German submarine U-253

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Career
Name: U-253
Ordered: 23 September 1939
Builder: Bremer Vulkan, Bremen-Vegesack
Yard number: 18
Laid down: 15 November 1940
Launched: 30 August 1941
Commissioned: 21 October 1941
Fate: Sunk, 25 September 1942[1]
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: 44–52 officers & 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: 8th U-boat Flotilla
(21 October 194131 August 1942)
6th U-boat Flotilla
(125 September 1942)
Commanders: Kptlt. Adolf Friedrichs
(21 October 194125 September 1942)
Operations: 1st patrol: 1225 September 1942
Victories: None

German submarine U-253 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II.

The U-boat was laid down 15 November 1940 at the Bremer Vulkan yard in Bremen-Vegesack, launched on 30 August 1941 and commissioned on 21 October 1941. U-253 served with the 8th U-boat Flotilla for training and later served operationally with the 6th U-boat Flotilla from 1 to 25 September 1942. U-253 completed one patrol but did not sink any ships.

U-253 was sunk with all hands on 25 September 1942 in the Denmark Strait, northwest of Iceland, at 66°59′59.9″N 23°0′0″W / 66.999972°N 23.00000°W / 66.999972; -23.00000Coordinates: 66°59′59.9″N 23°0′0″W / 66.999972°N 23.00000°W / 66.999972; -23.00000. The cause of U-253's loss is not clear, but believed to be a British mine.[4]

References

Notes
  1. Kemp, Paul: U-Boats Destroyed - German Submarine Losses in the World Wars, 1999, Arms & Armour, ISBN 1-85409-515-3, p. 90.
  2. "The Type VIIC boat U-253 - German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 2009-12-23. 
  3. "War Patrols by German U-boat U-253 - Boats - uboat.net". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 2009-12-23. 
  4. Kemp, p. 90.
Bibliography

External links

See also



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