Type IX submarine

Template:Infobox ship imageTemplate:Infobox ship class overviewTemplate:Infobox ship characteristics

The Type IX U-boat was designed by Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine in 1935 and 1936 as a large ocean-going submarine for sustained operations far from the home support facilities. Type IX boats were briefly used for patrols off the eastern United States in an attempt to disrupt the stream of troops and supplies bound for Europe. It was derived from the Type IA and appeared in various sub-types.Template:SfnTemplate:SfnTemplate:Efn

Type IXs had six torpedo tubes; four at the bow and two at the stern. They carried six reloads internally and ten spare torpedoes externally in pressure-tight containers. Type IX boats could also be fitted for mine operations; as mine-layers they could carry 44 TMA or 60 TMB mines.Template:Sfn

Secondary armament was provided by one [[10.5 cm SK C/32 naval gun|Template:Convert deck gun]] with 180 rounds. Anti-aircraft armament differed throughout the war. They had two periscopes in the tower. Types IXA and IXB had an additional periscope in the control room, which was removed in Type IXC and afterwards. These long range boats were frequently equipped with Focke-Achgelis Fa 330 rotor kite towed rotary-wing aircraft.

Design

The Anglo-German Naval Agreement of 1935 allowed Germany to build a U-Boat fleet of Template:Cvt. Parts for two Type I, twenty-four Type II and ten Type VII U-boats had already been produced before the conclusion of the agreement and these thirty-six U-boats comprising Template:Cvt were built within the year. The German Navy wanted to spend the remaining Template:Cvt on a large Template:Cvt U-boat, capable of operating in the Mediterranean Sea. In order to speed up construction, the existing Type I design was modified to fulfill the extra requirements. To improve speed, a more powerful diesel engine was installed. The upper deck was widened so that ten spare torpedoes could be stored below in water-tight containers.Template:Sfn

Type IXA

The first four Type IX U-boats were ordered on 29 July 1936 from DeSchiMAG AG Weser of Bremen,Template:Sfn and on 21 November a further four were ordered from the same yard.Template:Sfn The eight U-boats were commissioned in 1938-39. Six were lost in action and two were scuttled at the end of the war.Template:Sfn

Type IXB

On 17 July 1937 the British amended the Anglo-German Naval Agreement for an expansion of their submarine fleet. As a consequence Germany was also allowed more tonnage for their U-boats and part of this tonnage was used to order two Type IXB on 21 July. The Type IXB was a identical to the Type IXA, except for a wider outer hull,Template:Sfn which increased fuel storage to Template:Cvt.Template:Sfn In 1938 the Germans invoked an clausule of the Anglo-German Naval- Agreement which allowed them to build submarines in parity with the British. A further eight Type IXB were ordered on 24 May 1938 and a ninth was ordered on 9 Augustus.Template:Sfn

DeSchiMAG AG Weser of Bremen built 14 Type IXB U-boats. Thirteen were sunk in the course of the war.

Type IXC

The Type IXC had again a wider outer hull, with storage for an additional 43 tonnes of fuel, increasing the boat's range. This series omitted the control room periscope leaving the boats with two tower scopes.Template:Sfn As mine-layers they could carry 44 TMA or 66 TMB mines, though the 35 boats of Template:GS through Template:GS and Template:GS through Template:GS were not fitted for mine operations.Template:Sfn The only U-boat sunk in the Gulf of Mexico, Template:GS, was a Type IXC. U-505 survives at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, and was completely renovated after being moved in 2004 to a purpose-built indoor berth.

DeSchiMAG AG Weser and Seebeckwerft of Bremen, and Deutsche Werft of Hamburg built 54 Type IXC submarines. Only four survived the war, one of which is preserved in the US.

Type IXC/40

Type IXC/40 was an improved Type IXC with slightly increased rangeTemplate:Sfn and surfaced speed. Template:GS is on display at Woodside Ferry Terminal, Birkenhead.

DeSchiMAG AG Weser and Seebeckwerft of Bremen, and Deutsche Werft of Hamburg, built 87 of this type.

Type IXD

Type IXD was significantly longer and heavier than the IXC/40. It was faster than the IXC but at the cost of slightly reduced maneuverability. It had three pairs of Daimler Benz diesels: two pairs for cruise and one for high speed or battery recharge. There were three variants: the IXD1, IXD2 and IXD/42. The IXD1 had unreliable engines and they were later converted for use in surface transport vessels. The IXD2 comprised most of the class and had a range of Template:Convert. The IXD/42, was almost identical but with more engine power (Template:Convert instead of Template:Convert).

In 1943 and 1944 the torpedo tubes were removed from some IXD boats converted for transport use. In their new role they could transport 252 tonnes of cargo. The range was extended to Template:Convert.Template:Sfn

DeSchiMAG AG Weser of Bremen built 30 Type IXD U-boats.

Several Type IXD/42 U-boats were contracted to be built by DeSchiMAG AG Weser of Bremen, but only two were commissioned. They were:

• Template:GS was launched on 28 April 1944 and commissioned 27 March 1945. Her career ended in Operation Deadlight.
• Template:GS was launched on 17 May 1944 but was badly damaged on 30 March 1945 by US bombs while still in the dockyard.
• Template:GS, Template:GS, Template:GS and Template:GS were laid down but construction halted on 30 September 1943 when all IXD/42 contracts were cancelled.

Specifications

Class	IXATemplate:Sfn	IXBTemplate:Sfn	IXCTemplate:Sfn	IXC/40Template:Sfn	IXD1Template:Sfn	IXD2Template:Sfn	IXD/42Template:Sfn
Displacement surfaced	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert
Displacement submerged	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert
Length overall	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert
Length pressure hull	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	--	--
Beam overall	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert
Beam pressure hull	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	--	--
Height	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	--	--
Draft	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert
Surface speed	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert
Submerged speed	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert
Surface range at 10 knots	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert
Submerged range at 4 knots	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert
Bow tubes	4
Stern tubes	2
Torpedoes (maximum)	22	22	22	22	22	24	24