German submarine U-1020

Coordinates: 56°32′7″N 01°18′7″W / 56.53528°N 1.30194°W / 56.53528; -1.30194
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

U-995 Type VIIC/41 at the Laboe Naval Memorial. This U-boat is almost identical to U-1020.
History
Nazi Germany
NameU-1020
Ordered13 June 1942
Builder
Blohm & Voss, Hamburg
Yard number220
Laid down30 April 1943
Launched22 March 1944
Commissioned17 May 1944
FateSunk on or after 9 January 1945
General characteristics
Type
Type VIIC/41 submarine
Displacement
  • 757 long tons (769 t) surfaced
  • 857 long tons (871 t) submerged
Length
  • 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in) o/a
  • 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in)
    pressure hull
Beam
  • 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a
  • 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught4.74 m (15 ft 7 in)
Installed power
  • 2 × diesel engines
  • 2,800–3,200 PS (2,100–2,400 kW; 2,800–3,200 bhp) (diesels)
  • 750 PS (550 kW; 740 shp) (electric)
Propulsion
  • 2 ×
    electric motors
  • 2 × screws
Speed
  • 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced
  • 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged
Range
  • 8,500 nmi (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth
  • 250 m (820 ft)
  • Calculated crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft)
Complement44-52 officers & ratings
Armament
Service record
Part of:
Identification codes: M 22 946
Commanders:
Operations:
  • 1 patrol:
  • 22 November 1944 – 9 January 1945
Victories: None

German submarine U-1020 was a

Type VIIC/41 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II
.

She was ordered on 13 June 1942, and was

Blohm & Voss, Hamburg, as yard number 220. She was launched on 22 March 1944, and commissioned under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Otto Eberlein on 17 May 1944.[2]

Design

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 BBC 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).[3]

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). 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-1020 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in)

2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and fifty-two.[3]

Service history

U-1020 had a

Schnorchel underwater-breathing apparatus fitted out sometime before June 1944.[2]

On 22 November 1944, U-1020 left Horten on her first, and only, war patrol. Forty-nine days into her patrol, 9 January 1945, U-1020 struck a British mine east of Dundee in the North Sea. All 52 of her crew went down with the boat.[2]

The wreck now lies at 56°32′7″N 01°18′7″W / 56.53528°N 1.30194°W / 56.53528; -1.30194.[2]

See also

References

  1. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Otto Eberlein". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 24 March 2016.
  2. ^ a b c d Helgason, Guðmundur. "U-1020". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 24 March 2016.
  3. ^ a b Gröner 1991, pp. 43–44.

Bibliography