Name U-622 Yard number 598 Commissioned 14 May 1942 Launched 19 March 1942 Draft 4.74 m Builder Blohm + Voss | Ordered 15 August 1940 Laid down 1 July 1941 Construction started 1 July 1941 Length 67 m Beam 6.2 m | |
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German submarine U-622 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 1 July 1941 by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg as yard number 598, launched on 19 March 1942 and commissioned on 14 May 1942 under Oberleutnant zur See Horst-Thilo Queck.
Contents
Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-622 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 Brown, Boveri & Cie GG UB 720/8 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).
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-622 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
The boat's career began with training at 8th U-boat Flotilla on 14 May 1942, followed by active service on 1 October 1942 as part of the 11th Flotilla until 31 May 1943, when she then transferred to 13th Flotilla on 1 June 1943 for the remainder of her service.
In four patrols she sank no ships.
Wolfpacks
U-622 took part in one wolfpack, namely
Fate
U-622 was sunk on 24 July 1943 near Trondheim in position 63°27′N 10°23′E, by American B-17 bombers of the 95th Bomb Group. It was one of the only U-boats sunk by high-level bombing during World War II.