German submarine U-186


German submarine U-186 was a Type IXC/40 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine built for service during World War II.
Her keel was laid down on 24 July 1941 by DeSchiMAG AG Weser in Bremen as yard number 1026. She was launched on 11 March 1942 and commissioned on 10 July with Korvettenkapitän Siegfried Hesemann in command.
The U-boat's service began with training as part of the 4th U-boat Flotilla. She then moved to the 10th flotilla on 1 January 1943 for operations.
The submarine carried out two patrols and was a member of nine wolfpacks. She sank three ships totalling.
She was sunk by a British destroyer on 12 May 1943.

Design

German Type IXC/40 submarines were slightly larger than the original Type IXCs. U-186 had a displacement of when at the surface and while submerged. The U-boat 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 MAN M 9 V 40/46 supercharged four-stroke, nine-cylinder diesel engines producing a total of for use while surfaced, two Siemens-Schuckert 2 GU 345/34 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-186 was fitted with six torpedo tubes, 22 torpedoes, one SK C/32 naval gun, 180 rounds, and a SK C/30 as well as a C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of forty-eight.

Service history

First patrol

U-186s first patrol took her from Kiel, across the North Sea and into the Atlantic Ocean through the gap between Iceland and the Faroe Islands. She sank Ocean Vagabond on 11 January 1943 south of Iceland. This ship had already been damaged by in September 1942. U-186 also sank Hastings and Eulima on 23 February 1943 about south of Cape Race. She arrived at Lorient in occupied France, on 5 March 1943.

Second patrol and loss

The boat departed Lorient on 17 April 1943. On 12 May she was sunk northwest of the Azores by depth charges dropped by the British destroyer. Fifty three men died. There were no survivors.

Wolfpacks

U-186 took part in nine wolfpacks, namely:
  • Habicht
  • Haudegen
  • Nordsturm
  • Haudegen
  • Taifun
  • Amsel
  • Amsel 4
  • Rhein
  • Elbe 2