German submarine U-1021
{{Short description|German World War II submarine}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}
| {{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image |Ship image= |Ship caption= }} {{Infobox ship career |Hide header= |Ship country=Nazi Germany |Ship flag={{shipboxflag|Nazi Germany|naval}} |Ship name=U-1021 |Ship ordered=13 June 1942 |Ship builder=Blohm & Voss, Hamburg |Ship yard number=221 |Ship laid down=6 May 1943 |Ship launched=13 April 1944 |Ship commissioned=25 May 1944 |Ship homeport= |Ship motto= |Ship nickname= |Ship fate=Sunk on 14 March 1945 |Ship notes= }} {{Infobox ship characteristics |Hide header= |Header caption= |Ship class=Type VIIC/41 submarine |Ship displacement=
|Ship length=
|Ship beam=
|Ship height={{convert|9.60|m|ftin|abbr=on}} |Ship draught={{convert|4.74|m|ftin|abbr=on}} |Ship power=
|Ship propulsion=
|Ship speed=
|Ship range=
|Ship complement=4 officers, 40–56 enlisted |Ship sensors= |Ship EW= |Ship armament=
|Ship notes= }} {{Infobox service record |is_ship=yes |label=Service record{{cite web |url=http://uboat.net/boats/u1021.html |title=The Type VIIC/41 boat U-1021 |last=Helgason |first=Guðmundur |website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net |access-date=2010-01-06 }} |url=http://uboat.net/boats/patrols/u1021.html |title=War Patrols by German U-boat U-1021 |last=Helgason |first=Guðmundur |website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net |access-date=2010-01-06 }} |partof=
|codes=M 23 789 |commanders=
|operations=*1 patrol:
|victories=None }} |
German submarine U-1021 was a Type VIIC/41 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
Laid down on 6 May 1943 at the Blohm & Voss yard in Hamburg, the submarine was launched on 13 April 1944, and commissioned on 25 May 1944, under the command of Oberleutnant zur See William Holpert.
Design
German Type VIIC/41 submarines were preceded by the heavier Type VIIC submarines. U-1021 had a displacement of {{convert|759|t|LT}} when at the surface and {{convert|860|t|LT}} while submerged.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|pp=43-46}} She had a total length of {{convert|67.10|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, a pressure hull length of {{convert|50.50|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, a beam of {{convert|6.20|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, a height of {{convert|9.60|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, and a draught of {{convert|4.74|m|ftin|abbr=on}}. The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of {{convert|2800 to 3200|PS|kW shp|-1}} for use while surfaced, two Brown, Boveri & Cie GG UB 720/8 double-acting electric motors producing a total of {{convert|750|PS|kW shp}} for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two {{convert|1.23|m|ft|abbr=on|0}} propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to {{convert|230|m}}.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|pp=43-46}}
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of {{convert|17.7|kn}} and a maximum submerged speed of {{convert|7.6|kn}}.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|pp=43-46}} When submerged, the boat could operate for {{convert|80|nmi}} at {{convert|4|kn}}; when surfaced, she could travel {{convert|8500|nmi}} at {{convert|10|kn}}. U-1021 was fitted with five {{convert|53.3|cm|in|0|abbr=on}} torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm SK C/35 naval gun, (220 rounds), one 3.7 cm Flak 18/36/37/43 and two 2 cm FlaK 30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|pp=43-46}}
Sensors
=Passive sonar=
U-1021 was one of only ten Type VIIC's to be fitted with a Balkongerät (literally 'Balcony apparatus or equipment'). The Balkongerät was used on U-boats ({{GS|U-682||2}}, {{GS|U-788||2}}, {{GS|U-799||2}}, {{GS|U-997||2}}, {{GS|U-1105||2}}, {{GS|U-1172||2}}, {{GS|U-1306||2}}, {{GS|U-1307||2}} and {{GS|U-1308||2}}).Base on war-time photographs. The Balkongerät was standard on the Type XXI and the Type XXIII. Nonetheless, it was also fitted to several Type IXs and one Type X. The Balkongerät was an improved version of Gruppenhorchgerät (GHG) (group listening device) with double the hydrophones.{{cite web |url=http://www.uboataces.com/hydrophones.shtml |title=Hydrophones |website=U-boats Aces - uboataces.com |access-date=20 May 2016}}
File:Type VIIC's Balcongerät Outer.png|The outside view of the German design of Balcongerät installed on Type VIIC's
Service history
U-1021 served with 31st U-boat Flotilla, a training unit, and later with 11th U-boat Flotilla from 1 December 1944 until its disappearance in March 1945.
