German submarine U-4712

German World War II submarine

History
Postwar photo of Hecht (S 171), (former Type XXIII submarine U-2367). An identical sister ship of U-4712.
Nazi Germany
Name	U-4712
Ordered	7 July 1944
Builder	Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft AG, Kiel
Yard number	954
Laid down	3 January 1945
Launched	1 March 1945
Commissioned	3 April 1945
Fate	Scuttled on 3 May 1945
General characteristics
Class and type	Type XXIII submarine
Displacement	234 t (230 long tons) (surfaced) 258 t (254 long tons) (submerged)
Length	34.68 m (113 ft 9 in) (o/a) 26.00 m (85 ft 4 in) (p/h)
Beam	3.02 m (9 ft 11 in) (o/a) 3.00 m (9 ft 10 in) (p/h)
Draught	3.66 m (12 ft)
Installed power	575–630 PS (423–463 kW; 567–621 shp) (diesel drive) 580 PS (430 kW; 570 shp) (standard electric drive) 35 PS (26 kW; 35 shp) (silent electric drive)
Propulsion	1 × MWM RS134S 6-cylinder diesel engine 1 × AEG GU4463-8 double-acting electric motor 1 × BBC CCR188 electric creeping motor
Speed	9.7 knots (18 km/h; 11 mph) (surfaced) 12.5 knots (23 km/h; 14 mph) (submerged)
Range	2,600 nautical miles (4,800 km; 3,000 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced 194 nmi (359 km; 223 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth	180 m (590 ft)
Complement	14–18
Armament	2 × 53.3 cm (21 in) bow torpedo tubes 2 × torpedoes
Service record
Part of:	5th U-boat Flotilla 3 April – 3 May 1945
Identification codes:	M 52 911
Commanders:	Oblt.z.S. Karl-Heinz Rohlfing^[1] 3 April – 3 May 1945
Operations:	None
Victories:	None

German submarine U-4712 was a Type XXIII U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. She was ordered on 7 July 1944, and was laid down on 3 January 1945 at Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft AG, Kiel, as yard number 954. She was launched on 1 March 1945 and commissioned under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Karl-Heinz Rohlfing on 3 April 1945.^[2]

Design

Like all Type XXIII U-boats, U-4712 had a displacement of 234 tonnes (230 long tons) when at the surface and 258 tonnes (254 long tons) while submerged. She had a total length of 34.68 m (113 ft 9 in) (o/a), a beam width of 3.02 m (9 ft 11 in) (o/a), and a draught depth of 3.66 m (12 ft). The submarine was powered by one MWM six-cylinder RS134S diesel engine providing 575–630 metric horsepower (423–463 kilowatts; 567–621 shaft horsepower), one AEG GU4463-8 double-acting electric motor electric motor providing 580 PS (430 kW; 570 shp), and one BBC silent running CCR188 electric motor providing 35 PS (26 kW; 35 shp).^[3]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 9.7 knots (18.0 km/h; 11.2 mph) and a submerged speed of 12.5 knots (23.2 km/h; 14.4 mph). When submerged, the boat could operate at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) for 194 nautical miles (359 km; 223 mi); when surfaced, she could travel 2,600 nautical miles (4,800 km; 3,000 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph). U-4712 was fitted with two 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes in the bow. She could carry two preloaded torpedoes. The complement was 14–18 men.^[3] This class of U-boat did not carry a deck gun.^[2]

Service history

On 3 May 1945, U-4712 was scuttled at Germaniawerft, Kiel, as part of Operation Regenbogen. The wreck was later raised and broken up.^[2]

References

^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Karl-Heinz Rohlfing". Uboat.net. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
^ ^a ^b ^c Helgason, Guðmundur. "U-4712". Uboat.net. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
^ ^a ^b Gröner 1991, p. 89.

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.
Gröner, Eric; 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. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
Williamson, Gordon (2005). Wolf Pack: The Story of the U-boat in World War II. Osprey. ISBN 1841768723.

External links

Helgason, Guðmundur. "U-4712". Uboat.net. Retrieved 30 April 2016.

