German submarine U-1105

History
U-995 , last remaining Type VIIC U-boat, sister to U-1105
Nazi Germany
Name:	U-1105
Ordered:	14 October 1941
Builder:	Nordseewerke, Emden
Yard number:	227
Laid down:	6 July 1943
Launched:	20 April 1944
Commissioned:	3 June 1944
Fate:	Surrendered, 10 May 1945
United Kingdom
Name:	N-16
Acquired:	10 May 1945
Commissioned:	29 June 1945
Out of service:	11 February 1946
Nickname(s):	Black Panther
Fate:	Transferred to the US Navy, 1946
United States
Name:	U-1105
Acquired:	1946
Fate:	Scuttled, 19 September 1949
General characteristics
Class and type:	Type VII-C/41 U-boat
Displacement:	759 tonnes (747 long tons) surfaced 860 t (846 long tons) submerged
Length:	67.10 m (220 ft 2 in) o/a 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in) pressure hull
Beam:	6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height:	9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught:	4.74 m (15 ft 7 in)
Installed power:	2,800–3,200 PS (2,100–2,400 kW; 2,800–3,200 bhp) (diesels) 750 PS (550 kW; 740 shp) (electric)
Propulsion:	2 shafts 2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors
Speed:	17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged
Range:	8,500 nmi (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth:	250 m (820 ft)
Complement:	44-52 officers and enlisted men
Armament:	5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (4 bow, 1 stern) 1 × 8.8 cm (3.5 in)/45 deck gun (220 rounds)


U-1105 BLACK Panther (Type VIIC German Submarine)
U.S. National Register of Historic Places

Nearest city	Piney Point, Maryland
Coordinates	38°8′10″N 76°33′10″W / 38.13611°N 76.55278°W / 38.13611; -76.55278Coordinates: 38°8′10″N 76°33′10″W / 38.13611°N 76.55278°W / 38.13611; -76.55278
Area	less than one acre
Built	1944
Architectural style	Other, Submarine Type VIIC
NRHP Reference #	00001602^[1]
Added to NRHP	11 January 2001

German submarine U-1105, a Type VII-C/41 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine, was built at the Nordseewerke Shipyard, Emden, Germany, and commissioned on 3 June 1944. Oberleutnant zur See Hans-Joachim Schwarz was given command. He would command U-1105 for the remainder of the war.

Design

German Type VIIC/41 submarines were preceded by the heavier Type VIIC submarines. U-1105 had a displacement of 759 tonnes (747 long tons) when at the surface and 860 tonnes (850 long tons) while submerged.^[2] She had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2,800 to 3,200 metric horsepower (2,060 to 2,350 kW; 2,760 to 3,160 shp) for use while surfaced, two Siemens-Schuckert GU 343/38-8 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 metric horsepower (550 kW; 740 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m (4 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).^[2]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph).^[2] When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nautical miles (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-1105 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and an anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.^[2]

Armament

FLAK weaponry

U-1105 was mounted with a single 3.7 cm Flakzwilling M43U gun on the LM 42U mount. The LM 42U mount was the most common mount used with the 3.7 cm Flak M42U. The 3.7 cm Flak M42U was the marine version of the 3.7 cm Flak used by the Kriegsmarine on Type VII and Type IX U-boats. U-1105 was mounted with two 2cm Flak C38 in a M 43U Zwilling mount with short folding shield on the upper Wintergarten.^[3] The M 43U mount was used on a number of U-boats (U-190, U-250, U-278, U-337, U-475, U-853, U-1023, U-1058, U-1109, U-1165, and U-1306).

A single 3.7 cm Flak M42U gun on the LM 42U mount.
2 cm Flak C38 in a M 43U Zwilling mount with short folding shield.

