List of U-boats never deployed
During the Second World War, the German Navy built over a thousand U-boats or submarines for service in the Battle of the Atlantic and elsewhere. Although the majority of these had active service careers, and 784 of them were lost at sea, there were still several hundred boats which were never completed or completed too late to see any war service. These boats were sometime solely commissioned as training craft, or were too badly damaged by bombing to be worth completion. Most however were finished in the last six months of the war and never had time or enough fuel to complete their training programs. These boats remained in German harbours up until April/May 1945, when most were taken out to sea by skeleton crews and scuttled to prevent the allies capturing them. The boats that were captured were taken by the Allies to Loch Ryan in Scotland and Lisahally in Northern Ireland. Some were presented to allied navies for commissioning or experiments, but the majority of captured U-boats were towed out to sea in the autumn of 1945 and sunk by gunfire in Operation Deadlight.
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U-329
- Type: VIIC/41
- Construction
- Laid Down: July 15, 1943
- Launched:
- Commissioned:
- Shipyard: Flender-Werke, Lübeck
- Commander
- Fate: Cancelled on July 20, 1944 and broken up.
- U-boat.net webpage for U-329
U-330
- Type: VIIC/41
- Construction
- Laid Down: August 3, 1943
- Launched:
- Commissioned:
- Shipyard: Flender-Werke, Lübeck
- Commander
- Fate: Cancelled on July 20, 1944 and broken up.
- U-boat.net webpage for U-330
U-395
- Type: VIIC
- Construction
- Laid Down: June 10, 1942
- Launched: July 16, 1943
- Commissioned:
- Shipyard: Howaldtswerke, Kiel
- Commander
- Fate: Bombed while being fitted out on July 29, 1943 and left unfinished.
- U-boat.net webpage for U-395
U-474
- Type: VIIC
- Construction
- Laid Down: December 18, 1941
- Launched: April 17, 1943
- Commissioned:
- Shipyard: Deutsche Werft, Kiel
- Commander
- Fate: Sunk by bombs during an air raid on May 14, 1943. It was raised and 95% repaired in 1945, but was scuttled on May 3, 1945.
- U-boat.net webpage for U-474
U-491
- Type: XIV
- Construction
- Laid Down: July 13, 1943
- Launched:
- Commissioned:
- Shipyard: Deutsche Werft, Kiel
- Commander
- Fate: Was 75% complete when construction was halted in 1944. Further construction halted on September 23, 1944 and broken up.
- U-boat.net webpage for U-491
U-492
- Type: XIV
- Construction
- Laid Down: August 21, 1943
- Launched:
- Commissioned:
- Shipyard: Deutsche Werft, Kiel
- Commander
- Fate: Was 75% complete when construction was halted in 1944. Further construction halted on September 23, 1944 and broken up.
- U-boat.net webpage for U-492
U-493
- Type: XIV
- Construction
- Laid Down: September 25, 1943
- Launched:
- Commissioned:
- Shipyard: Deutsche Werft, Kiel
- Commander
- Fate: Was 75% complete when construction was halted in 1944. Further construction halted on September 23, 1944 and broken up.
- U-boat.net webpage for U-493
U-494
- Type: XIV
- Construction
- Laid Down: November 1, 1943
- Launched:
- Commissioned:
- Shipyard: Germaniawerft, Kiel
- Commander
- Fate: Construction cancelled September 23, 1944 and broken up.
- U-boat.net webpage for U-494
U-495
- Type: XIV
- Construction
- Laid Down: November 12, 1943
- Launched:
- Commissioned:
- Shipyard: Germaniawerft, Kiel
- Commander
- Fate: Construction cancelled on September 23, 1944 and broken up.
- U-boat.net webpage for U-495
U-496
- Type: XIV
- Construction
- Laid Down: February 8, 1944
- Launched:
- Commissioned:
- Shipyard: Germaniawerft, Kiel
- Commander
- Fate: Construction cancelled on September 23, 1944 and broken up.
- U-boat.net webpage for U-496
U-497
- Type: XIV
- Construction
- Laid Down: 1944
- Launched:
- Commissioned:
- Shipyard: Germaniawerft, Kiel
- Commander
- Fate: Construction cancelled on September 23, 1944 and broken up.
