German submarine U-86 (1941)

U-52, a typical Type VIIB boat
History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-86
Ordered	9 June 1938
Builder	Flender Werke, Lübeck
Cost	4,714,000 Reichsmark
Yard number	282
Laid down	20 January 1940
Launched	10 May 1941
Commissioned	8 July 1941
Fate	Sunk by British warships HMS Tumult and HMS Rocket, 29 November 1943
General characteristics
Class and type	Type VIIB U-boat
Displacement	753 t (741 long tons) surfaced 857 t (843 long tons) submerged
Length	66.50 m (218 ft 2 in) o/a 48.80 m (160 ft 1 in) pressure hull
Beam	6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Draught	4.74 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	2 shafts 2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors
Speed	17.9 knots (33.2 km/h; 20.6 mph) surfaced 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph)
Range	8,700 nmi (16,100 km; 10,000 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced 90 nmi (170 km; 100 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth	220 m (720 ft) Crush depth: 230–250 m (750–820 ft)
Complement	4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Sensors and processing systems	Gruppenhorchgerät
Armament	5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern) 14 × torpedoes or 26 TMA mines 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds) 1 × 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun
Service record
Part of:	5th U-boat Flotilla 8 July – 31 August 1941 1st U-boat Flotilla 1 September 1941 – 29 November 1943
Identification codes:	M 46 726
Commanders:	Oblt.z.S. / Kptlt. Walter Schug 8 July 1941 – 29 November 1943
Operations:	8 patrols: 1st patrol: 7 – 22 December 1941 2nd patrol: 27 December – 15 February 1942 3rd patrol: 25 March – 26 May 1942 4th patrol: 2 July – 18 September 1942 5th patrol: 31 October 1942 – 7 January 1943 6th patrol: 24 February – 16 April 1943 7th patrol: a. 8 July – 11 September 1943 b. 30 October – 1 November 1943 8th patrol: 11 – 29 November 1943
Victories:	3 merchant ships sunk (9,614 GRT) 1 merchant ship damaged (8,627 GRT)

German submarine U-86 was a Type VIIB U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

She was laid down at the Flender Werke in Lübeck on 20 January 1940 as yard number 282. Launched on 10 May 1941, she was commissioned on 8 July and completed training with the 5th U-boat Flotilla under the command of Kapitänleutnant (Kptlt.) Walter Schug. She was reassigned to the 1st flotilla, initially for further training on 1 September before being ready for operations from 1 December. She stayed with that organization until her loss on 29 November 1943.

U-86 completed eight war patrols with the flotilla, sinking three ships, totalling 9,614 gross register tons (GRT). She also damaged a ship of 8,627 GRT. She was a member of ten wolfpacks.

She was sunk on 29 November 1943 east of the Azores, in position 40°52'N, 18°54'W, by depth charges from two British warships, HMS Rocket (H92) and HMS Tumult (R11). 50 dead (all hands lost).^[1]