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German submarine U-417 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
| History | |
|---|---|
 Nazi Germany | |
| Name | U-417 |
| Ordered | 20 January 1941 |
| Builder | Danziger Werft, Danzig |
| Yard number | 118 |
| Laid down | 16 September 1941 |
| Launched | 6 June 1942 |
| Commissioned | 26 September 1942 |
| Fate | Sunk by a British aircraft on 11 June 1943[1][2] |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Type VIIC submarine |
| Displacement | |
| Length |
|
| Beam |
|
| Height | 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in) |
| Draught | 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in) |
| Installed power |
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| Propulsion |
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| Speed |
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| Range | |
| Test depth |
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| Complement | 4 officers, 40–56 enlisted |
| Armament |
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| Service record[1] | |
| Part of: |
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| Identification codes: | M 49 394 |
| Commanders: |
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| Operations: |
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| Victories: | None |
She carried out one patrol. She did not sink or damage any ships.
She was sunk by a British aircraft southeast of Iceland on 11 June 1943.[1][2]
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-417 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.[3] 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 Siemens-Schuckert GU 343/38–8 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).[3]
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).[3] 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-417 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, and two twin 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.[3]
The submarine was laid down on 16 September 1941 at the Danziger Werft (yard) at Danzig (now Gdansk), as yard number 118, launched on 6 June 1942 and commissioned on the 26th September under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Wolfgang Schreiner.
She served with the 8th U-boat Flotilla from 26 September 1942 and the 6th flotilla from 1 June 1943.
Patrol and loss
U-417 was sunk on 11 June 1943 southeast of Iceland by depth charges from a British B-17 Flying Fortress of No. 206 Squadron RAF.
Forty-six men were lost with U-417; there were no survivors.
Aftermath
U-417's anti-aircraft fire had been accurate. The B-17 ditched; all eight of the crew were forced to share a single dinghy. On 14 June, an American navy PBY Catalina attempted a landing but crashed. Its crew of nine found themselves adrift on two rafts. The B-17 crew were found and rescued by Jack Holmes in a British Catalina of 190 squadron on the same day of their ditching,[4] but the Americans were not found for another five days. Only one man survived, the others died of exposure.
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