German submarine U-297
History | |
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Name | U-297 |
Ordered | 14 October 1941 |
Builder | Bremer Vulkan Werft, Bremen-Vegesack |
Yard number | 62 |
Laid down | 27 January 1943 |
Launched | 9 October 1943 |
Commissioned | 17 November 1943 |
Fate | Sunk on or after 6 December 1944, by a British aircraft[1] |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Type VIIC/41 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] | |
Part of: |
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Identification codes: | M 54 472 |
Commanders: |
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Operations: |
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Victories: | None |
German submarine U-297 was a Type VIIC/41 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
She was laid down on 27 January 1943 by the Bremer Vulkan Werft (yard) at Bremen-Vegesack as yard number 62, launched on 9 October 1943 and commissioned on 17 November with Oberleutnant zur See Wolfgang Aldermann in command.
In one patrol, she did not sink or damage any ships.
She was sunk by a British aircraft on or after 6 December 1944. Fifty men died; there were no survivors.
Design
[edit]German Type VIIC/41 submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-297 had a displacement of 759 tonnes (747 long tons) when at the surface and 860 tonnes (850 long tons) while submerged.[2] 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).[2]
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] 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-297 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), one 3.7 cm (1.5 in) Flak M42 and two 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.[2]
Service history
[edit]The boat's service life began with training with the 8th U-boat Flotilla in November 1943. She was then transferred to the 11th flotilla for operations on 1 November 1944.
She made the short journey from Kiel in Germany to Horten Naval Base in Norway, arriving on 18 November 1944.
Patrol and loss
[edit]U-297's only patrol began from Horten; it took her through the 'gap' between the Faroe and the Shetland Islands.
She was sunk by a Sunderland flying boat of No. 201 Squadron RAF on 6 December 1944, 16 nautical miles (30 km; 18 mi) west of Yesnaby in the Orkney Islands.
Previously recorded fate and wreck discovery
[edit]U-297 was originally thought to have been sunk on 6 December 1944 by depth charges dropped by the British frigates HMS Loch Inch and Goodall. She had also been listed as missing since 3 January 1945 probably in the Pentland Firth.
The wreck of U-297 was found and identified in May 2000. It lies at a depth of 285 ft (87 m).
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC/41 boat U-297". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
- ^ a b c d Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.
Bibliography
[edit]- 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.
- 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.
- Kemp, Paul (1999). U-Boats Destroyed - German Submarine Losses in the World Wars. London: Arms & Armour. ISBN 1-85409-515-3.
External links
[edit]- Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VII/C41 boat U-297". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
- Hofmann, Markus. "U 297". Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 - u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 6 December 2014.
- German Type VIIC/41 submarines
- U-boats commissioned in 1943
- 1943 ships
- World War II submarines of Germany
- World War II shipwrecks in the Atlantic Ocean
- Ships built in Bremen (state)
- U-boats sunk by British aircraft
- U-boats sunk by depth charges
- Submarines lost with all hands
- U-boats sunk in 1944
- Maritime incidents in December 1944