German submarine U-1200

German submarine U-1200 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine which saw service during the Second World War.

Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-1200 had a displacement of 769 t when at the surface and 871 t while submerged. She had a total length of 67.10 m, a pressure hull length of 50.50 m, a beam of 6.20 m, a height of 9.60 m, and a draught of 4.74 m. The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2800 to 3200 PS for use while surfaced, two AEG GU 460/8–27 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 PS for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 m.

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 kn and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 kn. When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nmi at 4 kn; when surfaced, she could travel 8500 nmi at 10 kn. U-1200 was fitted with five 53.3 cm torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm SK C/35 naval gun, (220 rounds), one 3.7 cm Flak M42 and two twin 2 cm C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.

Service history
U-1200 keel was laid down 17 April 1943, by F. Schichau, of Danzig. She was commissioned 5 January 1944 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Hinrich Mangels.

She was assigned to 8th U-boat Flotilla for training, before joining 11th U-boat Flotilla in Norway for operational service.

Her first war patrol, on 7 October 1944, was cut short with mechanical difficulties; she returned to Bergen on 17 October. Two days later on 19 October she set out again for her patrol area in the South-Western Approaches, south of Ireland.

Fate
U-1200 was sunk on or about 12 November 1944 in the English Channel south-east of Start Point by unknown cause. All hands lost.

Previously recorded fate
On the night of 10 November 1944, 60 mile south of Cape Clear, Ireland, she encountered units of the Royal Navy's 30 Escort Group. These were four Castle-class corvettes, HMS Pevensey Castle (K449), HMS Kenilworth Castle (K420), HMS Launceston Castle (K397) and HMS Portchester Castle (K362), led by Cdr. Denys Rayner. Mistaking the group, which was engaged in a slow sweep of its patrol area, for a small convoy, U-1200 attempted to stalk the group, steering on a converging course. In a swift and well-executed attack, the ships of 30 EG rounded on the U-boat and destroyed her in one depth-charge attack. There were no survivors.