Sensors

Passive sonar

U-1105 was one of only ten Type VIIC's to be fitted with a Balkongerät (literally 'Balcony apparatus or equipment'). The Balkongerät was used on U-boats (U-682, U-788, U-799, U-997, U-1021, U-1172, U-1306, U-1307 and U-1308).^[3] The Balkongerät was standard on the Type XXI and the Type XXIII. Nonetheless, it was also fitted to several Type IXs and one Type X. The Balkongerät was an improved version of Gruppenhorchgerät (GHG) (group listening device). The GHG had 24 hydrophones, the Balkongerät had 48 hydrophones and improved electronics, which enabled more accurate readings to be taken.^[4]

The outside view of the German design of Balcongerät installed on Type VIIC's

Service history

Kriegsmarine

It was one of less than ten submarines that the Germans outfitted with experimental synthetic rubber skin of anechoic tiles designed to counter Allied sonar devices. Codenamed "Alberich," after a sorcerer from ancient Norse mythology, this top-secret rubber coating process ultimately contributed to the ship's survival under extreme combat conditions and earned it the name "Black Panther." For this reason, a black panther sprawled across the top of the globe was painted on U-1105's conning tower. U-boats with Alberich coating include: Type IIB — U-11; Type VIIC — U-480, U-485 and U-486; Type VIIC/41 — U-1105, U-1106, U-1107, U-1304, U-1306 and U-1308; Type XXIII — U-4704, U-4708 and U-4709.^[5]^[6]^[7]

After trials in the Baltic Sea and final outfitting in Wilhelmshaven, the submarine began patrolling Allied convoy routes near Blackrock, Ireland in the spring of 1945. In April, U-1105 escaped detection by an Allied destroyer patrol. Days later, the U-boat detected three British destroyers that were part of the Second Division of the 21st Escort Group. The submarine fired two acoustic torpedoes at a range of 2000 meters and then dove to 100 meters to escape a counterattack. Fifty seconds passed before the first torpedo struck, with the second hitting just moments later. Thirty-two crewmen from U-1105's victim, HMS Redmill, were lost. The Allied search for U-1105 and the search for Redmill's survivors began immediately. The submarine, unable to maintain its 330-foot depth, sank to the bottom at 570 feet, remaining motionless. For the next 31 hours, the Allied squadron searched for the U-boat without success. U-1105 evaded detection for the remainder of World War II.

On 4 May 1945, U-1105 received the last order from Großadmiral Karl Dönitz: the war is over. Ironically, the submarine surrendered to the 21st Escort Group, the same escort group it attacked just a few weeks earlier. Ordered to the surface and intercepted by the Sunderland "NS-V" of No. 201 Squadron RAF which then escorted it,^[8] the submarine proceeded to the Allied base at Loch Eriboll, Scotland on 10 May 1945 to surrender.

Summary of raiding history

Date	Ship	Nationality	Displacement	Fate
27 April 1945	HMS Redmill	Royal Navy	1,300	Total Loss

Royal Navy

Though still operated by her German crew, U-1105 was re-designated as the Royal Navy submarine N-16 and sailed under armed frigate and air escort along with other surrendered U-boats, through the North Minch to the British naval base at Lochalsh, then to Lisahally, Northern Ireland. Given a British caretaker crew she sat at Lisshally for several months before she was turned over to the United States as a war prize for study of its unique synthetic rubber skin.

United States Navy

In 1946, re-designated U-1105, the U-boat arrived in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C., and Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Acoustic Laboratory in Cambridge, Massachusetts, conducted research on its unique rubber-tiled skin. After the research was completed, the boat was towed to Solomon's Island, Maryland for explosives testing.

USS Salvager and USS Windlass were assigned to tow U-1105 into Chesapeake Bay where she was temporarily sunk. Salvage and towing tests were conducted from 10 – 25 August. Moored on 29 September to allow pontoons to be fixed to her sides, U-1105 underwent another series of salvage and towing tests until 18 November, when she was sunk off Point No Point Light and buoys were left to mark the spot.

In the summer of 1949 U-1105 was raised again and towed into the Potomac River and anchored off Piney Point, Maryland for preparations for her final demolition. On 19 September 1949, a 250 pounds (110 kg) MK.6 depth charge was detonated 30 feet (9.1 m) from U-1105. After being lifted out of the water, she went down one last time in more than 91 feet of water landing upright, her pressure hull cracked open by the explosion all the way around to the keel. Little evidence was left to mark the wreck, so for the next 36 years the submarine was lost to history.

The wreck

On 29 June 1985, the wreck of U-1105 was discovered by a team of sport divers led by Uwe Lovas, approximately one mile west of Piney Point, Maryland, at 38°08′10″N 76°33′10″W / 38.13611°N 76.55278°W / 38.13611; -76.55278. In November 1994, it was designated as Maryland's first historic shipwreck preserve. The program, the first of its kind in the state, was designed to promote the preservation of historic shipwreck sites while making them accessible to the general public.

