German submarine U-88 (1941)

History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-88
Ordered	25 January 1939
Builder	Flender Werke, Lübeck
Yard number	292
Laid down	1 July 1940
Launched	16 August 1941
Commissioned	15 October 1941
Fate	Sunk 12 September 1942 south of Svalbard by HMS Faulknor
General characteristics
Class and type	Type VIIC submarine
Displacement	769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced; 871 t (857 long tons) submerged;
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;
Height	9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
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	17.7 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);
Complement	4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Armament	5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern); 14 × torpedoes; 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds); 1 x 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 AA gun;
Service record
Part of:	8th U-boat Flotilla; 15 October 1941 – 30 April 1942; 7th U-boat Flotilla; 1 May – 30 June 1942; 11th U-boat Flotilla; 1 July – 12 September 1942;
Identification codes:	M 27 945
Commanders:	Kptlt. Heino Bohmann; 15 October 1941 – 12 September 1942;
Operations:	3 patrols:; 1st patrol:; a. 29 April – 3 May 1942; b. 4 – 6 May 1942; 2nd patrol:; 17 June – 11 July 1942; 3rd patrol:; 25 August – 12 September 1942;
Victories:	2 merchant ships sunk ; (12,304 GRT)

German submarine U-88 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

She was laid down at the Flender Werke in Lübeck as yard number 292, launched on 16 August 1941 and commissioned on 15 October with Kapitänleutnant Heino Bohmann in command.

She was a fairly successful boat, succeeding in sinking 12,304 GRT of Allied shipping in a career lasting just one year over three patrols.

^ Kemp 1999, p. 89.

[FOOTNOTEKemp199989-1] Kemp 1999, p. 89.

[1]

History

Nazi Germany
Name	U-88
Ordered	25 January 1939
Builder	Flender Werke, Lübeck
Yard number	292
Laid down	1 July 1940
Launched	16 August 1941
Commissioned	15 October 1941
Fate	Sunk 12 September 1942 south of Svalbard by HMS Faulknor^[1]
General characteristics
Class and type	Type VIIC submarine
Displacement	769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced 871 t (857 long tons) submerged
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
Height	9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
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	17.7 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)
Complement	4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Armament	5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern) 14 × torpedoes 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds) 1 x 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 AA gun
Service record
Part of:	8th U-boat Flotilla 15 October 1941 – 30 April 1942 7th U-boat Flotilla 1 May – 30 June 1942 11th U-boat Flotilla 1 July – 12 September 1942
Identification codes:	M 27 945
Commanders:	Kptlt. Heino Bohmann 15 October 1941 – 12 September 1942
Operations:	3 patrols: 1st patrol: a. 29 April – 3 May 1942 b. 4 – 6 May 1942 2nd patrol: 17 June – 11 July 1942 3rd patrol: 25 August – 12 September 1942
Victories:	2 merchant ships sunk (12,304 GRT)