German submarine U-957


German submarine U-957 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
Laid down by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg, on 11 March 1942, the U-boat was launched on 21 November 1942, and commissioned on 7 January 1943, by Leutnant zur See Franz Saar.

Design

were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-957 had a displacement of when at the surface and while submerged. She had a total length of, a pressure hull length of, a beam of, a height of, and a draught of. The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of for use while surfaced, two Brown, Boveri & Cie GG UB 720/8 double-acting electric motors producing a total of for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to.
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of and a maximum submerged speed of. When submerged, the boat could operate for at ; when surfaced, she could travel at. U-957 was fitted with five torpedo tubes, fourteen torpedoes, one SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and one twin C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.

Service history

Under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Gerhard Schaar U-957 carried out seven war patrols between December 1943 and October 1944, sinking two commercial vessels; the British Fort Bellingham and the Soviet survey vessel Nord; and two military vessels, the American submarine chaser, and the Soviet corvette Brilliant.

Fate

Her combat career ended on 19 October 1944 at Lofoten, Norway, when she collided with a German steamer. On 21 October 1944 she was taken out of service in Trondheim.
On 29 May 1945 she was taken to England where she was broken up.

Summary of raiding history

Citations