German submarine U-1200

History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-1200
Ordered	14 October 1941
Builder	Schichau-Werke, Danzig
Yard number	1570
Laid down	17 April 1943
Launched	4 November 1943
Commissioned	5 January 1944
Fate	Sunk on or about 12 November 1944
General characteristics
Class and type	Type VIIC submarine
Displacement	769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced; 871 t (857 long tons) submerged;
Length	67.10 m (220 ft 2 in) o/a; 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in) pressure hull;
Beam	6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a; 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull;
Height	9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught	4.74 m (15 ft 7 in)
Installed power	2,800–3,200 PS (2,100–2,400 kW; 2,800–3,200 bhp) (diesels); 750 PS (550 kW; 740 shp) (electric);
Propulsion	2 shafts; 2 × diesel engines; 2 × electric motors;
Speed	17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced; 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged;
Range	8,500 nmi (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced; 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged;
Test depth	230 m (750 ft); Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft);
Complement	4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Armament	5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (4 bow, 1 stern); 14 × torpedoes or 26 TMA mines; 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds); 1 × 3.7 cm (1.5 in) Flak M42 AA gun ; 2 × twin 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns;
Service record
Part of:	8th U-boat Flotilla; 5 January – 31 August 1944; 11th U-boat Flotilla; 1 September – 12 November 1944;
Identification codes:	M 42 508
Commanders:	Oblt.z.S. Hinrich Mangels; 5 January – 12 November 1944;
Operations:	1 patrol:; 19 October – 12 November 1944;
Victories:	None

German submarine U-1200 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine which saw service during the Second World War.

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-1200 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.^[2] 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 supercharged diesel 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 AEG GU 460/8–27 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).^[2]

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).^[2] 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-1200 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, (220 rounds), one 3.7 cm (1.5 in) Flak M42 and two twin 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.^[2]

Service history

U-1200 keel was laid down 17 April 1943, by F. Schichau, of Danzig. She was commissioned 5 January 1944 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Hinrich Mangels.^[3]

She was assigned to 8th U-boat Flotilla for training, before joining 11th U-boat Flotilla in Norway for operational service.

Her first war patrol, on 7 October 1944, was cut short with mechanical difficulties; she returned to Bergen on 17 October. Two days later on 19 October she set out again for her patrol area in the South-Western Approaches, south of Ireland.

Fate

U-1200 was sunk on or about 12 November 1944 in the English Channel south-east of Start Point by unknown cause. All hands lost.^[1]

Previously recorded fate

On the night of 10 November 1944, 60 miles (97 km) south of Cape Clear, Ireland, she encountered units of the Royal Navy's 30 Escort Group. These were four Castle-class corvettes, HMS Pevensey Castle, HMS Kenilworth Castle, HMS Launceston Castle and HMS Portchester Castle, led by Cdr. Denys Rayner. Mistaking the group, which was engaged in a slow sweep of its patrol area, for a small convoy, U-1200 attempted to stalk the group, steering on a converging course. In a swift and well-executed attack, the ships of 30 EG rounded on the U-boat and destroyed her in one depth-charge attack. There were no survivors.^[4]^[5]^[6]

References

^ ^a ^b Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-1200". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.
^ Neistle p 98
^ Kemp 1999, p. 224.
^ Neistle p98
^ Rayner p224-229

Bibliography

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. ISBN 1-55750-186-6.
Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945]. Der U-Boot-Krieg (in German). Vol. IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). German Warships 1815–1945, U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
Kemp, Paul (1999). U-Boats Destroyed - German Submarine Losses in the World Wars. London: Arms & Armour. ISBN 1-85409-515-3.
Niestle, Axel (1998). German U-Boat Losses During World War II. Greenhill. ISBN 1-85367-352-8.
Denys Rayner: Escort:The Battle of the Atlantic (1955; reprint 1999) ISBN 1-55750-696-5