- U-boat.net webpage for U-497
U-684
- Type: VIIC
- Construction
- Laid Down: March 4, 1943
- Launched: April 1944
- Commissioned:
- Shipyard: Howaldtswerke, Kiel
- Commander
- Fate: Never finished and scuttled in front of the Elbe II bunker in Hamburg on May 3, 1945.
- U-boat.net webpage for U-684
U-685
- Type: VIIC
- Construction
- Laid Down: March 8, 1943
- Launched: April 1944
- Commissioned:
- Shipyard: Howaldtswerke, Kiel
- Commander
- Fate: Never finished and scuttled in front of the Elbe II bunker in Hamburg on May 3, 1945.
- U-boat.net webpage for U-685
U-686
- Type: VIIC
- Construction
- Laid Down: May 13, 1943
- Launched:
- Commissioned:
- Shipyard: Howaldtswerke, Kiel
- Commander
- Fate: Never finished.
- U-boat.net webpage for U-686
U-687
- Type: VIIC/41
- Construction
- Laid Down: May 13, 1943
- Launched:
- Commissioned:
- Shipyard: Howaldtswerke, Kiel
- Commander
- Fate:
- U-boat.net webpage for U-687
U-688
- Type: VIIC/41
- Construction
- Laid Down: July 12, 1943
- Launched:
- Commissioned:
- Shipyard: Howaldtswerke, Kiel
- Commander
- Fate: Never finished.
- U-boat.net webpage for U-688
U-689
- Type: VIIC/41
- Construction
- Laid Down: July 13, 1943
- Launched:
- Commissioned:
- Shipyard: Howaldtswerke, Kiel
- Commander
- Fate: Never finished.
- U-boat.net webpage for U-689
U-723
- Type: VIIC/41
- Construction
- Laid Down: June 9, 1943
- Launched:
- Commissioned:
- Shipyard: Stülcken-Werft, Hamburg
- Commander
- Fate: Construction postponed on September 30, 1943 and never built.
- U-boat.net webpage for U-723
U-724
- Type: VIIC/41
- Construction
- Laid Down: July 25, 1943
- Launched:
- Commissioned:
- Shipyard: Stülcken-Werft, Hamburg
- Commander
- Fate: Construction postponed on September 30, 1943 and never built.
- U-boat.net webpage for U-724
U-780
- Type: VIIC
- Construction
- Laid Down: August 25, 1943
- Launched:
- Commissioned:
- Shipyard: Kriegsmarinewerft, Wilhelmshaven
- Commander
- Fate: Cancelled on July 20, 1944.
- U-boat.net webpage for U-780
U-781
- Type: VIIC
- Construction
- Laid Down: September 30, 1943
- Launched:
- Commissioned:
- Shipyard: Kriegsmarinewerft, Wilhelmshaven
- Commander
- Fate: Cancelled on July 20, 1944.
- U-boat.net webpage for U-781
U-782
- Type: VIIC
- Construction
- Laid Down: Late 1943
- Launched:
- Commissioned:
- Shipyard: Kriegsmarinewerft, Wilhelmshaven
- Commander
- Fate: Cancelled on July 20, 1944.
- U-boat.net webpage for U-782
U-796
- Type: XVIII
- Construction
- Laid Down: December 27, 1943
- Launched:
- Commissioned:
- Shipyard: Germaniawerft, Kiel
- Commander
- Fate: Construction cancelled on March 27, 1944.
- U-boat.net webpage for U-796
U-798
- Type: XVIIK
- Construction
- Laid Down: April 23, 1944
- Launched:
- Commissioned:
- Shipyard: Germaniawerft, Kiel
- Commander
- Fate: Was still incomplete in May 1945.
- U-boat.net webpage for U-798
U-807
- Type: IXC/40
- Construction
- Laid Down: 1943
- Launched:
- Commissioned:
- Shipyard: Seebeckwerft, Bremen
- Commander
- Fate: Construction cancelled on July 22, 1944.
- U-boat.net webpage for U-807
U-808
- Type: IXC/40
- Construction
- Laid Down: 1943
- Launched:
- Commissioned:
- Shipyard: Seebeckwerft, Bremen
- Commander
- Fate: Construction cancelled on July 22, 1944.
- U-boat.net webpage for U-808
U-823
- Type: VIIC
- Construction
- Commander
- Fate: Construction suspended on November 6, 1943. Cancelled on July 20, 1944 and left unfinished.
