German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-974 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.[4] She had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder superchargeddiesel engines producing a total of 2,800 to 3,200 metric horsepower (2,060 to 2,350 kW; 2,760 to 3,160 shp) for use while surfaced, two Garbe, Lahmeyer & Co. RP 137/c double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 metric horsepower (550 kW; 740 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m (4 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).[4]
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph).[4] When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nautical miles (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-974 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes or 26 TMA mines, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and one twin 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between 44 — 52 men.[4]
Service history
On 19 April 1944, U-974 was sunk by torpedoes near Stavanger, Norway, in the Boknafjord. U-974 was attacked by a Norwegian submarine, HNoMS Ula. Eight of the crew of fifty survived.[3]
In 1996, an ROV at a depth of about 190 m (620 ft) discovered the wreck of U-974. She had broken into two separate parts of about 15 m (49 ft) and 40 m (130 ft) in length. The wreck of U-974 lies in the Boknafjord around 1,000 m (3,300 ft) southeast of Loten, Bokn.[3]
References
^Helgason, Guðmundur. "Joachim Zaubitzer". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
^Helgason, Guðmundur. "Heinz Wolff". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
^ abcdHelgason, Guðmundur. "U-974". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 7 April 2016.
Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). German U-boat commanders of World War II : a biographical dictionary. Translated by Brooks, Geoffrey. London, Annapolis, Md: Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press. ISBN1-55750-186-6.
