Name U-240 Yard number 670 Commissioned 3 April 1943 Construction started 14 May 1942 Draft 4.74 m | Ordered 20 January 1941 Laid down 14 May 1942 Length 67 m Launched 18 February 1943 Beam 6.18 m | |
Status Missing since 17 May 1944 Builder Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft Part of 5th U-boat Flotilla, 9th U-boat Flotilla | ||
German submarine U-240 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 14 May 1942 at the Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft yard at Kiel as yard number 670, launched on 18 February 1943 and commissioned on 3 April 1943 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Günther Link.
Contents
Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-240 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged. 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).
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). 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-240 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 an anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.
Service history
After training with the 5th U-boat Flotilla at Kiel, U-240 was transferred to the 9th U-boat Flotilla for front-line service on 1 February 1944.
She sailed from Kiel to Kristiansand in Norway, on 27 to 28 March 1944, departing from there on her first combat patrol on 13 May.
The U-boat was listed as missing in the North Sea west of Norway from 17 May 1944. No explanation exists for her loss.
Previously recorded fate
U-240 was originally thought to have been sunk west of Norway by depth charges dropped by a Norwegian Short Sunderland flying boat of No. 330 Squadron RAF. The attack was against U-668. No damage was caused.