German submarine U-852

History
Nazi Germany
NameU-852
Ordered20 January 1941
BuilderDeSchiMAG AG Weser, Bremen
Yard number1058
Laid down15 April 1942
Launched28 January 1943
Commissioned15 June 1943
FateScuttled on 3 May 1944
General characteristics
Class and typeType IXD2 submarine
Displacement
  • 1,610 t (1,580 long tons) surfaced
  • 1,799 t (1,771 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 7.50 m (24 ft 7 in) o/a
  • 4.40 m (14 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height10.20 m (33 ft 6 in)
Draught5.40 m (17 ft 9 in)
Installed power
  • 9,000 PS (6,620 kW; 8,880 bhp) (diesels)
  • 1,000 PS (740 kW; 990 shp) (electric)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 20.8 knots (38.5 km/h; 23.9 mph) surfaced
  • 6.9 knots (12.8 km/h; 7.9 mph) submerged
Range
  • 12,750 nmi (23,610 km; 14,670 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 57 nmi (106 km; 66 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth230 m (750 ft)
Complement55 to 63
Armament
Service record[1][2]
Part of:
Identification codes: M 52 771
Commanders:
Operations:
  • 1 patrol:
  • 18 January – 3 May 1944
Victories: 2 merchant ships sunk
(9,972 GRT)

German submarine U-852 was a Type IXD2 U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine, which was a special long-range version of the Type IX, had four bow and two stern torpedo tubes and a Focke-Achgelis Fa 330 Bachstelze cable-towed lookout gyroglider. It was laid down in Bremen and completed in June 1943. She was commanded by Kapitänleutnant Heinz-Wilhelm Eck, who led her through her sea trials and onto her first war patrol on 18 January 1944.

Eck and his officers were the only Kriegsmarine submariners to be tried for war crimes at the end of World War II in Europe. They were convicted at a British military tribunal in Hamburg, (held concurrently during the Nuremberg Trials) for killing the survivors of the torpedoed Greek steamer Peleus in 1944.

  1. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type IXD2 boat U-852". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 9 March 2010.
  2. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "War Patrols by German U-boat U-852". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 9 March 2010.