- U-boat.net webpage for U-823
U-824
- Type: VIIC
- Construction
- Commander
- Fate: Construction suspended on November 6, 1943. Cancelled on July 20, 1944 and left unfinished.
- U-boat.net webpage for U-824
U-882
- Type: IXC/40
- Construction
- Commander
- Fate: Bombed in dock on March 30, 1945.
- U-boat.net webpage for U-882
U-890
- Type: IXC/40
- Construction
- Commander
- Fate: Sunk on July 29, 1944 while being fitted out.
- U-boat.net webpage for U-890
U-891
- Type: IXC/40
- Construction
- Commander
- Fate: Sunk during an air raid on March 30, 1945 while being fitted out.
- U-boat.net webpage for U-891
U-3508
- Type: XXI
- Construction
- Laid Down: July 25, 1944
- Launched: September 22, 1944
- Commissioned: November 2, 1944
- Shipyard: Schichau-Werke, Danzig
- Commander
- Detlef von Lehsten
- Fate: Sunk whilst empty in Wilhelmshaven by an Eighth Air Force raid on March 3, 1945. It was raised by engineers, but sunk again on March 30, 1945.
- U-boat.net webpage for U-3508
U-3509
- Type: XXI
- Construction
- Laid Down: July 19, 1944
- Launched: September 27, 1944
- Commissioned: January 29, 1945
- Shipyard: Schichau-Werke, Danzig
- Commanders
- Hans Hornkohl
- Karl-Hein Vosswinkel
- Heinz Franke
- Wilhelm Neitzsch
- Fate: Scuttled at Wesermünde near Bremerhaven, May 3, 1945
- U-boat.net webpage for U-3509
U-3510
- Type: XXI
- Construction
- Laid Down: August 6, 1944
- Launched: October 4, 1944
- Commissioned: November 11, 1944
- Shipyard: Schichau-Werke, Danzig
- Commander
- Ernst-Werner Schwirley
- Fate: Scuttled in Geltinger Bay, May 4, 1945
- U-boat.net webpage for U-3510
U-3511
- Type: XXI
- Construction
- Laid Down: August 14, 1944
- Launched: October 11, 1944
- Commissioned: November 18, 1944
- Shipyard: Schichau-Werke, Danzig
- Commander
- Martin Grasse
- Hans-Heinrich Ketels
- Hermann Schrenk
- Fate: Scuttled at Travemünde near Neustadt, May 3, 1945
- U-boat.net webpage for U-3511
U-3512
- Type: XXI
- Construction
- Laid Down: August 15, 1944
- Launched: October 11, 1944
- Commissioned: November 27, 1944
- Shipyard: Schichau-Werke, Danzig
- Commander
- Hans Hornkohl
- Fate: Destroyed by Royal Air Force bombers whilst laid up empty in Kiel, 9 April 1945
- U-boat.net webpage for U-3512
U-3513
- Type: XXI
- Construction
- Laid Down: August 20, 1944
- Launched: October 21, 1944
- Commissioned: December 2, 1944
- Shipyard: Schichau-Werke, Danzig
- Commander
- Otto-Heinrich Nachtigall
- Fate: Scuttled at Travemünde near Neustadt, May 3, 1945
- U-boat.net webpage for U-3513
U-3514
- Type: XXI
- Construction
- Laid Down: August 21, 1944
- Launched: October 21, 1944
- Commissioned: December 9, 1944
- Shipyard: Schichau-Werke, Danzig
- Commander
- Günther Fritze
- Fate: Captured at Bergen, Norway and transported to Loch Ryan awaiting a decision about its fate. The Soviet Union refused an offer to have it, as did Britain, so on the 11 February 1946 it was sunk by the naval tug Prosperous with gunfire and a "Shark" anti-submarine weapon. U-3514 was the last submarine to be disposed of in Operation Deadlight.
