Type XIV submarine

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The Type XIV U-boat was designed to supply other U-boats,<ref name="Rössler151">Rössler (2001), p. 151.</ref> being the only submarine tenders built which were not surface ships. It was nicknamed in German the "Milchkuh/Milchkühe (pl.)" (English: milk cows).<ref name="Williamson51">Williamson (2005), p. 16.</ref>

Design

The Type XIV was based on the Type IXD long-range U-boat design, but with a shorter and deeper hull. The boats had a displacement of Template:Convert when at the surface and Template:Convert while submerged. The U-boats had a total length of Template:Convert, a pressure hull length of Template:Convert, a beam of Template:Convert, a height of Template:Convert, and a draught of Template:Convert.Template:Sfn

The Type XIV received the same powerplants as the Type VIIC : two Germaniawerft F46 supercharged four-stroke, six-cylinder diesel engines producing a total of Template:Convert for use while surfaced, two Siemens-Schuckert 2 GU 345/38-8 double-acting electric motors producing a total of Template:Convert for use while submerged. They had two shafts and two propellers.Template:SfnTemplate:SfnTemplate:Sfn

Since the cargo of Type XIV was mainly lightweight fuel, it was possible to assign more weight to the pressure hull, and instead of the usual Template:Cvt thick steel, Template:Cvt was used which resulted in a higher maximum diving depth of Template:Convert.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn

The submarines had a maximum surface speed of Template:Convert and a maximum submerged speed of Template:Convert. When submerged, the boats could operate for Template:Convert at Template:Convert; when surfaced, they could travel Template:Convert at Template:Convert.Template:Sfn

The boats were not fitted with torpedo tubes nor deck guns. The only armament carried was for defense, consisting of two [[3.7 cm SK C/30|Template:Convert SK C/30]] anti-aircraft guns with 2500 rounds as well as a [[2 cm FlaK 30|Template:Convert C/30]] gun with 3,000 rounds.Template:Sfn

The boats had a complement of fifty-three.Template:Sfn

Operation

Due to its large size, the Type XIV could resupply other boats with Template:Convert of fuel, Template:Convert of motor oil, four torpedoes,Template:Sfn and fresh food that was preserved in refrigerator units. In addition, the boats were equipped with a small bakery in order to provide the luxury of fresh bread for crews being resupplied. The Type XIV also had a doctor and medical facility for injured sailors, and even had a two-man brig to imprison sailors awaiting discipline back at home. Type IXC boats otherwise only carried 12 weeks of food supplies, and Type VIIC U-boat carried about 114 tons of diesel fuel.<ref name=Slaughter>Template:Citation</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Cargo was transported by means of a Template:Convert inflatable boat and portable cranes. The flat main deck with cargo hatches and davits was designed in theory to facilitate the transfer of bulk supplies, however its low freeboard made this work extremely hazardous in typical North Atlantic swells that made the deck awash, so often supplies had to be hand-lifted through the smaller but drier conning tower hatches to avoid flooding the boat. Resupply and refueling operations often took hours, putting both the milk cow and the submarine it was servicing at risk.<ref name=Slaughter/>

If the Germans came under Allied attack during a resupply operation, the milk cow would dive first while the attack submarine might fight it out on the surface for a while, as the Type XIV's bulk and flat deck made it slower to maneuver and submerge, although it could dive deeper than Type VIICs or IX.<ref name=Slaughter/> The Type XIV had no torpedo tubes or deck guns, only defensive armament of anti-aircraft guns.Template:Sfn

The milk cows operated Template:Convert off the North American mainland in the so-called mid-Atlantic gap, far enough from Allied anti-submarine patrols and land-based aircraft while still close enough to provide logistical support to U-boats.<ref name=Slaughter/> In 1942, the milk cows enabled Type VIIC boats to remain on station for a couple more weeks off of the American coast during the "Second Happy Time" raids of the Battle of the Atlantic.<ref name=Slaughter/>

The milk cows were priority targets for Allied forces, as sinking one milk cow would effectively curtail the patrols of a dozen attack U-boats and force them to return home for supplies.<ref name=Slaughter/> Ultra intercepts provided information concerning sailing and routing of the milk cows. This intelligence, coupled with improved Allied radar, air coverage, and hunter-killer groups in the North Atlantic, eliminated most of the milk cows during 1943 including four lost in the month of July alone. By the end of the war all ten had been sunk. Milk cow duty was especially hazardous; 289 sailors were killed out of an estimated complement of 530–576 men.

Losses during 1943

On 24 July, U-tanker Template:GS was destroyed two days out of Bordeaux.<ref>Blair p389</ref><ref>Kemp p134-5</ref> On 30 July, three U-boats, two of them Type XIVs, were attacked and destroyed by aircraft of the RAF and ships of FJ Walker's 2nd Support Group.<ref>Blair p391-3</ref><ref>Kemp p136-7</ref> On 4 August, U-489 was sunk south of Iceland.<ref>Blair p390</ref><ref>Kemp p139</ref> This led to the diversion of provisional tankers Template:GS and Template:GS to refuel boats returning from North America. On 7 August, U-117 was destroyed,<ref>Blair p383-6</ref><ref>Kemp p140</ref> leaving U-230 and others in difficult straits. On 24 August U-847, under Kptlt. Herbert Kuppisch, refueled several boats, including Template:GS. Her commander found Kuppisch too casual about the threat of air attack, an observation repeated by Werner in his book.

Werner relates he asked them; "What's the matter with you people, don't you have any respect for aircraft?".

Kuppisch replied: "We haven't seen any since we passed Greenland."<ref>Werner p154</ref><ref>Blair p394</ref>

Six U-boats re-fueled from U-847 on the morning of 27 August, U-230 included, but just hours later U-847 was sunk by aircraft from the escort carrier Template:USS.<ref name="Blair p396">Blair p396</ref><ref>Kemp p144</ref>

List of Type XIV submarines

Ten boats of this type were commissioned:Template:Sfn

• Template:GS, commissioned on 15 November 1941, scuttled on 24 July 1943
• Template:GS, commissioned on 24 December 1941, sunk on 4 October 1943
• Template:GS, commissioned on 30 January 1942, sunk on 30 July 1943
• Template:GS, commissioned on 5 March 1942, sunk on 30 July 1943
• Template:GS, commissioned on 2 April 1942, sunk on 16 May 1943
• Template:GS, commissioned on 30 April 1942, scuttled on 20 August 1942
• Template:GS, commissioned on 21 December 1942, sunk on 13 July 1943
• Template:GS, commissioned on 1 February 1943, sunk on 26 April 1944
• Template:GS, commissioned on 8 March 1943, sunk on 4 August 1943
• Template:GS, commissioned on 27 March 1943, sunk on 12 June 1944Template:Sfn

Fourteen planned Type XIVs were cancelled. Three of them (U-491, U-492, U-493) were about 75% complete when work was stopped in 1944. The other eleven boats had not been laid down when they were cancelled on 27 May 1944. On that same day Karl Dönitz stopped construction on the Type XX U-boats, large transport boats that would not have been ready until mid-1945.Template:Sfn

Bibliography

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Further reading

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External links

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