German submarine U-83 was a Type VIIB U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
She was laid down in the Flender Werke at Lübeck as yard number 291 on 5 October 1939. Launched on 9 December 1940, she was commissioned on 8 February 1941. U-83 served with 1st U-boat Flotilla from 8 February 1941 to 31 December, with the 23rd flotilla from 1 January 1942 to 30 April and with the 29th flotilla from 1 March 1942 until she was sunk.
German Type VIIB submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIA submarines. U-83 had a displacement of 753t when at the surface and 857t while submerged. She had a total length of 66.5m (218.2feet), a pressure hull length of 48.8m (160.1feet), a beam of 6.2m (20.3feet), a height of 9.5m (31.2feet), and a draught of 4.74m (15.55feet). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of NaNPS for use while surfaced, two AEG GU 460/8-276 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750PS for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23abbr=onNaNabbr=on propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to .
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of and a maximum submerged speed of . When submerged, the boat could operate for at ; when surfaced, she could travel at . Differently from other VII B U-Boats, U-83 was fitted with only the front four 53.30NaN0 torpedo tubes, and only twelve instead of 14 torpedoes,[1] one 8.82NaN2 SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and one 2cm (01inches) anti-aircraft gun The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.
U-83 conducted twelve patrols and sank five ships totalling and one auxiliary warship - the Q-ship, of .[2] She damaged one other ship of and damaged the fighter catapult ship, of .[3]
U-83 was sunk on 4 March 1943 with all hands southeast of Cartagena in Spain in position 37.1667°N 5°W, by three depth charges dropped from an RAF Hudson bomber (500 Squadron).
U-83 took part in three wolfpacks, namely:
| - | Date | Ship | Nationality | Tonnage[4] | Fate[5] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 October 1941 | Corte Real |  | 2,044 | Sunk | |
| 26 October 1941 | HMS Ariguani | 6,746 | Damaged | ||
| 17 March 1942 | Crista |  | 2,590 | Damaged | |
| 8 June 1942 | Esther | 100 | Sunk | ||
| 8 June 1942 | Said |  | 231 | Sunk | |
| 9 June 1942 | Typhoon | 175 | Sunk | ||
| 13 June 1942 | HMS Farouk | 96 | Sunk | ||
| 17 August 1942 | Princess Marguerite |  | 5,875 | Sunk |