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German submarine U-1208

{{Short description|German World War II submarine}}

{{Infobox ship begin}}

{{Infobox ship image

|Ship image=

|Ship caption=

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{{Infobox ship career

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|Ship country=Nazi Germany

|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|Nazi Germany|naval}}

|Ship name=U-1208

|Ship ordered=2 April 1942

|Ship builder=Schichau-Werke, Danzig

|Ship yard number=1578

|Ship laid down=30 June 1943

|Ship launched=13 January 1944

|Ship commissioned=6 April 1944

|Ship fate=Sunk on 24 February 1945 in the North Atlantic in position {{coord|49|51|N|06|06|W|display=inline, title}}, by depth charges from {{HMS|Duckworth|K351|6}} and {{HMS|Rowley|K560|6}}.

}}

{{Infobox ship characteristics

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|Header caption=

|Ship class=Type VIIC submarine

|Ship displacement=

  • {{convert|769|t|LT|0|lk=on}} surfaced
  • {{convert|871|t|LT|0|abbr=on}} submerged

|Ship length=

  • {{convert|67.10|m|ftin|abbr=on}} o/a
  • {{convert|50.50|m|ftin|abbr=on}} pressure hull

|Ship beam=

  • {{convert|6.20|m|ftin|abbr=on}} o/a
  • {{convert|4.70|m|ftin|abbr=on}} pressure hull

|Ship draught={{convert|4.74|m|ftin|abbr=on}}

|Ship power=

  • {{convert|2800|–|3200|PS|kW bhp|abbr=on}} (diesels)
  • {{convert|750|PS|kW shp|abbr=on}} (electric)

|Ship propulsion=

|Ship speed=

  • {{convert|17.7|kn|lk=in}} surfaced
  • {{convert|7.6|kn}} submerged

|Ship range=

  • {{convert|8,500|nmi|abbr=on|lk=on}} at {{convert|10|kn}} surfaced
  • {{convert|80|nmi|abbr=on}} at {{convert|4|kn}} submerged

|Ship test depth=

  • {{convert|230|m|ft|abbr=on}}
  • Crush depth: {{convert|250|–|295|m|ft|abbr=on}}

|Ship complement=4 officers, 40–56 enlisted

|Ship armament=

}}

{{Infobox service record

|is_ship=yes

|label=Service record{{cite web

|url=http://uboat.net/boats/u1208.htm

|title=The Type VIIC boat U-1208

|last=Helgason

|first=Guðmundur

|website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net

|access-date=2 September 2014

}}

|partof=

|codes=M 05 973

|commanders=

  • K.Kapt. Georg Hagene
  • 6 April 1944 – 24 February 1945

|operations=*1 patrol:

  • 16 January – 24 February 1945

|victories=

  • 1 merchant ship sunk
    ({{GRT|1,644}})

}}

German submarine U-1208 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II.

She was laid down on 30 June 1943 by Schichau-Werke, Danzig as yard number 1578, launched on 13 January 1944 and commissioned on 6 April 1944 under Korvettenkapitän Georg Hagene.

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-1208 had a displacement of {{convert|769|t|LT}} when at the surface and {{convert|871|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 AEG GU 460/8–27 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-1208 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 twin 2 cm FlaK 30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|pp=43-46}}

Service history

The boat's career began with training at 8th U-boat Flotilla on 6 April 1944, followed by active service on 1 January 1945 as part of the 11th Flotilla for the remainder of her short service.

In one patrol she sank one merchant ship, for a total of {{GRT|1,644|disp=long}}.

=Wolfpacks=

U-1208 took part in no wolfpacks.

=Fate=

U-1208 was sunk on 24 February 1945 in the English Channel in position {{coord|49|51|N|06|06|W}}, by depth charges from Royal Navy frigates {{HMS|Duckworth|K351|6}} and {{HMS|Rowley|K560|6}}. All hands were lost.

Summary of raiding history

class="wikitable sortable"
width="120px"|Date

! width="180px"|Ship Name

! width="160px"|Nationality

! width="25px" |Tonnage
(GRT)

! width="80px" |Fate{{Cite web

|url=http://uboat.net/boats/successes/u1208.html

|title=Ships hit by U-1208

|last=Helgason

|first=Guðmundur

|website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net

|access-date=9 December 2014

}}

align="right"|24 February 1945

|align="left" |Oriskany

|align="left" |{{flag|United Kingdom|civil}}

|align="right"|1,644

|align="left" |Sunk

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

}}

  • {{cite book

|last=Sharpe

|first=Peter

|title=Ships hit by U-Boat Fact File

|publisher=Midland Publishing

|location=Great Britain

|year=1998

|isbn=1-85780-072-9}}

{{Refend}}

External links

  • {{Cite web

|url=http://uboat.net/boats/u1208.html

|title=The Type VIIC boat U-1208

|last=Helgason

|first=Guðmundur

|website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net

|access-date=9 December 2014

}}

{{German Type VII submarines}}

{{February 1945 shipwrecks}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2014}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:U1208}}

Category:German Type VIIC submarines

Category:1944 ships

Category:U-boats commissioned in 1944

Category:Submarines lost with all hands

Category:U-boats sunk in 1945

Category:U-boats sunk by depth charges

Category:U-boats sunk by British warships

Category:World War II shipwrecks in the Atlantic Ocean

Category:World War II submarines of Germany

Category:Ships built in Danzig

Category:Maritime incidents in February 1945

Category:Ships built by Schichau