U-boat U-550 (Type IXC/40)

History of Submarine U-550 (Type IXC/40)

The Type IX submarine was built by the German Navy between 1935 and 1936 before World War II, fulfilling the long-term long-range "blue water"/for Industry deepwater services. A total of 194 ships (about 290 planned) remained in service until the end of World War II in 1945.

During the brief period of the war, these ships encountered U.S. and Canadian forces on the eastern coast of North America, supporting the U.S. and its deep supply chains, and the Allied cause across the Atlantic in Europe.

A number in the

class is the U-550, a submarine born out of the larger IXC/40 sub-class. The IXC-type boats were improved in form, with a slight increase in surface speed and operating range, and all 87 ships in this subgroup were completed. The U-550 was ordered on June 5, 1941 and rolled off the assembly line by Deutsche Werft (Hamburg) on ??October 2, 1942.

She was launched on May 12, 1943, and officially commissioned on July 28 of the same year.

The IXC type ship displaces 1,145 tons when surfaced and 1,240 tons underwater. The overall length is 251.9 feet, the beam is 22.5 feet, and the draft is 31.5 feet. When sailing on the water at 10 knots, the range is 13,850 nautical miles.

This drops to 63 knots when submerged and sailing at 4 knots. The hull has been tested to a depth of 750 feet.

The U-550 is powered by the typical diesel-electric propulsion scheme common to wartime U-boats. This includes the diesel generator sets that propel the submarine when it comes to the surface and battery-powered electric motors when it needs to navigate underwater.

The U-550 carries two engine types for powering the twin shaft/propeller unit, the diesel group producing 4,400 horsepower and the electric group producing 1,000 horsepower. In order to recharge the battery pack, the submarine must come to the surface -- that's when it's most vulnerable.

Armament includes 6 x 21" (533 mm) torpedo tubes, four in the bow and two in the stern. 22 x torpedo reloads are carried.

For surface operations, the boat can be reduced to 1 x 105 mm SK C/ 32 - Deck channel gun as well as 1 x 37 mm SK C/30 anti-aircraft gun (AA) and 1 x 20 mm FlaK 30 Flak mounted on dual gun mounts.

There were 4 officers and 44 men on board.

From July 28, 1943 to January 31, 1944, the U-550 became part of the 4th U-boat fleet to complete their training. From February 1, 1944 to April 16, 1944, she was assigned to the 10th U-boat fleet operating out of Lorient, France. In total, the submarine made only one patrol during its serviceon its way from Kiel to Iceland, in early February 1944, on its way to Newfoundland.

On February 22, 1944, a Canadian air raid failed to sink her.

On April 16, 1944, U-550 successfully spotted and torpedoed the large tanker SS Pan-Pennsylvania as part of an American convoy to Europe. This happened in southern Nantucket. Accompanying allied forces including USS Joyce, USS Peterson and USS Gandy, these ships began using depth charges to attack the area, eventually forcing a heavily damaged U-550 to the surface - where the depth charges were, and the shelling is still ongoing continue.

USS Gandy then moved in and rammed the ship, with good effect, and the combined operation eventually forced the submarine to surrender. Forty German sailors abandoned their sinking submarine and swam in icy waters toward the USS Peterson, only to die.

The USS Joyce was able to collect the 13 surviving Germans who ended the war in Ireland as prisoners of war.

This ended the U-550's brief reign.

Specification

Basics

Years of Service

1943

Origins

Nazi Germany

Status

Lost in action

No longer on duty.

supplement

48

staff

Class information

Class

Model IXC/40

Class Size

194

ships

Class

(Type IXA): U-37; U-38; U-39; U-40; U-41; U-42; U-43; U-44 (Type IXB): U-64; U- 65; U-103; U-104; U-105; U-106; U-107; U-108; U-109; U-110; U-111; U-122; U-123; U-124 ( IXC): U-66; U-67; U-68; U-125; U-126; U-127; U-128; U-129; U-130; U-131; U-153; U- 154; U-155; U-156; U-157; U-158; U-159; U-160; U-161; U-162; U-163; U-164; U-165; U-166; U-171; U-172; U-173; U-174; U-175; U-176; U-501; U-502; U-503; U-504; U-505; U-506; U- 507; U-508; U-509; U-510; U-511; U-512; U-513; U-514; U-515; U-516; U-517; U-518; U-519; U-520; U-521; U-522; U-523; U-524; U-533 (IXC/40): U-167; U-168; U-169; U-170; U-183; U-184; U-185; U-186; U-187; U-188; U-189; U-190; U-191; U-192; U-193; U-194; U-525; U- 526; U-527; U-528; U-529; U-530; U-531; U-532; U-533; U-534; U-535; U-536; U-537; U-538; U-539; U-540; U-541; U-542; U-543; U-544; U-545; U-546; U-547; U-548; U-549; U-550; U- 801; U-802; U-803; U-804; U-805; U-806; U-841; U-842; U-843; U-844; U-845; U-846; U-853; U-854; U-855; U-856; U-857; U-858; U-865; U-866; U-867; U -868; U-869; U-870; U-877; U-878; U-879; U-880; U-881; U-889; U-1221; U-1222; U-1223; U-1224 U-1225; U-1226; U-1227; U-1228; U-1229; U-1230; U-1231; U-1232; U-1233; U-1234; -177; U-178; U-179; U-180; U-181; U-182; U-195; U-196; U-197; U-198; U-199; U-200; U-847 ; U-848; U-849; U-850; U-851; U-852; U-859; U-860; U-861; U-862; U-863; U-864; U-871; U -872; U-873; U-874; U-875; U-876 (LCD/42): U-883; U-884; U-885; U-886; U-887; U-888

Operator

Nazi Germany

Roles

Underwater Attack

Travel below the surface to find, track and/or attack or explore areas.

Sea Patrol

Active patrolling of critical waterways and sea areas; also serves as a local deterrent against air and maritime threats.

Fleet Support

Provide support (fire or materiel) to major surface fleets in blue water environments.

Dimensions and Weight

Length

251. 9 feet

76.78m

Ray

22.5 feet

6.86m

Draft

31.5 feet

9.60m

Shift

1,125 t

No. submerged

1,240 t

Power and Performance

Installed Power:

2 x 4,400hp diesel engines and 2 x 1,000hp electric motors drive 2 x rear axles.

Surface Velocity

Section 18.3

(21.1 km/h)

Underwater speed

7. 3 nodes

(8.4 km/h)

Area

13,904nm

(16,000 km | 25,750 km)

Weapons

4 x 21" torpedo tubes in bow. 2 x 21" torpedo tubes in stern. 22 torpedo reloads. 1 x 105mm SK C/32 deck gun. 1 x 37mm SK C/30 (AA) anti-aircraft gun. 1 x 20mm FlaK 30 AA gun, dual gun mount.

Aircraft

None.