| Career (Nazi Germany) | |
|---|---|
| Name: | U-443 |
| Ordered: | 13 April 1940 |
| Builder: | F Schichau GmbH, Danzig |
| Laid down: | 10 February 1941 |
| Launched: | 31 January 1942 |
| Commissioned: | 18 April 1942 |
| Fate: | U-443 was sunk with all hands on deck on 23 February 1943 in the Mediterranean near Algiers by depth charges from the escort destroyers HMS Bicester, HMS Lamerton, and HMS Wheatland. |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Type VIIC submarine |
| Displacement: | 769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced 871 t (857 long tons) submerged |
| Length: | 67.1 m (220 ft 2 in) o/a 50.5 m (165 ft 8 in) pressure hull |
| Beam: | 6.2 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a 4.7 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull |
| Draft: | 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in) |
| Propulsion: | 2 × supercharged Germaniawerft 6-cylinder 4-stroke M6V 40/46 diesel engines, totalling 2,800–3,200 bhp (2,100–2,400 kW). Max rpm: 470-490 2 × electric motors, totalling 750 shp (560 kW) and max rpm: 296 |
| Speed: | 17.7 knots (20.4 mph; 32.8 km/h) surfaced 7.6 knots (8.7 mph; 14.1 km/h) submerged |
| Range: | 15,170 km (8,190 nmi) at 10 kn (19 km/h) surfaced 150 km (81 nmi) at 4 kn (7.4 km/h) submerged |
| Test depth: | 230 m (750 ft) Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft) |
| Complement: | 44–52 officers & ratings |
| Armament: | • 5 × 533 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes (4 bow, 1 stern) • 14 × torpedoes or 26 TMA mines • 1 × C35 88mm gun/L45 deck gun (220 rounds) • Various AA guns |
German submarine U-443 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for the German Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was commissioned on 18 April 1942. U-443 served with 8th U-boat Flotilla for training, with 9th U-boat Flotilla from 1 October 1942 to 31 December 1942, and with 29th U-boat Flotilla from 1 January 1943 to 23 February 1943. U-443 completed three patrols sinking three ships totalling 19,435 gross register tons (GRT), and one warship (the escort destroyer HMS Blean).
U-443 was sunk with all hands on deck on 23 February 1943 in the Mediterranean near Algiers by depth charges from the escort destroyers HMS Bicester, HMS Lamerton, and HMS Wheatland.