German submarine U-434

Coordinates: 36°15′N 15°48′W / 36.250°N 15.800°W / 36.250; -15.800
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
History
Nazi Germany
NameU-434
Ordered23 September 1939
Builder
Danzig
Yard number1475
Laid down20 January 1940
Launched15 March 1941
Commissioned21 June 1941
FateSunk on 18 December 1941
General characteristics
Class and type
Type VIIC submarine
Displacement
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
  • 2,800–3,200 PS (2,100–2,400 kW; 2,800–3,200 bhp) (diesels)
  • 750 PS (550 kW; 740 shp) (electric)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 17.7 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
  • 230 m (750 ft)
  • Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft)
Complement4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Armament
Service record
Part of:
Identification codes: M 43 633
Commanders:
  • Kptlt.
    Wolfgang Heyda
  • 21 June – 18 December 1941
Operations:
  • 1 patrol:
  • 2 November – 18 December 1941
Victories: None

German submarine U-434 was a

.

The U-boat was

Danzig, launched on 15 March 1941, and commissioned on 21 June 1941, Kapitänleutnant Wolfgang Heyda commanding.[1]

U-434 sailed from Kristiansand, Norway on 2 November 1941, on her only war patrol. On 18 December, U-434 was sunk in the North Atlantic north of Madeira, Portugal, in position 36°15′N 15°48′W / 36.250°N 15.800°W / 36.250; -15.800. The U-boat was forced to the surface by depth charges from the British escort destroyer HMS Blankney and the destroyer HMS Stanley. There were two dead and 42 survivors.

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

Wolfpacks

U-434 took part in two

wolfpacks
, namely:

  • Steuben (14 November – 1 December 1941)
  • Seeräuber (15 – 18 December 1941)

References

  1. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-434". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
  2. ^ a b c d Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.

Bibliography

External links