Name U-280 Yard number 45 Commissioned 13 February 1943 Construction started 30 April 1942 Length 67 m Beam 6.18 m | Ordered 5 June 1941 Laid down 30 April 1942 Fate Sunk, 16 November 1943 Launched 4 January 1943 Draft 4.74 m Builder Bremer Vulkan | |
Part of 8th U-boat Flotilla, 3rd U-boat Flotilla | ||
German submarine U-280 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
Contents
The submarine was laid down on 30 April 1942 at the Bremer Vulkan yard at Bremen-Vegesack, launched on 4 January 1943, and commissioned on 13 February 1943 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Walter Hungershausen.
Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-280 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-280 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
U-280 served with 8th U-boat Flotilla while training, and transferred to 3rd U-boat Flotilla on 1 August 1943 for front-line service.
On 12 October 1943 U-280 sailed from Kiel on her first and only war patrol. On 16 November she was attacked by a British Liberator aircraft of No. 86 Squadron RAF near Convoy HX-265, in position 49°11′N 27°32′W, south-west of Iceland. The first attack missed and the aircraft was hit by flak, knocking out one engine. However the bomber attacked again, sinking U-280 with depth charges. The Liberator safely returned to base on three engines.
Wolfpacks
U-280 operated with the following Wolfpacks during her career: