German submarine U-243
![]() U-243 under attack by a Sunderland of No. 10 Squadron RAAF
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History | |
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Name | U-243 |
Ordered | 10 April 1941 |
Builder | |
Yard number | 677[2] |
Laid down | 28 October 1942[2] |
Launched | 2 September 1943[1] |
Commissioned | 2 October 1943[1] |
Fate | Sunk on 8 July 1944 in the Bay of Biscay[2] |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Type VIIC submarine |
Displacement | |
Length |
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Beam |
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Height | 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in) |
Draught | 4.72 m (15 ft 6 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 officer, 40-48 enlisted |
Armament |
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Service record[2] | |
Part of: |
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Identification codes: | M 54 310 |
Commanders: |
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Operations: |
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Victories: | None |
German submarine U-243 was a
.An order was placed for U-243 on 10 April 1941 and construction began on 28 October 1942 at Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft, Kiel, as yard number 677. She was launched the following year on 2 September 1943 and commissioned on 2 October 1943 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Hans Märtens.[2] Three days into her only patrol, she shot a German aircraft down.
She was sunk in the Bay of Biscay on 8 July 1944.
Design
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).
Service history
Her only patrol was preceded by a short voyage from Kiel to Flekkefjord in southern Norway in May 1944. On 11 June 1944, she mistakenly shot down a German Junkers Ju 88 aircraft 40 nautical miles (74 km; 46 mi) southwest of Bergen while making for that city.[4]
She passed through the gap between Iceland and the Faroe Islands and steamed south, heading for the French Atlantic ports.
She was attacked and sunk by a Sunderland flying boat of No. 10 Squadron RAAF in the Bay of Biscay on 8 July 1944. Eleven men died; there were 38 survivors.
See also
References
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.
- Kemp, Paul (1999). U-Boats Destroyed - German Submarine Losses in the World Wars. London: Arms & Armour. ISBN 1-85409-515-3.
- ISBN 1-84176-364-0.
External links
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-243". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
- Hofmann, Markus. "U 243". Deutsche U-Boote 1935–1945 - u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 26 December 2014.