=Patrol and loss=
U-1021 sailed from Bergen on 20 February 1945 and headed for the waters around Land's End.{{cite web
|url=http://uboat.net/boats/patrols/patrol_3030.html
|title=Patrol of U-boat U-1021 from 20 Feb 1945 to 14 Mar 1945
|last=Helgason
|first=Guðmundur
|website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net
|access-date=2010-01-06
}}
U-1021 was presumed to have been sunk on 30 March 1945 in The Minch in the Hebrides, by depth charges from the British frigates {{HMS|Rupert|K561|6}} and {{HMS|Conn|K509|6}}.{{cite web |url=http://www.cix.co.uk/~klockstone/uboat.htm |title=War Mystery Solved |publisher=cix.co.uk |access-date=2010-01-06
}}
=Discovery=
However, the wreck of U-1021 was identified by nautical archaeologist Innes McCartney and historian Axel Niestle in December 2006, {{convert|7|nmi|km}} off Newquay, Cornwall, at position {{coord|50|33.3|N|5|11.6|W|dim:200000|display=inline,title}}, close to two other U-boats, {{GS|U-325||2}} and {{GS|U-400||2}}. Further research by Innes McCartney led to the conclusion that all three submarines were sunk in the Bristol Channel by a deep-trap minefield. Minefield "HW A3", which was fatal to U-1021, was laid by {{HMS|Apollo|M01|6}} on 3 December 1944.{{Cite web
|url=http://uboat.net/articles/index.html?article=69
|title=The loss of U 325, U 400 and U 1021: Re-assessment of German U-boat losses in World War II
|last=Helgason
|first=Guðmundur
|website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net
|access-date=31 May 2010
}}
The attack of 30 March 1945 previously assumed to have sunk U-1021 is now believed to have sunk {{GS|U-965||2}}.
See also
References
{{reflist}}
Bibliography
{{Refbegin}}
- {{cite book | last1 = Busch | first1 = Rainer | last2 = Röll | first2 = Hans-Joachim | translator-last = Brooks | translator-first = Geoffrey | title = German U-boat commanders of World War II : a biographical dictionary | publisher = Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press | location = London, Annapolis, Md | year = 1999 | isbn = 1-55750-186-6 }}
- {{cite book
|last1=Busch
|first1=Rainer
|last2=Röll
|first2=Hans-Joachim
|title=Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945
|trans-title=German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945
|series=Der U-Boot-Krieg
|volume=IV
|publisher=Mittler
|location=Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn
|year=1999
|isbn=3-8132-0514-2
|language=de
}}
- {{cite book
|last1=Gröner
|first1=Erich
|last2=Jung
|first2=Dieter
|last3=Maass
|first3=Martin
|translator-last1=Thomas
|translator-first1=Keith
|translator-last2=Magowan
|translator-first2=Rachel
|year=1991
|title=German Warships 1815–1945, U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels
|volume=2
|location=London
|publisher=Conway Maritime Press
|isbn=0-85177-593-4
|ref=CITEREFGröner1991
}}
{{Refend}}
External links
- {{cite news |url=http://www.spiegel.de/wissenschaft/mensch/0,1518,456273,00.html |title=Geheimes Minenfeld: Drei deutsche U-Boote vor britischer Küste gefunden |publisher=spiegel.de |access-date=2010-01-04 |language=de|newspaper=Spiegel Online |date=22 December 2006 }}
- {{cite web
|url=http://www.u-boot-archiv.de/dieboote/u1021.php
|title=U 1021
|last=Hofmann
|first=Markus
|website=Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 - u-boot-archiv.de
|language=de
|access-date=30 January 2015
}}
- {{cite web
|url=http://uboat.net/articles/index.html?article=69
|title=The loss of U-325, U-400 and U-1021
|last=Helgason
|first=Guðmundur
|website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net
|access-date=2010-01-04
}}
- {{Cite web
|url=http://uboat.net/boats/u1021.htm
|title=The Type VII/C41 boat U-1021
|last=Helgason
|first=Guðmundur
|website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net
|access-date=6 December 2014
}}
{{German Type VII submarines}}
{{March 1945 shipwrecks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:U1021}}
Category:German Type VIIC/41 submarines
Category:U-boats commissioned in 1944
Category:World War II submarines of Germany
Category:World War II shipwrecks in the Celtic Sea
Category:U-boats sunk by mines
Category:U-boats sunk by British warships
Category:Ships built in Hamburg