| History | |
|---|---|
 Nazi Germany | |
| Name | U-287 |
| Ordered | 5 June 1941 |
| Builder | Bremer Vulkan,Bremen-Vegesack |
| Yard number | 52 |
| Laid down | 8 August 1942 |
| Launched | 13 August 1943 |
| Commissioned | 22 September 1943 |
| Fate | Scuttled 16 May 1945 (Sunk by amine, according to official records) |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & 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 20 576 |
| Commanders: |
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| Operations: |
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| Victories: | None |
German submarineU-287 was aType VIICU-boat ofNazi Germany'sKriegsmarine duringWorld War II. The submarine waslaid down on 8 August 1942 at theBremer Vulkan yard at Bremen-Vegesack as yard number 52. She waslaunched on 13 August 1943 andcommissioned on 22 September under the command ofOberleutnant zur See Heinrich Meyer.[1] She did not sink or damage any ships.
Official records report that she was sunk by amine in May 1945 in theElbe estuary. But late interviews with crew members support that she was scuttled. According to these sources[3] the remaining four crew members convinced British investigators they were struck by a mine. This version avoided the whole crew for being charged for destroying the sub which was supposed to be handed over to allies forces according toGerman Instrument of Surrender.[4]
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorterType VIIB submarines.U-287 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.[5] 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).[5]
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).[5] 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-287 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.[5]
U-287 served with the24th U-boat Flotilla for training from September 1943 to February 1945 and operationally with the31st flotilla from 1 March.
The boat's only patrol was preceded by two short voyages fromKiel in April 1945 toHorten Naval Base andKristiansand in Norway (the former being located northeast of Kristiansand).[6]
The boat departed Kristiansand on 29 April 1945 and was stayed in the Elbe estuary. The whole crew but four evacuated on lifeboats toAltenbruch before the remaining crew scuttled the ship near Schelenkuhlen in the Elbe river on 16 May. They testified that they were sunk by a mine, which was documented as the official reason of loss.
