German submarine U-246

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Career
Name: U-246
Ordered: 10 April 1941[1]
Builder: Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft, Kiel[1]
Yard number: 680[1]
Laid down: 30 November 1942[1]
Launched: 7 December 1943[1]
Commissioned: 11 January 1944[1]
Fate: Listed as missing, 5 April 1945
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 F46 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 (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced
7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged
Range: 15,170 km (8,190 nmi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
150 km (81 nmi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth: 230 m (750 ft)
Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft)
Complement: 48 officers and ratings
Armament: 5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern)
14 × G7e torpedoes or 26 TMA mines
1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun(220 rounds)
Various AA guns
Service record[2][3]
Part of: 5th U-boat Flotilla
(11 January–31 July 1944)
3rd U-boat Flotilla
(1 August–30 September 1944)
11th U-boat Flotilla
(1 October 1944–5 April 1945)
Commanders: Kptlt. Ernst Raabe
(11 January 1944–5 April 1945)
Operations: 1st patrol:
7 October–11 November 1944
2nd patrol:
21 February–5 April 1945
Victories: None

German submarine U-246 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 30 November 1942 at the Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft yard at Kiel, launched on 7 December 1943 and commissioned on 11 January 1944 under the command of Kapitänleutnant Ernst Raabe.

After training with the 5th U-boat Flotilla at Kiel, U-246 was transferred to the 3rd U-boat Flotilla for front-line service on 1 August 1944. However, before the U-boat had sailed on her first combat patrol the flotilla was disbanded, and the U-boat was transferred to the 11th flotilla based at Bergen in Norway, on 1 October 1944. She disappeared while on patrol in March–April 1945.

Service history

U-246 had a very short career. She only participated in two war patrols and did not sink any enemy vessels. Her last report was made on 7 March 1945, while in the middle of her second patrol. Shortly afterwards, she sank from unknown causes in the Irish Sea with the loss of her entire crew of 48 men.[2]

First patrol

U-246 sailed from Kiel to Horten in Norway, on 28–30 September 1944, continuing on to Kristiansand on 4–5 October.[3] From there she sailed on her first patrol on 7 October, around the British Isles to the waters south-west of Ireland. On 26 October she was attacked by an unknown Allied aircraft with depth charges, causing severe damage and forcing the U-boat to return to base at Stavanger on 11 November.[4] The next day U-246 sailed from Stavanger to Bergen for repairs.[3]

Second patrol

The U-boat sailed from Bergen on 21 February 1945.[3] On 7 March she reported for the last time while en route for her operational area in the Irish Sea. No further reports were received, the U-boat was listed as missing on 5 April 1945.[2] Her wreck lies at 53°40′N 04°53′W / 53.667°N 4.883°W / 53.667; -4.883Coordinates: 53°40′N 04°53′W / 53.667°N 4.883°W / 53.667; -4.883.[2]

References

Notes
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 "U-246 Type VIIC". ubootwaffe.net. Retrieved 3 April 2010. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "U-246". German U-boats of WWII. Uboat.net. Retrieved 31 March 2010. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "War Patrols by U-246". Boats. Uboat.net. Retrieved 31 March 2010. 
  4. ↑ "Patrol info for U-246 (First patrol)". U-boat patrols. Uboat.net. Retrieved 31 March 2010. 
Bibliography

External links

See also

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