German submarine U-683
History | |
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Nazi Germany | |
Name | U-683 |
Ordered | 25 August 1941 |
Builder | Howaldtswerke, Hamburg |
Yard number | 832 |
Laid down | 23 December 1942 |
Launched | 7 March 1944 |
Commissioned | 30 May 1944 |
Fate | Missing in the North Atlantic since 20 February 1945 |
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 |
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Test depth |
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Complement | 4 officers, 40–56 enlisted |
Armament |
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Service record | |
Part of: |
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Identification codes: | M 00 375 |
Commanders: |
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Operations: |
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Victories: | None |
German submarine U-683 was a
Howaldtswerke yard at Hamburg, launched on 7 March 1944, and commissioned on 30 May 1944 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See
Günter Keller.
Attached to
Wesermünde
, U-683 completed her training period on 31 December 1944 and was assigned to front-line service.
Design
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 Siemens-Schuckert GU 343/38–8 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).[1]
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).2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.[1]
Service history
On the first and final war patrol, U-683 was last heard from on 20 February 1945 en route to the assigned patrol area off Cherbourg. The U-boat was declared missing on 3 April 1945.[2]
Previously recorded fate
The U-683 was recorded missing on 12 March 1945 after it was sunk in the English Channel the same day by depth charges from British frigate HMS Loch Ruthven and British sloop HMS Wild Goose. This attack was probably against the wreck of U-247.
References
- ^ a b c d Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.
- ^ Busch & Röll 1999b, p. 318.
Bibliography
- Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999a). 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 (1999b). Der U-Boot-Krieg, 1939-1945: Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945] (in German). Vol. IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
- Gröner, Eric; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). German Warships 1815-1945: U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. 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-683". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 23 July 2015.