German submarine U-1405

U-1405 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.

The U-1405 was laid down on 15 October 1943 at the Blohm & Voss, Hamburg, as yard number 255. She was launched on 1 December 1944 and commissioned under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Wilhelm Rex on 24 April 1944.

Design
When completed, U-1405 was 41.45 m long overall, with a beam of 4.50 m and a draught of 4.3 m. She was assessed at 337 LT submerged. The submarine was powered by one Deutz SAA 8M517 supercharged 8-cylinder diesel engine producing a total of 210 - 230 PS for use while surfaced and one Walter gas turbine producing a total of 2,500 PS for use while submerged. She had one shaft and one propeller. The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 8.5 kn and a maximum submerged speed of 25 kn using the HTP drive. When submerged, the U-boat could operate for 123 nmi at 25 kn on her HTP system and when surfaced, she could travel 3,000 nmi at 8 kn.

The submarine was fitted with two 53.3 cm torpedo tubes (All fitted at the bow) and four torpedoes. The boat had a complement of 19 men.

Service History
U-1405 did not undertake any war patrols and was instead assigned as a training boat at first to the 5th U-boat Flotilla, followed by the 8th U-boat Flotilla.

The U-1405 was scuttled on 5 May 1945 in Eckernförde Bay during Operation Regenbogen. The wreck was later raised and broken up.