German submarine U-1221

German submarine U-1221 was a Type IXC/40 U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

Design
German Type IXC/40 submarines were slightly larger than the original Type IXCs. U-1221 had a displacement of 1144 t when at the surface and 1257 t while submerged. The U-boat had a total length of 76.76 m, a pressure hull length of 58.75 m, a beam of 6.86 m, a height of 9.60 m, and a draught of 4.67 m. The submarine was powered by two MAN M 9 V 40/46 supercharged four-stroke, nine-cylinder diesel engines producing a total of 4400 PS for use while surfaced, two Siemens-Schuckert 2 GU 345/34 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 1000 shp for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.92 m propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 m.

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 18.3 kn and a maximum submerged speed of 7.3 kn. When submerged, the boat could operate for 63 nmi at 4 kn; when surfaced, she could travel 13850 nmi at 10 kn. U-1221 was fitted with six 53.3 cm torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and two at the stern), 22 torpedoes, one 10.5 cm SK C/32 naval gun, 180 rounds, and a 3.7 cm SK C/30 as well as a 2 cm C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of forty-eight.

Service history
U-1221 was ordered on 25 August 1941 from Deutsche Werft, AG in Hamburg under the yard number 384. Her keel was laid down on 28 October 1942 and the U-boat was launched the following year on 26 May 1943. She was commissioned into service under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Karl Kölzer (Crew 31) in the 4th U-boat Flotilla on 11 August 1943.

On 20 January 1944, Kölzer handed over command to Oberleutnant zur See Paul Ackermann (Crew XII/39), who took her on her first—and only—patrol in the West Atlantic from 20 August until 28 November 1944.

During an air raid by Eighth Air Force on Kiel, U-1221 was hit by two bombs in the fore-ship on 3 April 1945. The U-boat sank immediately, taking the skeleton crew of 18 with her. Seven of her crew perished, while the rest was rescued through the stern torpedo tubes the next day.