Name U-628 Yard number 604 Commissioned 25 June 1942 Launched 29 April 1942 Draft 4.74 m Builder Blohm + Voss | Ordered 15 August 1940 Laid down 7 August 1941 Construction started 7 August 1941 Length 67 m Beam 6.18 m | |
Fate Sunk 3 July 1943 in the North Atlantic NW of Cape Ortegal in position , by depth charges from a RAF Liberator aircraft of 224/J Squadron. Part of 5th U-boat Flotilla, 1st U-boat Flotilla | ||
German submarine U-628 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 7 August 1941 by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg as yard number 604, launched on 29 April 1942 and commissioned on 25 June 1942 under Kapitänleutnant Heinrich Hasenschar.
Contents
Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-628 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-628 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 service began on 25 June 1942 with training as part of the 5th U-boat Flotilla. She was transferred to the 1st Flotilla on 1 December 1942 for active service in the North Atlantic.
In four patrols she sank four merchant ships, for a total of 21,765 gross register tons (GRT), plus three merchant ships damaged.
Wolfpacks
U-628 took part in six wolfpacks, namely
Fate
U-628 was sunk on 3 July 1943 in the North Atlantic NW of Cape Ortegal in position 44°11′N 08°45′W; bombed and depth charged by RAF Liberator aircraft (FL963) of 224/J Squadron out of RAF St Eval in Cornwall. All 49 hands were lost.