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Type IXA submarine
The German Type IXA submarine was a sub-class of the German Type IX submarine built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine between 1937 and 1938. These U-boats were designed between 1935 and 1936 and were intended to be fairly large ocean-going submarines. The inspiration for the Type IXA submarine came from the German Type IA submarine, which had a similar diving depth and identical submerged horsepower.
Two of the eight Type IXA submarines (U-37 and U-38) would become the 6th and 10th most successful U-boats that saw service in World War II, sinking 53 and 35 ships respectively. All of the Type IXA submarines were sunk fairly early in the war except for U-37 and U-38, which were scuttled in May 1945 to prevent them from falling into the hands of the Allies.
All Type IXA submarines were ordered by the Kriegsmarine between 29 July 1936 and 21 November 1936 as part of the overall German plan of re-armament in violation of the Treaty of Versailles. The design of the IXA submarines was derived from the German Type IA submarine. All contracts for the construction of the submarines were awarded to DeSchiMAG AG Weser, Bremen. The first U-boat to be laid down in the Bremen ship yards was U-37, whose keel was laid down on 15 March 1937. The last U-boat to be laid down was U-44, whose construction began on 15 September 1937. By November 1939, all eight submarines had been fully constructed and commissioned into the Kriegsmarine.
The Type IXA submarines were the first German submarines to have a double hull. This allowed for a greater chance of survival in the event of an attack and gave them better seaworthiness on the surface. The Type IXA submarines had a test depth of 230 metres (750 ft). The class had two MAN M 9 V 40/46 supercharged 9-cylinder diesel engines that produced 4,400 PS (4,300 shp; 3,200 kW) as well as two SSW 2 GU 345/34 double-acting electric motors that produced 1,000 PS (986 shp; 735 kW) and allowed them to travel at 18.2 knots (33.7 km/h; 20.9 mph) while surfaced and 7.7 knots (14.3 km/h; 8.9 mph) submerged. The Type IXA submarines had a range of 10,500 nmi (19,400 km; 12,100 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) while on the surface and up to 78 nmi (144 km; 90 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) while submerged. The fuel capacity was 154 tonnes (152 long tons). The maximum crew capacity was 56, though the number on board was usually around 45–48.
The Type IXA submarines had six torpedo tubes (four in the bow and two in the stern) and carried a total of twenty-two 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedoes. The torpedo warhead was between 617 pounds (280 kg) and 948 pounds (430 kg). These torpedoes could travel up to 6,000 m (6,600 yd) and as fast as 44 knots (81 km/h). Twelve torpedoes were stowed internally and ten were in the topside deck containers. In order to get the torpedoes into the forward or bow torpedo room, the torpedoes were lifted over the U-boat by a crane. The crew would then pull the torpedo inside the vessel using a cradle that was set at an angle to allow the torpedo to slide into position inside the torpedo room. To reload a torpedo tube with a torpedo from one of the above-deck canisters, the submarine would have to surface in calm water. Then the torpedo would be pulled out of the compartment with winches and lowered into the forward or bow torpedo room. This process could take several hours for just one torpedo, during which the U-boat was unable to dive, making it an easy target for Allied aircraft.
The Type IXA submarines were equipped with a 10.5 cm (4.13 in) L/45 deck gun on a Utof mounting forward of the conning tower. Shell storage was 180 rounds. The gun fired a 33.3-pound (15.1 kg) HE round at a muzzle velocity of 780 m/s (2,600 ft/s) out to a maximum range of 15,175 m (16,596 yd). Against aircraft the weapon's ceiling was 10,000 m (11,000 yd). Training and elevation was manual. The rate of fire was 15 rounds per minute. They were also armed with 2 cm FlaK 30 and 3.7 cm (1.5 in) anti-aircraft guns. The 2 cm FlaK 30 guns had a range of 4,900 metres (5,400 yd) firing at up to 280 rounds per minute; firing against aircraft the ceiling was reduced to 3,700 m. The muzzle velocity was 835 m/s (2,740 ft/s) and each round weighed 0.71 pounds (0.32 kg). The 3.7 cm SK C/30U had a range of 8,500 metres (9,300 yd) and a firing rate of 30 rounds per minute. Its muzzle velocity was 1,000 m/s (3,300 ft/s) and the shell's total weight was 1.64 lb (0.74 kg).
The Type IXA class had eight U-boats, all of which were built by AG Weser of Bremen. After being commissioned and deployed, the Type IXA submarines were stationed in the German port city of Wilhelmshaven.
U-37 was laid down by AG Weser of Bremen on 15 March 1937. Following just over a year of construction, she was launched from the Bremen shipyards on 14 May 1938 and commissioned into the Kriegsmarine on 4 August 1938 under the command of Kapitänleutnant Heinrich Schuch as a member of the 6th U-boat Flotilla. U-37 was by far the most successful Type IXA U-boat and the sixth most successful U-boat in World War II, sinking 53 merchant ships for a total of 200,063 gross register tons (GRT), along with two warships during eleven war patrols from August 1939 to March 1941. In spite of these victories, U-37 was later withdrawn from combat service and was used for training submarine crews until the end of the war. On 8 May 1945, the crew of U-37 scuttled the U-boat in Sonderburg Bay off Flensburg to keep her from falling into the hands of the Allies.
