German submarine U-187

German submarine U-187 was a Type IXC/40 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine built for service during World War II. Her keel was laid down on 6 August 1941 by DeSchiMAG AG Weser in Bremen as yard number 1027. She was launched on 16 March 1942 and commissioned on 23 July with Kapitänleutnant Ralph Münnich in command.

The U-boat's service began with training as part of the 4th U-boat Flotilla. She then moved to the 10th flotilla on 1 January 1943 for operations.

She was sunk by two British destroyers on 4 February 1943.

Design
German Type IXC/40 submarines were slightly larger than the original Type IXCs. U-187 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-187 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.

Patrol and loss
U-187's patrol took her from Kiel on 12 January 1943, across the North Sea and into the Atlantic Ocean through the gap between Iceland and the Faroe Islands.

She was surprised on the surface, 7 nmi ahead of Convoy SC 118. She was sunk in mid-Atlantic by depth charges dropped by the British destroyers HMS Vimy and HMS Beverley at position 50.2°N, -36.58333°W on 4 February 1943. Nine men died; there were 45 survivors.

Wolfpacks
U-187 took part in two wolfpacks, namely:
 * Landsknecht (19 – 28 January 1943)
 * Pfeil (1 – 4 February 1943)