- U-boat.net webpage for U-3514
U-3516
- Type: XXI
- Construction
- Laid Down: Summer 1944
- Launched: November 4, 1944
- Commissioned: December 18, 1944
- Shipyard: Schichau-Werke, Danzig
- Commander
- Hans Wengel
- Heinrich Grote
- Fate: Scuttled at Travemünde near Neustadt, May 4, 1945
- U-boat.net webpage for U-3516
U-3517
- Type: XXI
- Construction
- Laid Down: September 12, 1944
- Launched: December 6, 1944
- Commissioned: December 22, 1944
- Shipyard: Schichau-Werke, Danzig
- Commander
- Helmuth Münster
- Fate: Scuttled at Travemünde near Neustadt, May 4, 1945
- U-boat.net webpage for U-3517
U-3518
- Type: XXI
- Construction
- Laid Down: September 12, 1944
- Launched: December 11, 1944
- Commissioned: December 29, 1944
- Shipyard: Schichau-Werke, Danzig
- Commander
- Herbert Brünning
- Fate: Scuttled in Kiel harbour, May 3, 1945
- U-boat.net webpage for U-3518
U-3521
- Type: XXI
- Construction
- Laid Down: October 3, 1944
- Launched: December 3, 1944
- Commissioned: January 14, 1945
- Shipyard: Schichau-Werke, Danzig
- Commander
- Günther Keller
- Fate: Scuttled at Travemünde near Neustadt, May 2, 1945
- U-boat.net webpage for U-3521
U-3522
- Type: XXI
- Construction
- Laid Down: October 1944
- Launched: December 3, 1944
- Commissioned: January 21, 1945
- Shipyard: Schichau-Werke, Danzig
- Commander
- Diether Lenzmann
- Fate: Scuttled at Travemünde near Neustadt, May 2, 1945
- U-boat.net webpage for U-3522
U-3524
- Type: XXI
- Construction
- Laid Down: October 1944
- Launched: December 14, 1944
- Commissioned: January 26, 1945
- Shipyard: Schichau-Werke, Danzig
- Commander
- Hans-Ludwig Witt
- Fate: Scuttled in Flensburger Förde, May 4, 1945
- U-boat.net webpage for U-3524
U-3525
- Type: XXI
- Construction
- Laid Down: October 17, 1944
- Launched: December 23, 1944
- Commissioned: January 31, 1945
- Shipyard: Schichau-Werke, Danzig
- Commanders
- Hans-Ludwig Gaude
- Franz Kranich
- Fate: Severely damaged by an air raid on Kiel, the wreckage was scuttled on May 3, 1945
- U-boat.net webpage for U-3525
U-3526
- Type: XXI
- Construction
- Laid Down: October 15, 1944
- Launched: December 23, 1944
- Commissioned: March 22, 1945
- Shipyard: Schichau-Werke, Danzig
- Commander
- Kurt Hilbig
- Fate: Scuttled in the mouth of the Weser River at Wesermünde, May 4, 1945
- U-boat.net webpage for U-3526
U-3527
- Type: XXI
- Construction
- Laid Down: October 25, 1944
- Launched: January 10, 1945
- Commissioned: March 10, 1945
- Shipyard: Schichau-Werke, Danzig
- Commander
- Willy Kronenbitter
- Fate: Scuttled in the mouth of the Weser River at Wesermünde, May 4, 1945
- U-boat.net webpage for U-3527
U-3528
- Type: XXI
- Construction
- Laid Down: October 26, 1944
- Launched: January 10, 1945
- Commissioned: March 18, 1945
- Shipyard: Schichau-Werke, Danzig
- Commander
- Heinz Zwarg
- Fate: Scuttled in the mouth of the Weser River at Wesermünde, May 4, 1945
- U-boat.net webpage for U-3528
U-3529
- Type: XXI
- Construction
- Laid Down: November 2, 1944
- Launched: January 26, 1945
- Commissioned: March 22, 1945
- Shipyard: Schichau-Werke, Danzig
- Commander
- Karl-Heinz Schmidt
- Fate: Scuttled in Flensburger Förde, May 5, 1945
- U-boat.net webpage for U-3529
U-3530
- Type: XXI
- Construction
- Laid Down: November 3, 1944
- Launched: January 26, 1945
- Commissioned: March 23, 1945
- Shipyard: Schichau-Werke, Danzig
- Commanders
- Wilhelm Brauel
- Walter-Ernst Koch
- Fate: Scuttled in Kiel harbour, May 3, 1945
- U-boat.net webpage for U-3530
- For all German Type XXIII submarines, see list of German Type XXIII submarines
References
- Sharpe, Peter (1998). U-Boat Fact File. Great Britain: Midland Publishing. ISBN 1-85780-072-9.
- U-boat.net U-boat database