German submarine U-868
German submarine U-868 was a Type IXC/40 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine in the Second World War. The ship was ordered on 25 August 1941 and laid down on 11 March 1943. She was launched on 18 August 1943, at Bremen, Germany. She had two commanders over her operational lifespan, for the period from 23 December 1943 until 21 July 1944 it was Kapitänleutnant Dietrich Rauch, then Oberleutnant zur See Eduard Turre for the period from 22 July 1944 until 9 May 1945.
Design
German Type IXC/40 submarines were slightly larger than the original Type IXCs. U-868 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-868 was fitted with six torpedo tubes, 22 torpedoes, one SK C/32 naval gun, 180 rounds, and a Flak M42 as well as two twin C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of forty-eight.