German submarine U-966 was a Type VIIC U-boat of the German Navy (Kriegsmarine) during World War II.
She was ordered on 5 June 1941, and was laid down on 1 May 1942 at Blohm & Voss, Hamburg, as yard number 166. She was launched on 14 January 1943 and commissioned under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Eckehard Wolf on 4 March 1943.[1]
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-966 had a displacement of 769t when at the surface and 871t while submerged. She had a total length of 67.1m (220.1feet), a pressure hull length of 50.5m (165.7feet), a beam of 6.2m (20.3feet), a height of 9.6m (31.5feet), 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 Garbe, Lahmeyer & Co. RP 137/c 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 . U-966 was fitted with five 53.30NaN0 torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes or 26 TMA mines, one 8.82NaN2 SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and one twin 2sp=usNaNsp=us C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of 44 to 52 men.
On 10 November 1943, U-966 was attacked by an RAF Wellington of 612 Squadron/B and then US Navy B-24 Liberators of squadrons VB-103 and VB-110.[1]
Later that day Liberator GR Mk V BZ774/D of the RAF's Czechoslovak-crewed 311 Squadron/D sighted U-966 at 43.75°N -8°W. The submarine headed for the neutral Spanish coast at full speed but at 13:54 BZ774/D attacked her with wing-mounted SAP60 semi-armour piercing rocket projectiles (RPs).
Several of the RPs failed to function, and the Czechoslovak aircrew was unable to see any effects on the target from those that did. But U-966 slowed to an estimated six to eight knots, and then within of the Spanish coast she slowed to two knots before running aground. 42 of her 50 crew survived.[1] They scuttled her in the Bay of Biscay off O Porto de Bares, Galicia, Spain, after several depth charge attacks badly damaged her,[1] then took to their dinghies and were interned in Spain.
The wreck is at 43.7689°N -7.6333°W.[1] The wreckage was found in various locations near Punta de Estaca de Bares by a team of three Spanish divers in June 2018.[2]