German submarine U-1197

German submarine U-1197 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
She was ordered on 25 August 1941, and was laid down on 13 March 1943 at F Schichau GmbH, Danzig, as yard number 1567. She was launched on 30 September 1943 and commissioned under the command of Leutnant zur See Heinz Baum on 2 December 1943.

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-1197 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 AEG GU 460/8-276 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-1197 was fitted with five torpedo tubes, fourteen torpedoes or 26 TMA mines, one SK C/35 naval gun,, one Flak M42 and two twin C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between 44 — 52 men.

U-1197 was badly damaged during a US 8th AF raid on the Deschimag AG Weser shipyard in Bremen on 30 March 1945. Due to the heavy bomb damage U-1197 was decommissioned on 25 April 1945 at Wesermünde.
U-1197 was captured by British forces, still at Wesermünde in May 1945.
In February 1946, U-1197 was sunk by the US Navy in the North Sea.