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Type IXA submarine AI simulator
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Type IXA submarine
The German Type IXA submarine was a sub-class of the German Type IX submarine built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine between 1937 and 1938. These U-boats were designed between 1935 and 1936 and were intended to be fairly large ocean-going submarines. The inspiration for the Type IXA submarine came from the German Type IA submarine, which had a similar diving depth and identical submerged horsepower.
Two of the eight Type IXA submarines (U-37 and U-38) would become the 6th and 10th most successful U-boats that saw service in World War II, sinking 53 and 35 ships respectively. All of the Type IXA submarines were sunk fairly early in the war except for U-37 and U-38, which were scuttled in May 1945 to prevent them from falling into the hands of the Allies.
All Type IXA submarines were ordered by the Kriegsmarine between 29 July 1936 and 21 November 1936 as part of the overall German plan of re-armament in violation of the Treaty of Versailles. The design of the IXA submarines was derived from the German Type IA submarine. All contracts for the construction of the submarines were awarded to DeSchiMAG AG Weser, Bremen. The first U-boat to be laid down in the Bremen ship yards was U-37, whose keel was laid down on 15 March 1937. The last U-boat to be laid down was U-44, whose construction began on 15 September 1937. By November 1939, all eight submarines had been fully constructed and commissioned into the Kriegsmarine.
The Type IXA submarines were the first German submarines to have a double hull. This allowed for a greater chance of survival in the event of an attack and gave them better seaworthiness on the surface. The Type IXA submarines had a test depth of 230 metres (750 ft). The class had two MAN M 9 V 40/46 supercharged 9-cylinder diesel engines that produced 4,400 PS (4,300 shp; 3,200 kW) as well as two SSW 2 GU 345/34 double-acting electric motors that produced 1,000 PS (986 shp; 735 kW) and allowed them to travel at 18.2 knots (33.7 km/h; 20.9 mph) while surfaced and 7.7 knots (14.3 km/h; 8.9 mph) submerged. The Type IXA submarines had a range of 10,500 nmi (19,400 km; 12,100 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) while on the surface and up to 78 nmi (144 km; 90 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) while submerged. The fuel capacity was 154 tonnes (152 long tons). The maximum crew capacity was 56, though the number on board was usually around 45–48.
The Type IXA submarines had six torpedo tubes (four in the bow and two in the stern) and carried a total of twenty-two 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedoes. The torpedo warhead was between 617 pounds (280 kg) and 948 pounds (430 kg). These torpedoes could travel up to 6,000 m (6,600 yd) and as fast as 44 knots (81 km/h). Twelve torpedoes were stowed internally and ten were in the topside deck containers. In order to get the torpedoes into the forward or bow torpedo room, the torpedoes were lifted over the U-boat by a crane. The crew would then pull the torpedo inside the vessel using a cradle that was set at an angle to allow the torpedo to slide into position inside the torpedo room. To reload a torpedo tube with a torpedo from one of the above-deck canisters, the submarine would have to surface in calm water. Then the torpedo would be pulled out of the compartment with winches and lowered into the forward or bow torpedo room. This process could take several hours for just one torpedo, during which the U-boat was unable to dive, making it an easy target for Allied aircraft.
The Type IXA submarines were equipped with a 10.5 cm (4.13 in) L/45 deck gun on a Utof mounting forward of the conning tower. Shell storage was 180 rounds. The gun fired a 33.3-pound (15.1 kg) HE round at a muzzle velocity of 780 m/s (2,600 ft/s) out to a maximum range of 15,175 m (16,596 yd). Against aircraft the weapon's ceiling was 10,000 m (11,000 yd). Training and elevation was manual. The rate of fire was 15 rounds per minute. They were also armed with 2 cm FlaK 30 and 3.7 cm (1.5 in) anti-aircraft guns. The 2 cm FlaK 30 guns had a range of 4,900 metres (5,400 yd) firing at up to 280 rounds per minute; firing against aircraft the ceiling was reduced to 3,700 m. The muzzle velocity was 835 m/s (2,740 ft/s) and each round weighed 0.71 pounds (0.32 kg). The 3.7 cm SK C/30U had a range of 8,500 metres (9,300 yd) and a firing rate of 30 rounds per minute. Its muzzle velocity was 1,000 m/s (3,300 ft/s) and the shell's total weight was 1.64 lb (0.74 kg).
The Type IXA class had eight U-boats, all of which were built by AG Weser of Bremen. After being commissioned and deployed, the Type IXA submarines were stationed in the German port city of Wilhelmshaven.
U-37 was laid down by AG Weser of Bremen on 15 March 1937. Following just over a year of construction, she was launched from the Bremen shipyards on 14 May 1938 and commissioned into the Kriegsmarine on 4 August 1938 under the command of Kapitänleutnant Heinrich Schuch as a member of the 6th U-boat Flotilla. U-37 was by far the most successful Type IXA U-boat and the sixth most successful U-boat in World War II, sinking 53 merchant ships for a total of 200,063 gross register tons (GRT), along with two warships during eleven war patrols from August 1939 to March 1941. In spite of these victories, U-37 was later withdrawn from combat service and was used for training submarine crews until the end of the war. On 8 May 1945, the crew of U-37 scuttled the U-boat in Sonderburg Bay off Flensburg to keep her from falling into the hands of the Allies.