Type XXIII submarines

U-2321
U-2322
U-2323
U-2324
U-2325
U-2326
U-2327
U-2328
U-2329
U-2330
U-2331
U-2332
U-2333
U-2334
U-2335
U-2336
U-2337
U-2338
U-2339
U-2340
U-2341
U-2342
U-2343
U-2344
U-2345
U-2346
U-2347
U-2348
U-2349
U-2350
U-2351
U-2352
U-2353
U-2354
U-2355
U-2356
U-2357
U-2358
U-2359
U-2360
U-2361
U-2362
U-2363
U-2364
U-2365
U-2366
U-2367
U-2368
U-2369
U-2371
U-4701
U-4702
U-4703
U-4704
U-4705
U-4706
U-4707
U-4709
U-4710
U-4711
U-4712

Preceded by: Type XXI
Followed by: None

List of U-boats of Germany

v t e Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in May 1945
Shipwrecks	1 May: Argo, TA 43, U-3006, U-3009 2 May: Admiral Hipper, USS Thornton, U-8, U-14, U-60, U-61, U-62, U-71, U-72, U-120, U-121, U-137, U-139, U-140, U-141, U-142, U-146, U-148, U-151, U-152, U-316, U-552, U-554, U-612, U-717, U-929, U-1007, U-1308, U-2327, U-2359, U-2510, U-2526, U-2527, U-2528, U-2531, U-3002, U-3016, U-3018, U-3019, U-3020, U-3021, U-3504, U-3516, U-3517, U-3521, U-3522 3 May: Arcona, Cap Arcona, Deutschland, Emden, USS Lagarto, USS Little, USS LSM(R)-195, Medusa, Nordland, Schlesien, Thielbek, UA, UB, UD-1, UD-2, UD-3, UD-4, U-48, U-52, U-57, U-58, U-59, U-101, U-328, U-339, U-428, U-446, U-475, U-560, U-704, U-708, U-747, U-748, U-795, U-822, U-828, U-876, U-903, U-922, U-924, U-958, U-1166, U-1170, U-1192, U-1196, U-1201, U-1205, U-1210, U-1227, U-1275, U-2330, U-2332, U-2355, U-2371, U-2501, U-2503, U-2504, U-2508, U-2512, U-2519, U-2520, U-2521, U-2524, U-2533, U-2534, U-2535, U-2536, U-2539, U-2543, U-2545, U-2546, U-2548, U-2552, U-3001, U-3005, U-3010, U-3011, U-3012, U-3013, U-3014, U-3023, U-3024, U-3025, U-3026, U-3027, U-3028, U-3029, U-3031, U-3032, U-3037, U-3038, U-3039, U-3040, U-3507, U-3509, U-3511, U-3513, U-3518, U-3525, U-3530, U-4705, U-4712, Z43 4 May: USS LSM(R)-190, USS LSM(R)-194, USS Luce, USS Morrison, Orion, USS PGM-17, U-30, U-46, U-267, U-393, U-711, U-721, U-792, U-793, U-904, U-1132, U-1161, U-1168, U-1303, U-1304, U-2338, U-2540, U-3033, U-3034, U-4709, U-4711 5 May: T36, U-17, U-38, U-236, U-290, U-349, U-351, U-370, U-397, U-534, U-579, U-733, U-746, U-750, U-794, U-827, U-999, U-1008, U-1016, U-1025, U-1056, U-1162, U-1193, U-1204, U-1207, U-1223, U-1234, U-1306, U-1405, U-2333, U-2339, U-2343, U-2346, U-2347, U-2349, U-2352, U-2357, U-2358, U-2360, U-2362, U-2364, U-2366, U-2367, U-2368, U-2369, U-2507, U-2517, U-2522, U-2525, U-2541, U-2544, U-2551, U-3015, U-3022, U-3044, U-3501, U-3510, U-3524, U-3526, U-3527, U-3528, U-3529, U-4701, U-4702, U-4703, U-4704, U-4707, U-4710 6 May: U-853, U-881, U-3523 7 May: Avondale Park, Sneland I, U-1407 8 May: U-37, U-320, U-382, U-2365, U-2538, U-3030, U-3503 16 May: Haguro, Hatsutaka, U-287 18 May: USS Longshaw 20 May: U-963 24 May: HM Motor Gun Boat 2007, U-979 25 May: USS Bates, USS LSM-135 28 May: USS Drexler 29 May: Tenryo Maru 31 May: I-361, Uzbekistan
Other incidents	3 May: USS Aaron Ward 4 May: HMS Formidable, USS Sangamon 9 May: USS England, USS Oberrender 11 May: USS Bunker Hill, USS Evans, USS Hugh W. Hadley 19 May: Kashima, HMS Terrapin 20 May: USS Chase, USS Thatcher 25 May: USS Barry, USS Spectacle, William B. Allison 26 May: USS PC-1603 29 May: USS Shubrick 31 May: Hebrides Unknown date: Nymphe, U-1197
1944 1945 1946 April 1945 June 1945