Type XXIII was designed as small coastal U-boats and had a
single hull with three watertight compartments. Armament consisted
two torpedo tubes in the bow.
The Type XXIII U-boats were the first Elektroboat (Elektroboote)
to become operational. They were small coastal U-boats designed
to manoeuvre in the shallow waters of the Black Sea and Mediterranean
Sea. The Type XXIII U-boats were so compact in their design
that they could only carry two torpedoes, which had to be
loaded externally. Just like their much larger cousin the
Type XXI they were able
to stay underwater for huge lengths of time this was made
possible by using the larger capacity batteries, and the snorkel
which in turn, allowed the diesel engines to be used whilst
submerged. While developing the
Type
XXI U-boat, it was suggested to simultaneously develop
a smaller variant containing the same sophisticated technology
to replace the
Type II coastal
U-boat.
Karl
Dönitz added two prerequisites, 1, The U-boat would
have to operate in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea,
So it would have to easily transported. 2, And would have
to use the standard 53.3 cm torpedo tubes.
Also like their larger cousin
Type
XXI it was intended to construct Type XXIII U-boats in
prefabricated sections at various shipyards under the control
of the Third Reich, out of the 61 Type XXIII U-boats constructed
six became operational and resulted in six Allied ships being
sunk.
Type XXIII sixty one of this class were built between
1943 and 1945. Forty eight were constructed by
Deutsche
Werke AG, of Hamburg, U-2321, U-2322, U-2323, U-2324,
U-2325, U-2326, U-2327, U-2328, U-2329, U-2330, U-2331, U-2334,
U-2335, U-2336, U-2337, U-2338, U-2339, U-2340, U-2341, U-2342,
U-2343, U-2344, U-2345, U-2346, U-2347, U-2348, U-2349, U-2350,
U-2351, U-2352, U-2353, U-2354, U-2355, U-2356, U-2357, U-2358,
U-2359, U-2360, U-2361, U-2362, U-2363, U-2364, U-2365, U-2366,
U-2367, U-2368, U-2369, and U-2371.
Thirteen were constructed by
F.
Krupp Germaniawerft AG, of Kiel, U-2332, U-2333, U-4701,
U-4702, U-4703, U-4704, U-4705, U-4706, U-4707, U-4709, U-4710,
U-4711, and U-4712.
German Warships, 1815-1945: U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels.
ISBN-10: 155750301X
German U-boat Commanders of World War II.
ISBN-10: 1853673668
German U-boat Losses during World War II.
ISBN-10: 1557506418
For a complete list of
sources
