German submarine U-117 (1941)

U-117 (right) and U-66 under attack by aircraft from the USS Card on 7 August 1943
History
Nazi Germany
NameU-117
Ordered31 January 1939
BuilderGermaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number616
Laid down1 July 1939
Launched22 July 1941
Commissioned25 October 1941[1]
FateSunk on 7 August 1943, by five Avenger aircraft while supplying U-66. All hands lost[1]
General characteristics
Class and typeType X submarine minelayer
Displacement
  • 1,763 tonnes (1,735 long tons) surfaced
  • 2,177 tonnes (2,143 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 9.20 m (30 ft 2 in) o/a
  • 4.75 m (15 ft 7 in) pressure hull
Height10.20 m (33 ft 6 in)
Draught4.71 m (15 ft 5 in)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 16.4–17 knots (30.4–31.5 km/h; 18.9–19.6 mph) surfaced
  • 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph) submerged
Range
  • 18,450 nautical miles (34,170 km; 21,230 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 93 nmi (172 km; 107 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depthCalculated crush depth: 220 m (720 ft)
Complement5 officers, 47 enlisted
Armament
Service record[2][3]
Part of:
Identification codes: M 45 207
Commanders:
  • F.Kapt. Hans-Werner Neumann
  • 25 October 1941 - 7 August 1943
Operations:
  • 5 patrols:
  • 1st patrol:
  • a. 19 September - 5 October 1942
  • b. 10–11 October 1942
  • 2nd patrol:
  • 12 October - 22 November 1942
  • 3rd patrol:
  • a. 23 December 1942 - 7 February 1943
  • b. 7–8 March 1943
  • 4th patrol:
  • 31 March - 13 May 1943
  • 5th patrol:
  • 22 July - 7 August 1943
Victories:
  • 1 merchant ship total loss
    (7,092 GRT)
  • 1 merchant ship damaged
    (7,177 GRT)

German submarine U-117 was a Type XB minelaying U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

She was ordered on 31 January 1939, and laid down on 1 July 1939, at Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft, Kiel, as yard number 616. She was launched on 22 July 1941 and commissioned under the command of Fregattenkapitän Hans-Werner Neumann on 25 October of that year.[4]

  1. ^ a b Kemp 1999, p. 140.
  2. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type XB boat U-117". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 27 December 2012.
  3. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "War Patrols by German U-boat U-117". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 27 December 2012.
  4. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "U-117". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 27 December 2012.