German submarine U-288
![]() An Avenger machine gun attack on U-288 on 3 April 1944
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History | |
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Name | U-288 |
Ordered | 5 June 1941 |
Builder | Bremer Vulkan, Bremen-Vegesack |
Yard number | 53 |
Laid down | 7 September 1942 |
Launched | 15 May 1943 |
Commissioned | 26 June 1943 |
Fate | Sunk on 3 April 1944 by British aircraft |
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 | 4.74 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[1][2] | |
Part of: |
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Identification codes: | M 44 937 |
Commanders: |
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Operations: |
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Victories: | None |
German submarine U-288 was a
.The submarine was laid down on 7 September 1942 at the Bremer Vulkan yard at Bremen-Vegesack as yard number 53. She was launched on 15 May 1943 and commissioned on 26 June under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Willy Meyer.[1]
She did not sink or damage any ships.
She was sunk by British aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm from two escort carriers on 3 April 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
U-288 served with the 8th U-boat Flotilla for training from June 1943 to January 1944 and operationally with the 13th flotilla from 1 February.
First patrol
The boat's initial foray began with her departure from Kiel on 26 February 1944 for the Norwegian Sea and finished at Narvik on 11 March.
Second patrol and loss
She departed Narvik on 23 March 1944. On 3 April she attacked
Forty-nine men died; there were no survivors.
Wolfpacks
U-288 took part in four wolfpacks, namely:
- Boreas (2 – 5 March 1944)
- Orkan (5 – 10 March 1944)
- Blitz (24 – 30 March 1944)
- Hammer (30 March – 3 April 1944)
References
- ^ a b Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-288". German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net. Retrieved 8 August 2012.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "War Patrols by German U-boat U-288". German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net. Retrieved 8 August 2012.
- ^ a b c d 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.
External links
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-288". German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
- Hofmann, Markus. "U 288". Deutsche U-Boote 1935–1945 – u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 26 December 2014.