German submarine U-273
German World War II submarine
History | |
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Name | U-273 |
Ordered | 20 January 1941 |
Builder | Bremer Vulkan , Bremen-Vegesack |
Yard number | 38 |
Laid down | 5 December 1941 |
Launched | 2 September 1942 |
Commissioned | 21 October 1942 |
Fate | Sunk, 19 May 1943 by a British aircraft [1] |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Type VIIC submarine |
Displacement |
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Length |
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Beam |
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Height | 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in) |
Draught | 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in) |
Installed power |
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Propulsion |
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Speed |
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Range | |
Test depth |
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Complement | 4 officers, 40–56 enlisted |
Armament |
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Service record [2] [3] | |
Part of: |
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Commanders: |
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Operations: |
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Victories: | None |
German submarine U-273 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany 's Kriegsmarine during World War II .
The submarine was laid down on 5 December 1941 at the Bremer Vulkan yard at Bremen-Vegesack as yard number 38, she was launched on 2 September 1942 and commissioned on 21 October under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Hans-Adolf Engel. [2]
Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines . U-273 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged. [4] She had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in) , a pressure hull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in) , a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) , a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in) , and a draught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in) . The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2,800 to 3,200 metric horsepower (2,060 to 2,350 kW; 2,760 to 3,160 shp) for use while surfaced, two AEG GU 460/8–27 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 metric horsepower (550 kW; 740 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m (4 ft) propellers . The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft) . [4]
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) . [4] When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nautical miles (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) ; when surfaced, she could travel 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) . U-273 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes , one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun , 220 rounds, and two twin 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns . The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty. [4]
Service history
U-273 served with the 8th U-boat Flotilla for training from October 1942 to April 1943, and served operationally with the 9th U-boat Flotilla from 1 May 1943. [2]
U-273 sailed from Kiel under the command of Oblt.z.S. Hermann Rossmann, on 8 May 1943, arriving at Bergen , Norway, on 11 May. The next day she sailed out into the Atlantic on her first and only patrol and was sunk eight days later [3] on 19 May with all hands, in position 59°25′N 24°33′W / 59.417°N 24.550°W / 59.417; -24.550 southwest of Iceland , by depth charges dropped from a Lockheed Hudson of No. 269 Squadron RAF . [2] [1]
References
- 1 2 Kemp 1999 , pp. 118–9.
- 1 2 3 4 Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-273" . German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net . Retrieved 11 January 2010 .
- 1 2 Helgason, Guðmundur. "War Patrols by German U-boat U-273" . German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net . Retrieved 11 January 2010 .
- 1 2 3 4 Gröner 1991 , pp. 43–46.
Bibliography
- Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). German U-boat commanders of World War II : a biographical dictionary . Translated by Brooks, Geoffrey. London, Annapolis, Md: Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-186-6 .
- Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [ German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945 ] . Der U-Boot-Krieg (in German). Vol. IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2 .
- Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels . German Warships 1815–1945 . Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4 .
- Bishop, Chris (2006). Kriegsmarine U-Boats, 1939-45 . London: Amber Books. ISBN 978-1-904687-96-2 .
- Kemp, Paul (1999). U-Boats Destroyed - German Submarine Losses in the World Wars . London: Arms & Armour. ISBN 1-85409-515-3 .
External links
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-273" . German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net . Retrieved 26 December 2014 .
- Hofmann, Markus. " U 273 " . Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 - u-boot-archiv.de (in German) . Retrieved 26 December 2014 .