German submarine U-1209 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
She was ordered on 2 April 1942 and was laid down on 14 July 1943 at F Schichau GmbH, Danzig, as yard number 1579. She was launched on 9 February 1944 and commissioned under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Ewald Hülsenbeck on 13 April 1944.[1]
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-1209 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 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 . U-1209 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), one 3.7cm (01.5inches) Flak M42 and two twin 2sp=usNaNsp=us C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between 44 — 52 men.
U-1209 was scuttled by her crew on 18 December 1944, east of the Isles of Scilly, in the English Channel, after running aground on Wolf Rock. Forty-four of her crew of fifty-three survived, Oberleutnant zur See Ewald Hülsenbeck was among the dead.
Relevant description of how U-1209 hit Wolf Rock lighthouse and what happened after herehttps://www.penwithlocalhistorygroup.co.uk/on-this-day/?id=314