Uncompleted U-boat projects

Incomplete Classes

During World War II the German Navy (Kriegsmarine) considered a number of submarine designs for specialized operations or improving U-boat performance. However, many of these designs did not come to fruition for various reasons. Some were abandoned due to practical considerations. Others towards the end had to be abandoned as the yards were ran over by allied forces.

*The Type III U-boat was a 1934 project for a purpose built minelayer based on the Type IA U-boat. The Type III U-Boat would have been similar to the Type IA, but with a hull lengthened by 7.5 metres, and a total displacement of 970 tons. The Type III U-Boat was planned to carry an armament of 54 to 75 mines (depending on the type carried), two 105mm deck guns, and one 20mm anti-aircraft gun.
*The Type IIIA U-boat was a planned minelayer similar to the Type IA U-boat. The Type IIIA U-boat would have had a larger outer hull than the Type IA, and featured a large, watertight cylindrical hangar on the aft deck, which would have carried two small motor torpedo boats. The boat would have carried 48 mines, and used the smaller boats to help lay and recover mines. The project was dropped, as impractical.
*The Type IV U-boat was a planned re-supply and repair U-boat, intended to meet other U-boats at sea and re-supply them with torpedoes, fuel, food/water, and spare parts, and also be capable of performing light-repair work.
*Little information is available on the Type V U-Boat other than it was a Walter boat project.
*The Type VI U-boat was a planned conversion of Type IA U-boats to run both submerged and surfaced from steam propulsion. Since many nation’s navies had not used steam propulsion in ships in 30-years, the project was quickly dropped.
*The Type VIIE U-boat was planned to make use of a lightweight engine, and with the saved weight, increase the thickness of the pressure hull - thus allowing for greater diving depths. The project, however, was canceled.
*Little information is available on the Type VIII U-boat, other than it was planned for production in the event of mobilization in 1935.
*The Type XI U-boat was planned as an artillery boat; its main armament would have been four 127mm guns, in two twin gun turrets. It would have also carried an Arado Ar 231 collapsible floatplane. Four boats (U-112, U-113, U-114, and U-115) were laid down in 1939, but canceled at the outbreak of World War II. Had the Type XI U-boat been constructed, it would have had a completely new hull design and a submerged displacement of 4,650 tons – she would have been by far the largest of the U-boats and the second-largest diesel submarine after the Japanese I-400 class submarine.
*The Type XII fleet U-boat was a design from 1938. It had 8 torpedo tubes, 6 at the bow and 2 at the stern, and was to carry 20 torpedoes. The gun armament was to be the same as for the type IX boats. No contracts granted for these boats.
*The Type XIII was a further development of the type II coastal U-boat, with 4 torpedo tubes and one 2cm AA gun. No contracts were granted for these boats.
*The Type XV and XVI U-boats were intended for very large transport and repair boats (5000-ton and 3000-ton respectively) intended to carry torpedoes, food and oil as cargo. The engine layout was to be the same as for the VIIC. No contracts granted for these boats.
*The Type XVIII U-boat was a project for an attack boat using the Walter Propulsion System. Two boats (U-796 and U-797) were laid down in 1943, but construction was canceled in March 1944.
*The Type XIX U-boat was a project for an unarmed transport U-boat, based on the Type XB mine layer.
*The Type XX U-boat was another project for a transport U-boat based on the Type XB, it would have had a shorter hull than the Type XB, but had a greater beam and draft. 30 Type XX U-boats, were laid down in 1943, but construction stopped in 1944. In August 1944, construction on three Type XX U-boats (U-1701, U-1702, and 1703) resumed, but again stopped in early 1945.
*The Type XXII U-boat was intended for coastal and Mediterranean use. They used the Walter Propulsion System and would have had a crew of 2 officers and 10 men. They were to have 3 torpedo tubes, two at the bow (below the CWL) and one aft of the bridge (above the CWL). Initially 72 contracts were awarded to Howaldtswerke (36 to the yard in Hamburg and 36 in Kiel), but of those 72 only two had actually been laid down and had received U-boat numbers (U-1153 and U-1154) before they were all canceled in the autumn of 1943.
*The Type XXIV was a 1943 design for an ocean-going U-boat using the Walter Propulsion System. It was to have 14 torpedo tubes, six at the bow and 4 aft. Never constructed.
*The Type XXV U-boats were intended to be electric propulsion-only boats for coastal use. The design was 160-tons with a crew of about 58 men and would have had 2 torpedo tubes fitted at the bow.
*The Type XXVI was a high-seas U-boat propelled by the Walter Propulsion System. They would have had a crew of 3 officers and 30 men, with ten torpedo tubes, 4 at the bow and 6 in a so-called Schnee organ, and no deck guns. 100 contracts were initially awarded to the Blohm + Voss yard in Hamburg (U-4501 through U-4600) and sections were under construction for U-4501 through U-4504 when the war ended. The other contracts had been canceled.

ee also

Major U-boat classes
* Type I
* Type II
* Type VII
* Type IX
* Type X
* Type XIV - used to resupply other U-boats; nicknamed the "Milk Cow"
* Type XVIII
* Type XXI
* Type XXIII
* Midget submarines, including Biber, Hai, Molch, Seehund.

References

* Miller, David. "U-Boats: the Illustrated History of the Raiders of the Deep". Washington: Brassey's, 2000. ISBN 1574882465
* [http://uboat.net/types/projects.htm U-boat Types]