Name U-243 Yard number 677 Commissioned 2 October 1943 Launched 2 September 1943 Draft 4.72 m | Ordered 10 April 1941 Laid down 28 October 1942 Construction started 28 October 1942 Length 67 m Beam 6.18 m | |
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Fate Sunk in July 1944 in the Bay of Biscay Builder Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft Part of 5th U-boat Flotilla, 1st U-boat Flotilla | ||
German submarine U-243 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
Contents
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 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Hans Märtens. Three days into her only patrol, she shot a German aircraft down.
She was sunk in the Bay of Biscay in July 1944
Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-243 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-243 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
Her only patrol was preceded by a short voyage from Kiel to Flekkefjord in southern Norway in May 1944. On 11 June, she mistakenly shot a German JU 88 down 40 nautical miles (74 km; 46 mi) southwest of Bergen while making for that city.
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.