German submarine U-1406 was a Type XVIIB U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during the Second World War. She was one of a small number of U-boats fitted with Hellmuth Walter's high test peroxide propulsion system, which offered a combination of air-independent propulsion and high submerged speeds.[1]
U-1406 was laid down on 30 October 1943 at the Blohm & Voss, Hamburg, as yard number 256. She was launched on 2 January 1945 and commissioned under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Werner Klug on 8 February 1945.
When completed, U-1406 was 41.45m (135.99feet) long overall, with a beam of 4.5m (14.8feet) and a draught of 4.3m (14.1feet). She was assessed at 3370NaN0 submerged. The submarine was powered by one Deutz SAA 8M517 supercharged 8-cylinder diesel engine producing a total of 210- for use while surfaced and one Walter gas turbine producing a total of 2500PS for use while submerged. She had one shaft and one propeller. The submarine had a maximum surface speed of and a maximum submerged speed of using the HTP drive. When submerged, the U-boat could operate for at on her HTP system and when surfaced, she could travel at .[2]
The submarine was fitted with two 53.30NaN0 torpedo tubes (All fitted at the bow) and four torpedoes. The boat had a complement of 19 men.
U-1406 did not undertake any war patrols and was instead assigned as a training boat at first to the 8th U-boat Flotilla, followed by the 5th U-boat Flotilla.[1]
The U-1406 was scuttled on 7 May 1945 in Cuxhaven. The wreck was later raised and broken up.[1]