At the wreck site, the conning tower rises to within 68 feet of the surface. The wood covered main deck fore and aft of the conning tower is occasionally exposed by the drifting silt beds. The wreck is well preserved, and largely intact. Seasonally, thick layers of marine growth appear and then disappear on the site, often covering structural features. Between April and December, a large blue and white mooring buoy is anchored about 70 feet (21 m) from the wreck, while a small, orange ball float is anchored to the stump of the forward (air-search) periscope.

The site is maintained for the Maryland Historical Trust by the Institute of Maritime History, and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001.^[1]

References

1 2 National Park Service (2010-07-09). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
1 2 3 4 Gröner 1991, pp. 43-46.
1 2 Base on war-time photographs.
↑ "Hydrophones". U-boats Aces - uboataces.com. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
↑ Wynn, Kenneth G. U-Boat Operations of the Second World War: Career Histories, U1-U510. Naval Institute Press (March 1998). ISBN 1-55750-860-7.
↑ Rössler, Eberhard. Die Sonaranlagen der deutschen Unterseeboote: Entwicklung, Erprobung, Einsatz und Wirkung akustischer Ortungs- und Tauschungseinrichtungen der deutschen Unterseeboote. Bernard & Graefe. ISBN 3-7637-6272-8
↑ "Recubrimiento Anti-Sonar". u-historia.com. Retrieved 17 December 2010.
↑ "1952 - 1046 - Flight Archive". Retrieved 20 March 2016.

Bibliography

Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). German U-boat commanders of World War II : a biographical dictionary. Translated by Brooks, Geoffrey. London, Annapolis, Md: Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-186-6.
Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945]. Der U-Boot-Krieg (in German). IV. Hamburg; Berlin; Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.

External links

Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC/41 boat U-1105". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
Hofmann, Markus. "U 1105". Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 - u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 30 January 2015.
history.navy.mil: U-1105
Maryland Historical Trust U-1105
U-1105 "Black Panther", Saint Mary's County, including undated photo, at Maryland Historical Trust
US Navy Conservation Site
Institute of Maritime History Site

German Type VII submarines

Type VIIA	U-27 U-28 U-29 U-30 U-31 U-32 U-33 U-34 U-35 U-36

Type VIIB	U-45 U-46 U-47 U-48 U-49 U-50 U-51 U-52 U-53 U-54 U-55 U-73 U-74 U-75 U-76 U-83 U-84 U-85 U-86 U-87 U-99 U-100 U-101 U-102

Type VIIC	U-69 U-70 U-71 U-72 U-77 U-78 U-79 U-80 U-81 U-82 U-88 U-89 U-90 U-91 U-92 U-93 U-94 U-95 U-96 U-97 U-98 U-132 U-133 U-134 U-135 U-136 U-201 U-202 U-203 U-204 U-205 U-206 U-207 U-208 U-209 U-210 U-211 U-212 U-221 U-222 U-223 U-224 U-225 U-226 U-227 U-228 U-229 U-230 U-231 U-232 U-235 U-236 U-237 U-238 U-239 U-240 U-241 U-242 U-243 U-244 U-245 U-246 U-247 U-248 U-249 U-250 U-251 U-252 U-253 U-254 U-255 U-256 U-257 U-258 U-259 U-260 U-261 U-262 U-263 U-264 U-265 U-266 U-267 U-268 U-269 U-270 U-271 U-272 U-273 U-274 U-275 U-276 U-277 U-278 U-279 U-280 U-281 U-282 U-283 U-284 U-285 U-286 U-287 U-288 U-289 U-290 U-291 U-301 U-302 U-303 U-304 U-305 U-306 U-307 U-308 U-309 U-310 U-311 U-312 U-313 U-314 U-315 U-316 U-331 U-332 U-333 U-334 U-335 U-336 U-337 U-338 U-339 U-340 U-341 U-342 U-343 U-344 U-345 U-346 U-347 U-348 U-349 U-350 U-351 U-352 U-353 U-354 U-355 U-356 U-357 U-358 U-359 U-360 U-361 U-362 U-363 U-364 U-365 U-366 U-367 U-368 U-369 U-370 U-371 U-372 U-373 U-374 U-375 U-376 U-377 U-378 U-379 U-380 U-381 U-382 U-383 U-384 U-385 U-386 U-387 U-388 U-389 U-390 U-391 U-392 U-393 U-394 U-396 U-397 U-398 U-399 U-400 U-401 U-402 U-403 U-404 U-405 U-406 U-407 U-408 U-409 U-410 U-411 U-412 U-413 U-414 U-415 U-416 U-417 U-418 U-419 U-420 U-421 U-422 U-423 U-424 U-425 U-426 U-427 U-428 U-429 U-430 U-431 U-432 U-433 U-434 U-435 U-436 U-437 U-438 U-439 U-440 U-441 U-442 U-443 U-444 U-445 U-446 U-447 U-448 U-449 U-450 U-451 U-452 U-453 U-454 U-455 U-456 U-457 U-458 U-465 U-466 U-467 U-468 U-469 U-470 U-471 U-472 U-473 U-475 U-476 U-477 U-478 U-479 U-480 U-481 U-482 U-483 U-484 U-485 U-486 U-551 U-552 U-553 U-554 U-555 U-556 U-557 U-558 U-559 U-560 U-561 U-562 U-563 U-564 U-565 U-566 U-567 U-568 U-569 U-570 U-571 U-572 U-573 U-574 U-575 U-576 U-577 U-578 U-579 U-580 U-581 U-582 U-583 U-584 U-585 U-586 U-587 U-588 U-589 U-590 U-591 U-592 U-593 U-594 U-595 U-596 U-597 U-598 U-599 U-600 U-601 U-602 U-603 U-604 U-605 U-606 U-607 U-608 U-609 U-610 U-611 U-612 U-613 U-614 U-615 U-616 U-617 U-618 U-619 U-620 U-621 U-622 U-623 U-624 U-625 U-626 U-627 U-628 U-629 U-630 U-631 U-632 U-633 U-634 U-635 U-636 U-637 U-638 U-639 U-640 U-641 U-642 U-643 U-644 U-645 U-646 U-647 U-648 U-649 U-650 U-651 U-652 U-653 U-654 U-655 U-656 U-657 U-658 U-659 U-660 U-661 U-662 U-663 U-664 U-665 U-666 U-667 U-668 U-669 U-670 U-671 U-672 U-673 U-674 U-675 U-676 U-677 U-678 U-679 U-680 U-681 U-682 U-683 U-701 U-702 U-703 U-704 U-705 U-706 U-707 U-708 U-709 U-710 U-711 U-712 U-713 U-714 U-715 U-716 U-717 U-718 U-719 U-720 U-721 U-722 U-731 U-732 U-733 U-734 U-735 U-736 U-737 U-738 U-739 U-740 U-741 U-742 U-743 U-744 U-745 U-746 U-747 U-748 U-749 U-750 U-751 U-752 U-753 U-754 U-755 U-756 U-757 U-758 U-759 U-760 U-761 U-762 U-763 U-764 U-765 U-766 U-767 U-768 U-771 U-772 U-773 U-774 U-775 U-776 U-777 U-778 U-779 U-821 U-822 U-825 U-826 U-901 U-903 U-904 U-905 U-907 U-921 U-922 U-923 U-924 U-925 U-926 U-927 U-928 U-951 U-952 U-953 U-954 U-955 U-956 U-957 U-958 U-959 U-960 U-961 U-962 U-963 U-964 U-965 U-966 U-967 U-968 U-969 U-970 U-971 U-972 U-973 U-974 U-975 U-976 U-977 U-978 U-979 U-980 U-981 U-982 U-983 U-984 U-985 U-986 U-987 U-988 U-989 U-990 U-991 U-992 U-993 U-994 U-1051 U-1052 U-1053 U-1054 U-1055 U-1056 U-1057 U-1058 U-1101 U-1102 U-1131 U-1132 U-1161 U-1162 U-1191 U-1192 U-1193 U-1194 U-1195 U-1196 U-1197 U-1198 U-1199 U-1200 U-1201 U-1202 U-1203 U-1204 U-1205 U-1206 U-1207 U-1208 U-1209 U-1210

Type VIIC/41	U-292 U-293 U-294 U-295 U-296 U-297 U-298 U-299 U-300 U-317 U-318 U-319 U-320 U-321 U-322 U-323 U-324 U-325 U-326 U-327 U-328 U-691 U-827 U-828 U-929 U-930 U-995 U-997 U-998 U-999 U-1000 U-1001 U-1002 U-1003 U-1004 U-1005 U-1006 U-1007 U-1008 U-1009 U-1010 U-1013 U-1014 U-1015 U-1016 U-1017 U-1018 U-1019 U-1020 U-1021 U-1022 U-1023 U-1024 U-1025 U-1063 U-1064 U-1065 U-1103 U-1104 U-1105 U-1106 U-1107 U-1108 U-1109 U-1110 U-1163 U-1164 U-1165 U-1166 U-1167 U-1168 U-1169 U-1170 U-1171 U-1172 U-1271 U-1272 U-1273 U-1274 U-1275 U-1276 U-1277 U-1278 U-1279 U-1301 U-1302 U-1303 U-1304 U-1305 U-1306 U-1307 U-1308

Type VIID	U-213 U-214 U-215 U-216 U-217 U-218

Type VIIF	U-1059 U-1060 U-1061 U-1062

Preceded by: Type II Followed by: Type IX List of U-boats of Germany

Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in 1948

Shipwrecks	3 Feb: Hanazuki, USS Trippe 6 Feb: Gertrude L. Thebaud 10 Feb: USS Pennsylvania 12 Feb: Soegio 16 Feb: USS Banner 8 Mar: USS Ralph Talbot, USS Wilson 9 Mar: USS SC-632 10 Mar: USS Bracken 22 Mar: USS Mugford, USS Rhind 4 Apr: USS Mayrant 18 Apr: USS Mustin 19 Apr: USS Dawson 24 Apr: USS Stack 6 May: USS Briscoe, USS Catron 11 May: USS Barrow 12 May: USS Butte, USS LST-545 25 May: USS Salt Lake City 16 Jun: Altalena 2 Jul: USS Conyngham, HMAS Vendetta 5 Jul: USS Wainwright 8 Jul: USS New York 21 Jul: USS Gasconade 25 Jul: USS LST-661 31 Jul: USS Nevada 11 Aug: USS Skipjack 19 Aug: Arleux 29 Aug: Hellenic Bulbul 11 Sep: USS Searaven 24 Sep: USS Tuna 5 Oct: USS Skate 16 Oct: USS Hughes 22 Oct: El Amir Farouq 26 Oct: Empire Flamingo 10 Nov: USS Pensacola 14 Nov: Hopestar 17 Nov: EK-3, U-1105 22 Nov: Southern Flyer 4 Dec: Kiangya Unknown date: Schleswig-Holstein

Other incidents	11 Apr: HMAS Barcoo June (unknown date): Batavia Road 20 Jul: Cronenburgh

1947 1949

Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in 1949

Shipwrecks	27 Jan: Taiping 9 Feb: Prenton 4 Mar: Guararema 30 Mar: Dan 25 Apr: Magdalena 3 Jun: Norjerv 20 Jun: Empire Conyngham 21 Jun: Prinses Astrid 31 Jul: Swan Point 26 Aug: USS Cochino 14 Sep: Noronic 19 Sep: U-1105 7 Oct: USS Chehalis 3 Dec: HMS Implacable Unknown date: Empire Flamingo

Other incidents	1 Jan: Queen Mary 20 Apr: HMS Amethyst (grounding), HMS Consort 26 Apr: HMS Amethyst (grounding), HMS Black Swan, HMS London 19 Oct: Liberté

1948 1950

U.S. National Register of Historic Places in Maryland

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Lists by county	Allegany Anne Arundel Baltimore County Calvert Caroline Carroll Cecil Charles Dorchester Frederick Garrett Harford Howard Kent Montgomery Prince George's Queen Anne's Somerset St. Mary's Talbot Washington Wicomico Worcester

Lists by city	Baltimore: (Central North and Northwest West and Southwest East and Northeast South and Southeast)

Other lists	Bridges National Historic Landmarks

Category:National Register of Historic Places in Maryland Portal:National Register of Historic Places

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