  • 4th patrol:
  • 25 – 30 December 1941
  • 5th patrol:
  • 12 – 24 February 1942
  • 6th patrol:
  • a. 10 – 21 March 1942
  • b. 24 – 28 March 1942
  • 7th patrol:
  • 5 April – 30 May 1942
  • 8th patrol:
  • 4 – 20 June 1942
  • 9th patrol:
  • a. 6 – 20 August 1942
  • b. 31 August – 4 September 1942
  • 10th patrol:
  • 21 November – 17 December 1942
  • 11th patrol:
  • 12 – 31 January 1943
  • 12th patrol:
  • 1 – 4 March 1943
Victories:
  • 5 merchant ships sunk
    (8,425 GRT)
  • 1 auxiliary warship sunk
    (96 GRT)
  • 1 merchant ship damaged
    (2,590 GRT)
  • 1 auxiliary warship damaged
    (6,746 GRT)

German submarine U-83 was a Type VIIB U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

She was laid down in the Flender Werke at Lübeck as yard number 291 on 5 October 1939. Launched on 9 December 1940, she was commissioned on 8 February 1941. U-83 served with 1st U-boat Flotilla from 8 February 1941 to 31 December, with the 23rd flotilla from 1 January 1942 to 30 April and with the 29th flotilla from 1 March 1942 until she was sunk.[2]

Design

German Type VIIB submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIA submarines. U-83 had a displacement of 753 tonnes (741 long tons) when at the surface and 857 tonnes (843 long tons) while submerged.[4] She had a total length of 66.50 m (218 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 48.80 m (160 ft 1 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.50 m (31 ft 2 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 AEG GU 460/8-276 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).[4]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.9 knots (33.2 km/h; 20.6 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph).[4] When submerged, the boat could operate for 90 nautical miles (170 km; 100 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,700 nautical miles (16,100 km; 10,000 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). Differently from other VII B U-Boats, U-83 was fitted with only the front four 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes, and only twelve instead of 14 torpedoes,[5] one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and one 2 cm (0.79 in) anti-aircraft gun The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.[4]

Service history

U-83 conducted twelve patrols and sank five ships totalling 8,425 gross register tons (GRT) and one auxiliary warship - the Q-ship HMS Farouk, of 96 GRT.[6] She damaged one other ship of 2,590 GRT and damaged the fighter catapult ship HMS Ariguani, of 6,746 GRT.[2][7]

U-83 was sunk on 4 March 1943 with all hands southeast of Cartagena in Spain in position 37°10′N 00°05′E / 37.167°N 0.083°E / 37.167; 0.083, by three depth charges dropped from an RAF Hudson bomber (500 Squadron).[2][1]

Wolfpacks

U-83 took part in three wolfpacks, namely:

  • Bosemüller (28 August - 2 September 1941)
  • Seewolf (2 – 7 September 1941)
  • Breslau (2 – 29 October 1941)

Summary of raiding history

DateShipNationalityTonnage[Note 1]Fate[8]
12 October 1941 Corte Real  Portugal 2,044 Sunk
26 October 1941 HMS Ariguani  Royal Navy 6,746 Damaged
17 March 1942 Crista  United Kingdom 2,590 Damaged
8 June 1942 Esther  Palestine 100 Sunk
8 June 1942 Said  Egypt 231 Sunk
9 June 1942 Typhoon  Palestine 175 Sunk
13 June 1942 HMS Farouk  Royal Navy 96 Sunk
17 August 1942 Princess Marguerite  Canada 5,875 Sunk

See also

References

Notes

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

Citations

  1. 1 2 Kemp 1999, p. 105.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIB boat U-83". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 27 December 2009.
  3. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "War Patrols by German U-boat U-83". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 27 December 2009.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Gröner, Jung & Maass 1991, pp. 43–44.
  5. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Type VIIB". U-Boat War in World War II. Uboat.net. Retrieved 13 February 2010.
  6. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "HMS Farouk (Q-ship)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 27 December 2009.
  7. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "HMS Ariguani (F 105) (Fighter catapult ship)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 27 December 2009.
  8. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-83". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net.

Bibliography

  • Bishop, Chris (2006). Kriegsmarine U-Boats, 1939–45. London: Amber Books. ISBN 978-1-904687-96-2.
  • Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). German U-boat commanders of World War II: a biographical dictionary. Translated by Brooks, Geoffrey. London, Annapolis, Md: Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-186-6.
  • Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945] (in German). Vol. IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  • Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  • Kemp, Paul (1999). U-Boats Destroyed - German Submarine Losses in the World Wars. London: Arms & Armour. ISBN 1-85409-515-3.
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