History | |
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Name | U-281 |
Ordered | 5 June 1941 |
Builder | Bremer Vulkan,Bremen-Vegesack |
Yard number | 46 |
Laid down | 7 May 1942 |
Launched | 16 January 1943 |
Commissioned | 27 February 1943 |
Fate |
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General characteristics | |
Class and type | Type VIICsubmarine |
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 50 190 |
Commanders: |
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Operations: |
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Victories: | None |
German submarineU-281 was aType VIICU-boat ofNazi Germany'sKriegsmarine duringWorld War II.
The submarine waslaid down on 7 May 1942 at theBremer Vulkan yard at Bremen-Vegesack as yard number 46. She waslaunched on 16 January 1943 andcommissioned on 27 February under the command ofKapitänleutnant Heinz von Davidson.[1]
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorterType VIIB submarines.U-281 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), apressure hull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), abeam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and adraught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by twoGermaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylindersuperchargeddiesel 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, twoAEG GU 460/8–27double-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-281 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in)torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteentorpedoes, one8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and two twin2 cm (0.79 in) C/30anti-aircraft guns. The boat had acomplement of between forty-four and sixty.[3]
U-281 served with the8th U-boat Flotilla for training from February to July 1943 and operationally with the7th flotilla from 1 August.[1] She carried out four patrols, but sank no ships. She was a member of 11wolfpacks.
After two short voyages in Norwegian waters, the boat headed for occupied France, departingKiel on 6 October 1943, the 'long' way round theBritish Isles. She passed betweenIceland and theFaroe Islands and into the Atlantic Ocean. She was attacked by aB-24 Liberator east ofCape Farewell (Greenland) on the 17th. The aircraft'sdepth charges fell short, but three men were wounded by machine gun fire. The submarine arrived atSt. Nazaire on 26 November.
U-281's second patrol was to mid-Atlantic and at 61 days, was to be her longest.
By contrast, her third patrol was the shortest; she did not get out of theBay of Biscay.
She then made the short journey from St. Nazaire to La Pallice, further south along the French Atlantic coast in August 1944, before undertaking the longer voyage toKristiansand in Norway, again negotiating thegap between Iceland and the Faroes, but in the other direction. She did not stay in Norway long, arriving atFlensburg on 5 November 1944.
The submarine surrendered at Kristiansand-Sud on 9 May 1945. She was transferred toLoch Ryan in Scotland viaScapa Flow[4] for OperationDeadlight. She was sunk on 30 November 1945.
U-281 appears in the filmThe Cruel Sea after her surrender (approx 1 hour 57 minutes into the film).
U-281 took part in elevenwolfpacks, namely: