Type IXA submarine
U-37 docked at Wilhelmshaven on 18 April 1940 | |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Operators | Kriegsmarine |
| Preceded by | Type VII submarine |
| Succeeded by | Type IXB submarine |
| Built | 1937–1939 |
| In service | 1937–1945 |
| In commission | 1938–1945 |
| Planned | 8 |
| Completed | 8 |
| Lost | 6 |
| Scrapped | 2 |
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement |
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| Length |
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| Beam |
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| Height | 9.40 m (30 ft 10 in) |
| Draft | 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) |
| Speed |
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| Range |
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| Armament |
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The German Type IXA submarine was a sub-class of the German Type IX submarine built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine between 1937 and 1938. These U-boats were designed between 1935 and 1936 and were intended to be fairly large ocean-going submarines. The inspiration for the Type IXA submarine came from the German Type IA submarine, which had a similar diving depth and identical submerged horsepower.
Two of the eight Type IXA submarines (U-37 and U-38) would become the 6th and 10th most successful U-boats that saw service in World War II, sinking 53 and 35 ships respectively. All of the Type IXA submarines were sunk fairly early in the war except for U-37 and U-38, which were scuttled in May 1945 to prevent them from falling into the hands of the Allies.