German Type IXB submarine


The German Type IXB submarine was a sub-class of the German Type IX submarine built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine between 1938 and 1940. The U-boats themselves were designed to be fairly large ocean-going submarines. The inspiration for the Type IXB submarine came from the earlier original Type IX submarine, the Type IXA submarine. The design of the IXA was developed to give an increased range, a change which resulted in a slightly heavier overall tonnage. This design was improved even further in the later Type IXC submarines.
The class comprised 14 submarines,,,,,,,,,,,,,, and. The Type IXB submarines were the most successful class of submarine in the war in terms of the total amount to tonnage sunk, with each U-boat sinking an average of over during its career.

Design and construction

Construction

All Type IXB submarines were ordered by the Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine between 16 July 1937 and 8 August 1939 as part of Plan Z and the overall German plan of re-armament in violation of the Treaty of Versailles. The design of the IXB submarines came from the initial Type IX submarines, the Type IXA. All contracts for the construction of the submarines were awarded to DeSchiMAG AG Weser, Bremen. The first U-boat to be laid down in the Bremen ship yards was U-65, whose keel was laid down on 6 December 1938. The last U-boat to be laid down was U-111, whose construction began on 20 February 1940. By the end of 1940, all Type IXB submarines had been fully constructed and commissioned into the Kriegsmarine.

Design

All Type IXB submarines had while submerged and when surfaced. As a result, they could travel at while surfaced and submerged. The Type IXB submarines had a range of at while on the surface and at while submerged. They had 6 torpedo tubes and carried a total of 22 torpedoes. Unlike the earlier Type IXAs, the Type IXB submarines were equipped with 44 TMA mines as well. The Type IXB submarines were equipped with a 10.5 cm SK C/32 naval gun with 180 rounds on a Utof mount. The last piece of armament that the Type IXB submarines were equipped with were the standard anti-aircraft guns. All Type IXB submarines could hold up to 56 crew members at any given time though that number was usually around 45–48 crew members. After being commissioned and deployed, all of the Type IXB submarines built prior to the fall of France were stationed in the German port city of Wilhelmshaven while those who were commissioned following the capture of numerous French ports during the Battle of France were stationed in Lorient.

List of Type IXB U-boats

The Type IXB class had 14 U-boats, all of which were built by AG Weser of Bremen:
Name Hull builderOrderedLaid downLaunchedCommissionedFate
AG Weser, Bremen16 July 193715 December 193820 September 193916 December 1939Sunk on 13 April 1940 in the Herjangsfjord near Narvik, Norway. 8 dead and 38 survivors.
AG Weser, Bremen16 July 19376 December 19386 November 193915 February 1940Sunk on 28 April 1941 in the North Atlantic south-east of Iceland. All hands lost.
AG Weser, Bremen24 May 19386 September 193912 April 19405 July 1940Sunk on 15 April 1945 at Kiel in an Allied bombing raid.
AG Weser, Bremen24 May 193810 November 193925 May 194019 August 1940Missing since 28 November 1940 north-west of Ireland. All hands presumed lost.
AG Weser, Bremen24 May 193816 November 193915 June 194010 September 1940Sunk 2 June 1943 near Dakar. All hands lost.
AG Weser, Bremen24 May 193826 November 193917 June 194024 September 1940Sunk on 2 August 1943 north-west of Cape Ortegal, Spain. 22 dead and 36 survivors.
AG Weser, Bremen24 May 19386 December 19392 July 19408 October 1940Sunk on 18 August 1944 by depth charges from British aircraft.
AG Weser, Bremen24 May 193827 December 193915 July 194022 October 1940Sunk on 11 April 1944 at Stettin during a bombing raid. Later raised and scuttled there on 24 April 1945.
AG Weser, Bremen24 May 19389 March 194014 September 19405 December 1940Sunk on 4 May 1943 south of Ireland by depth charges from British aircraft. All hands lost.
AG Weser, Bremen24 May 19381 February 194025 August 194021 November 1940Captured on 9 May 1941 in the North Atlantic south of Iceland by the destroyers, and the British corvette. The Royal Navy allowed the U-boat to sink the next day in order to keep the documents captured from her a secret.
AG Weser, Bremen8 August 193920 February 194015 September 194019 December 1940Sunk on 4 October 1941 south-west of Tenerife by depth charges from a British warship. 8 dead and 44 survivors.
AG Weser, Bremen15 December 19375 March 193920 December 193930 March 1940Went missing on 22 June 1940. All hands presumed lost.
AG Weser, Bremen15 December 193715 April 19392 March 194030 May 1940Scuttled at Lorient on 19 August 1944. Raised and later became the French submarine Blaison.
AG Weser, Bremen15 December 193711 August 19399 March 194011 June 1940Sunk 2 April 1943 west of Oporto by depth charges from the British warships and. All hands lost.