U-1105

Type

VIIC/41

Ordered

14 Oct, 1941

Laid down

6 Jul, 1943

Nordseewerke, Emden (werk 227)

Launched

20 Apr, 1944

Commissioned

3 Jun, 1944

Oblt. Hans-Joachim Schwarz

Commanders

3 Jun, 1944 - 10 May, 1945

Oblt. Hans-Joachim Schwarz

Career

1 patrol

3 Jun, 1944 - 15 Feb, 1945 8. Flottille (training)
16 Feb, 1945 - 8 May, 1945 5. Flottille (front boat)

Successes

1 warship a total loss for a total of 1.300 tons

Fate

Surrendered at Loch Eriboll, Scotland, on 10, May 1945.

See the 1 ships hit by U-1105 - View the 1 war patrol

Became the British submarine N 16. Transferred to USA in 1946.

General notes on this boat

Rubber coating
U-1105 was one of about ten German U-boats that were coated with rubber in an attempt to elude the Allied ASDIC and Sonar detection equipment. Apparently this worked quite well on this boat but overall this was troublesome as the rubber tended to peel off during passage. U-1105 became known as The Black Panther for this reason.

Final fate
The boat was sunk during explosives trials in Chesapeake Bay on 18 Nov, 1948. She was raised during salvage tests during mid-summer of 1949. Final destruction came on 19 September when she was sunk with a new 250 pound MK 6 depth charge suspended 30 feet beneath her hull.

The boat was rediscovered on 29 June, 1985 by a team of support divers led by Uwe Lovas. In November 1994 U-1105 was designated Maryland's first historic shipwreck preserve and is a preserved dive site at a depth of 91 feet. Her position by Differential GPS: 38-08.09' N, 076-33.09'W. She is managed by Maryland Historical Trust, Crownsville MD 21032

Schnorchel-fitted U-boat
This boat was fitted with a Schnorchel underwater-breathing apparatus and sailed equipped with it in April 1945 but it was of course installed prior to that date. Read more about the Schnorchel and see list of fitted boats.

Men lost from U-boats

Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-1105 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.