Английская Википедия:German submarine U-159 (1941)

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German submarine U-159 was a Type IXC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine built for service during World War II. The keel for this boat was laid down on 11 November 1940 at the DeSchiMAG AG Weser yard in Bremen, Germany as yard number 1009. She was launched on 1 July 1941 and commissioned on 4 October under the command of Kapitänleutnant Helmut Witte (Knight's Cross).

The U-boat's service began with training as part of the 4th U-boat Flotilla. She then moved to the 10th flotilla on 1 May 1942 for operations. She sank 23 ships, totalling Шаблон:GRT and damaged one more of 265 GRT.

She was sunk by an American aircraft on 28 July 1943.

Design

German Type IXC submarines were slightly larger than the original Type IXBs. U-159 had a displacement of Шаблон:Convert when at the surface and Шаблон:Convert while submerged.Шаблон:Sfn The U-boat had a total length of Шаблон:Convert, a pressure hull length of Шаблон:Convert, a beam of Шаблон:Convert, a height of Шаблон:Convert, and a draught of Шаблон:Convert. The submarine was powered by two MAN M 9 V 40/46 supercharged four-stroke, nine-cylinder diesel engines producing a total of Шаблон:Convert for use while surfaced, two Siemens-Schuckert 2 GU 345/34 double-acting electric motors producing a total of Шаблон:Convert for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two Шаблон:Convert propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to Шаблон:Convert.Шаблон:Sfn

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of Шаблон:Convert and a maximum submerged speed of Шаблон:Convert.Шаблон:Sfn When submerged, the boat could operate for Шаблон:Convert at Шаблон:Convert; when surfaced, she could travel Шаблон:Convert at Шаблон:Convert. U-159 was fitted with six Шаблон:Convert torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and two at the stern), 22 torpedoes, one [[10.5 cm SK C/32 naval gun|Шаблон:Convert SK C/32 naval gun]], 180 rounds, and a [[3.7 cm SK C/30|Шаблон:Convert SK C/30]] as well as a [[2 cm FlaK 30|Шаблон:Convert C/30]] anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of forty-eight.Шаблон:Sfn

Service history

First and second patrols

The submarine's first patrol took her from Kiel on 22 April 1942, across the North Sea and into the Atlantic Ocean through the gap between the Faroe and Shetland Islands. She arrived at Lorient, in occupied France, on 3 May. She would be based at this Atlantic port for the rest of her career.

U-159Шаблон:'s second sortie proved to be successful, sinking ships such as Montenol on 21 May 1942 Шаблон:Convert east southeast of Santa Maria, in the Azores. She also attacked Illinois, which with a cargo of 8,000 tons of manganese ore, sank in 40 seconds. The U-boat's deck gun got plenty of use, sinking Sally on 5 June and Flora on the 18th. On another occasion, due to rough seas, the weapon could not be used in the attack on the Brazilian sailing ship Paracury; her 20mm AA gun was used instead. Holes at the waterline were shot into the vessel, which capsized but did not sink. The wreck was subsequently recovered and repaired. The boat was attacked by a Leigh Light equipped Vickers Wellington aircraft of No. 172 Squadron RAF on 13 July 1942. She was severely damaged and barely managed to reach Lorient, some 12 hours later.

Third patrol

Her third foray was to the South Atlantic and at 135 days, her longest and most destructive. Attacking and sinking among others, Boringia, the Empire Nomad and Ross. The boat was attacked by a SAAF [South African Air Force] Lockheed Ventura on 10 October 1942; only minor damage was sustained. She also torpedoed and sank La Salle on 7 November 1942. When the ships' cargo of ammunition exploded, it was heard at the Cape Point lighthouse, more than Шаблон:Convert away. Another of her victims, Star of Scotland, (which despite the name was registered in the US), was a steel sailing ship which was attacked and sunk with the deck gun about Шаблон:Convert west of Luderitz Bay, South Africa. Her master was to be taken away as a prisoner, but he was returned to his men after he pointed out to the submariners that he was the only man who could navigate.

Another "Star", Star of Suez, was sunk. Amongst the floating debris were 45 aircraft tyres, a 20 hp electric motor and 120 grapefruits; they were recovered by U-159. Another U-boat, Шаблон:GS, which had been thwarted in her attempt to get into an attacking position in time, also managed to rescue some aircraft tyres and spare parts for cars.

Fourth patrol

On her fourth patrol, U-159 sank Silverbeech on 28 March 1943 south of the Canary Islands from convoy RS 3. The U-boat was attacked by aircraft (she was one of eight), off the coast of Spanish, (now Western) Sahara.

Fifth patrol and loss

Файл:U-159 Bomben.jpg
U-159 attacked and sunk by a PBM-3C of VP-32 on 28 July 1943.

Her final patrol saw U-159 depart Lorient on 12 June 1943. She was sunk by a US Navy Mariner aircraft of VP-32.

Wolfpacks

U-159 took part in two wolfpacks, namely:

  • Wohlgemut (12 – 22 March 1943)
  • Seeräuber (25 – 30 March 1943)

Summary of raiding history

Date Name Nationality Tonnage
(GRT)
Fate[1]
21 May 1942 Montenol Шаблон:Flag 2,646 Sunk
21 May 1942 New Brunswick Шаблон:Flag 6,529 Sunk
2 June 1942 Illinois Шаблон:Flag 5,447 Sunk
5 June 1942 Paracury Шаблон:Flag 265 Damaged
5 June 1942 Sally Шаблон:Flag 150 Sunk
7 June 1942 Edith Шаблон:Flag 3,382 Sunk
11 June 1942 Fort Good Hope Шаблон:Flag 7,130 Sunk
13 June 1942 Sixaola Шаблон:Flag 4,693 Sunk
13 June 1942 Solon Turman Шаблон:Flag 6,762 Sunk
18 June 1942 Flora Шаблон:Flag 1,417 Sunk
19 June 1942 Ante Matkovic Шаблон:Flag 2,710 Sunk
22 June 1942 E.J. Sadler Шаблон:Flag 9,639 Sunk
7 October 1942 Boringia Шаблон:Flag 5,821 Sunk
8 October 1942 Clan Mactavish Шаблон:Flag 7,631 Sunk
9 October 1942 Coloradan Шаблон:Flag 6,557 Sunk
13 October 1942 Empire Nomad Шаблон:Flag 7,167 Sunk
29 October 1942 Laplace Шаблон:Flag 7,327 Sunk
29 October 1942 Ross Шаблон:Flag 4,978 Sunk
7 November 1942 La Salle Шаблон:Flag 5,462 Sunk
13 November 1942 Star of Scotland Шаблон:Flag 2,290 Sunk
13 November 1942 City of Bombay Шаблон:Flag 7,140 Sunk
15 December 1942 Star of Suez Шаблон:Flag 4,999 Sunk
16 December 1942 East Wales Шаблон:Flag 4,358 Sunk
28 March 1943 Silverbeech Шаблон:Flag 5,319 Sunk

References

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Bibliography

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External links

Шаблон:German Type IXC submarines Шаблон:July 1943 shipwrecks Шаблон:Subject bar Шаблон:Use dmy dates