German submarine U-440

{{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-440

|Ship ordered=5 January 1940

|Ship builder=Schichau-Werke, Danzig

|Ship yard number=1491

|Ship laid down=1 October 1940

|Ship launched=8 November 1941

|Ship commissioned=24 January 1942

|Ship fate=Sunk on 31 May 1943 in the North Atlantic in position {{coord|45|38|N|13|04|W}}, by depth charges from a RAF Sunderland.

}}

{{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=

2 shafts
2 × diesel engines
2 × electric motors

|Ship speed=

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

|Ship range=

{{convert|8500|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=

5 × {{convert|53.3|cm|in|0|abbr=on}} torpedo tubes (4 bow, 1 stern)
14 × torpedoes
1 × 8.8 cm SK C/35 naval gun (220 rounds)
1 x 2 cm FlaK 30 AA gun

}}

{{Infobox service record

|is_ship=yes

|label=Service record{{cite web

|url=http://uboat.net/boats/u440.html

|title=The Type VIIC boat U-440

|last=Helgason

|first=Guðmundur

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

|access-date=15 September 2014

}}

|partof=

5th U-boat Flotilla
24 January – 31 August 1942
1st U-boat Flotilla
1 September 1942 – 31 May 1943

|codes=M 25 447

|commanders=

Kptlt. Hans Geissler
24 January 1942 – 19 May 1943
Oblt.z.S. Werner Schwaff
20 – 31 May 1943

|operations=*5 patrols:

1st patrol:
1 – 21 September 1942
2nd patrol:
19 October – 13 November 1942
3rd patrol:
12 December 1942 – 26 January 1943
4th patrol:
27 February – 11 April 1943
5th patrol:
26 – 31 May 1943

|victories=None

}}

German submarine U-440 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II.

She was laid down on 1 October 1940 by Schichau-Werke, Danzig as yard number 1491, launched on 8 November 1941 and commissioned on 24 January 1942 under Oberleutnant zur See Hans Geissler. On 20 May 1943, Geissler was replaced as commander by Oberleutnant zur See Werner Schwaff.

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-440 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 460/8-276 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-440 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, and a 2 cm FlaK 30 anti-aircraft gun. 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 5th U-boat Flotilla on 24 January 1942, followed by active service on 1 September 1942 as part of the 1st Flotilla for the remainder of her service. On five patrols she sank no ships.

=Wolfpacks=

U-440 took part in seven wolfpacks, namely:

Pfeil (12 – 14 September 1942)
Streitaxt (29 October – 2 November 1942)
Delphin (4 – 5 November 1942)
Spitz (22 – 31 December 1942)
Neuland (6 – 13 March 1943)
Dränger (14 – 20 March 1943)
Seewolf (21 – 29 March 1943)

=Fate=

U-440 was sunk on 31 May 1943 in the North Atlantic in position {{coord|45|38|N|13|04|W}}, by depth charges from RAF Sunderland from 201 Squadron. All crew members died.

References

Bibliography

{{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