German submarine U-794

German submarine U-794 was a Type XVIIA U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during the Second World War. She was one of a small number of U-boats fitted with Hellmuth Walter's high test peroxide propulsion system, which offered a combination of air-independent propulsion and high submerged speeds. She spent the war as a trials vessel and was scuttled on 5 May 1945 in Gelting Bay.

History
Nazi Germany
NameU-794
Ordered7 August 1942[1]
BuilderGermaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number718
Laid down1 February 1943[1]
Launched7 October 1943[1]
Commissioned14 November 1943[1]
FateScuttled on 5 May 1945, later broken up[1]
General characteristics [2][3]
Class and typeType XVIIA submarine
Displacement
  • 236 long tons (240 t) surfaced
  • 259 long tons (263 t) submerged
  • 312 long tons (317 t) total
Length36.60 m (120 ft 1 in) o/a
Beam
Draught4.55 m (14 ft 11 in)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph) surfaced
  • 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) submerged (electric drive)
  • 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph) submerged (HTP drive)
Range
  • 1,840 nmi (3,410 km; 2,120 mi) at 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph) surfaced
  • 76 nmi (141 km; 87 mi) at 2 knots (3.7 km/h; 2.3 mph) submerged (electric drive)
  • 117 nmi (217 km; 135 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) submerged (HTP drive)
Complement12
Armament
Service record[1]
Part of:
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Werner Klug
  • 14 November 1943 – 31 August 1944
  • Oblt.z.S. Philipp Becker
  • 1 September 1944 – 5 May 1945
Operations: None
Victories: None

U-794 was built by Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft, Kiel. The keel was laid down on 1 February 1943, the boat was launched on 7 October. She was commissioned on 14 November. The Feldpost Number was M 52 496.

U-794 did not undertake any combat patrols and was instead assigned as a trials boat at first to the 5th U-boat Flotilla, followed by the 8th U-boat Flotilla, before returning to the 5th flotilla for the rest of the war. In late March 1944, Admiral Karl Dönitz and four other admirals took part in a trial of U-794. Although they were enthusiastic, the boat, designed for high underwater speed (over 20 m.p.h.) was difficult to manoeuvre, and the keel to beam ratio was too high.

References
  1. Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type XVIIA boat U-794". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 20 April 2010.
  2. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Type XVIIA Walter boats". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 10 April 2010.
  3. "This page contains details on the German U-Boat Type III, Type IV, Type V, Type VI, Type VIII, Type XI, Type XII, Type XIII, XV, XVI, VB60, V80, U-179, XVII". www.sharkhunters.com. Retrieved 20 April 2010.

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]. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  • Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. ISBN 0-85177-593-4. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  • "U-Boat Operations of the Second World War: Vol. 2: Career histories, U511-UIT25" by Kenneth Wynn, Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, 1998.

54°48′N 09°49′E

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