German submarine U-277

Last updated

History
War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg Nazi Germany
NameU-277
Ordered10 April 1941
Builder Bremer Vulkan, Bremen-Vegesack
Yard number42
Laid down3 March 1942
Launched7 November 1942
Commissioned21 December 1942
FateSunk on 1 May 1944 by a British aircraft [1]
General characteristics
Class and type Type VIIC submarine
Displacement
Length
Beam
  • 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a
  • 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught4.74 m (15 ft 7 in)
Installed power
  • 2,800–3,200 PS (2,100–2,400 kW; 2,800–3,200 bhp) (diesels)
  • 750 PS (550 kW; 740 shp) (electric)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced
  • 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged
Range
  • 8,500  nmi (15,700  km; 9,800  mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth
  • 230 m (750 ft)
  • Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft)
Complement4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Armament
Service record [1] [2]
Part of:
Identification codes: M 49 190
Commanders:
Operations:
  • 6 patrols:
  • 1st patrol:
  • 29 June – 17 August 1943
  • 2nd patrol:
  • a. 29 August – 10 October 1943
  • b. 30 – 31 October 1943
  • c. 8 – 9 November 1943
  • 3rd patrol:
  • 12 November – 22 December 1943
  • 4th patrol:
  • a. 23 December 1943 – 6 January 1944
  • b. 8 – 10 January 1944
  • c. 12 – 14 January 1944
  • d. 16 – 18 January 1944
  • e. 20 – 23 March 1944
  • 5th patrol:
  • 25 March – 6 April 1944
  • 6th patrol:
  • 11 April – 1 May 1944
Victories: None

German submarine U-277 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

Contents

The submarine was laid down on 3 March 1942 at the Bremer Vulkan yard at Bremen-Vegesack as yard number 42. She was launched on 7 November 1942 and commissioned on 21 December under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Robert Lübsen. [1]

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-277 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged. [3] 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). [3]

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). [3] 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-277 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. [3]

Service history

U-277 served with the 8th U-boat Flotilla for training from December 1942 to May 1943 and operationally with the 6th U-boat Flotilla from 1 June. [1] She carried out six patrols, but sank no ships. She was a member of six wolfpacks.

She carried out a short voyage between Kiel in Germany and Bergen in Norway over June 1943.

First patrol

The boat departed Bergen on 29 June 1943 and docked at Hammerfest via Bear Island on 17 August.

Second patrol

For her second sortie, U-277 departed Hammerfest on 29 August 1943. Her route took her as far north as Svalbard before arriving at Narvik on 10 October.

Third and fourth patrols

The boat's third patrol took her round Bear Island, but was otherwise uneventful.

Her fourth foray was followed by a series of short 'hops' between Hammerfest, Narvik, Trondheim and Bergen. During one of them, she ran aground and had to be towed off the offending rocks. The damage caused forced an immediate return to base.

Fifth and sixth patrols and loss

Her penultimate, official patrol was between Narvik and Hammerfest.

She left Hammerfest for the last time on 11 April 1944. She was sunk southwest of Bear Island by depth charges dropped from a Fairey Swordfish of No. 842 Squadron, Fleet Air Arm on 1 May. The aircraft had come from the carrier HMS Fencer.

Fifty men died; there were no survivors.

Wolfpacks

U-277 took part in six wolfpacks, namely:

Related Research Articles

German submarine U-262 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine <i>U-703</i> German World War II submarine

German submarine U-703 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine deployed during the Second World War against allied shipping in the Arctic Ocean. She was a successful boat, which had a far longer service life than most other U-boats, primarily due to the restricted zone of operations in which she fought. Her main mission during the war was to target the Arctic Convoys which carried supplies to the Soviet Union from Britain. At this she was quite successful in her three years of raiding until her presumed demise in 1944.

German submarine <i>U-255</i> German World War II submarine

German submarine U-255 was a Type VIIC U-boat that served in Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 21 December 1940 at the Bremer Vulkan yard at Bremen-Vegesack, launched on 8 October 1941 and commissioned on 29 November 1941 under the command of Kapitänleutnant Reinhart Reche.

German submarine U-771 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. She was ordered on 21 November 1940, and was laid down on 21 August 1942 at Kriegsmarinewerft, Wilhelmshaven, as yard number 154. She was launched on 26 September 1943 and commissioned under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Helmut Block on 18 November of that year.

German submarine U-293 was a Type VIIC/41 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. She was laid down on 17 November 1942 by the Bremer Vulkan Werft (yard) at Bremen-Vegesack as yard number 58, launched on 30 July 1943, and commissioned on 8 September with Kapitänleutnant Leonhard Klingspor in command. In six patrols, she damaged one warship. She surrendered at Loch Eriboll in Scotland on 11 May 1945 and was sunk as part of Operation Deadlight on 13 December 1945.

German submarine U-212 was a Type VIIC U-boat that served with the Kriegsmarine during World War II. Laid down on 17 May 1941 as yard number 641 at F. Krupp Germaniawerft in Kiel, she was launched on 11 March 1942 and commissioned on 25 April under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Helmut Vogler.

German submarine U-278 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine U-294 was a Type VIIC/41 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine U-302 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 2 April 1941 at the Flender Werke yard at Lübeck as yard number 302, launched on 25 April 1942 and commissioned on 16 June under the command of Kapitänleutnant Herbert Sackel.

German submarine U-312 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 10 April 1942 at the Flender Werke yard at Lübeck as yard number 312, launched on 27 February 1943 and commissioned on 21 April under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Kurt-Heinz Nicolay.

German submarine U-313 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 11 May 1942 at the Flender Werke yard at Lübeck as yard number 313, launched on 27 March 1943 and commissioned on 20 May under the command of Kapitänleutnant Friedrich Schweiger.

German submarine U-314 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 9 June 1942 at the Flender Werke yard at Lübeck as yard number 314, launched on 17 April 1943 and commissioned on 10 June under the command of Kapitänleutnant Georg-Wilhelm Basse.

German submarine U-315 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 7 July 1942 at the Flender Werke yard at Lübeck as yard number 315, launched on 29 May 1943 and commissioned on 10 July under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Herbert Zoller.

German submarine U-318 was a Type VIIC/41 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine U-354 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine U-360 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine U-363 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 23 December 1941 at the Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft yard at Flensburg as yard number 482, launched on 17 December 1942 and commissioned on 18 March 1943 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Wolf-Werner Wilzer.

The German submarine U-387 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. She carried out ten patrols. She sank no ships. She was a member of eleven wolfpacks. She was sunk by HMS Bamborough Castle in the Barents Sea on 9 December 1944.

German submarine U-394 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine U-425 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-277". German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net. Retrieved 4 August 2012.
  2. Helgason, Guðmundur. "War Patrols by German U-boat U-277". German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net. Retrieved 4 August 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.

Bibliography

73°24′N15°32′E / 73.400°N 15.533°E / 73.400; 15.533