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German World War II submarine From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
German submarine U-266 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 1 August 1941 at Bremer-Vulkan-Vegesacker Werft in Bremen as yard number 31. She was launched on 11 May 1942 and commissioned on 24 June under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Hannes Leinemann.[1]
History | |
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Nazi Germany | |
Name | U-266 |
Ordered | 15 August 1940 |
Builder | Bremer-Vulkan-Vegesacker Werft, Bremen |
Yard number | 31 |
Laid down | 1 August 1941 |
Launched | 11 May 1942 |
Commissioned | 24 June 1942 |
Fate | Sunk, 15 May 1943 |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Type VIIC submarine |
Displacement | |
Length |
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Beam |
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Height | 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in) |
Draught | 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in) |
Installed power |
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Propulsion |
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Speed |
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Range | |
Test depth |
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Complement | 4 officers, 40–56 enlisted |
Armament |
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Service record[1][2] | |
Part of: |
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Identification codes: | M 05 834 |
Commanders: | |
Operations: |
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Victories: |
4 merchant ships sunk (16,089 GRT) |
In two patrols, she sank four ships of 16,089 gross register tons (GRT). She was a member of five wolfpacks.
She was sunk on 15 May 1943 in mid-Atlantic by a British aircraft.[3]
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-266 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.[4] 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 AEG GU 460/8–27 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).[4]
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).[4] 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-266 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 two twin 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.[4]
After training with the 8th U-boat Flotilla, the boat became operational on 1 January 1943 when she was transferred to the 7th flotilla.
U-266's first patrol began when she departed Kiel on 22 December 1942. She entered the Atlantic Ocean after negotiating the gap between Iceland and the Faroe Islands. She sank Polyktor on 6 February 1943. She then docked at the French Atlantic port of St. Nazaire on the 17th.
The boat departed St. Nazaire on 14 March 1943 for the mid-Atlantic once more. On 5 May, she sank Bonde, Gharinda and Selvistan.
The boat was sunk on 15 May by a British Handley Page Halifax of No. 58 Squadron RAF. Forty-seven men died; there were no survivors.
U-266 had been thought to have been sunk on 14 May 1943 by a British B-24 Liberator of 86 squadron.[1]
U-266 took part in five wolfpacks, namely:
Date | Ship Name | Nationality | Tonnage (GRT) |
Fate[5] |
---|---|---|---|---|
6 February 1943 | Polyktor | Greece | 4,077 | Sunk |
5 May 1943 | Bonde | Norway | 1,570 | Sunk |
5 May 1943 | Gharinda | United Kingdom | 5,306 | Sunk |
5 May 1943 | Selvistan | United Kingdom | 5,136 | Sunk |
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