German submarine U-263 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 8 June 1941 at the Bremer-Vulkan-Vegesacker Werft (yard) in Bremen as yard number 28. She was launched on 18 March 1942 and commissioned on 6 May under the command of Kapitänleutnant Kurt Nölke.[1]
History | |
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Nazi Germany | |
Name | U-263 |
Ordered | 15 August 1940 |
Builder | Bremer-Vulkan-Vegesacker Werft, Bremen |
Yard number | 28 |
Laid down | 8 June 1941 |
Launched | 18 March 1942 |
Commissioned | 6 May 1942 |
Fate | Sunk, 20 January 1944 in the Bay of Biscay during a deep dive trial[1] |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Type VIIC submarine |
Displacement |
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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 02 258 |
Commanders: | |
Operations: |
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Victories: |
2 merchant ships sunk (12,376 GRT) |
In two patrols, she sank two ships of 12,376 gross register tons (GRT). She was a member of one wolfpack.
She was sunk on 20 January 1944 in the Bay of Biscay, during a deep dive trial.
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-263 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.[3] 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).[3]
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).[3] 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-263 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.[3]
After training with the 8th U-boat Flotilla, the boat became operational on 1 November 1942 when she was transferred to the 1st flotilla.
U-263's first patrol began when she departed Kiel on 27 October 1942. She entered the Atlantic Ocean after negotiating the gap between Iceland and the Faroe Islands. There followed a series of attacks west of Gibraltar, first by the U-boat on two freighters, then on the submarine by surface ships (on 20 November), aircraft (on 24 November) and a submarine (on 26 November), all of which she was lucky to survive. Even so, the damage sustained needed 13 months of repairs. She arrived at La Pallice / La Rochelle in occupied France on 29 November.
The boat departed La Pallice on 19 January 1944. She was sunk the next day in the Bay of Biscay during a deep dive trial.
Fifty-one men died; there were no survivors.
Date | Ship Name | Nationality | Tonnage (GRT) |
Fate[4] |
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20 November 1942 | Grangepark | United Kingdom | 5,132 | Sunk |
20 November 1942 | Prins Harald | Norway | 7,244 | Sunk |