| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | U-420 |
| Ordered | 20 January 1941 |
| Builder | Danziger Werft AG, Danzig |
| Yard number | 121 |
| Laid down | 3 December 1941 |
| Launched | 18 August 1942 |
| Commissioned | 16 December 1942 |
| Fate | Missing in theNorth Atlantic since 20 October 1943 |
| 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] | |
| Part of: |
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| Identification codes: | M 49 312 |
| Commanders: |
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| Operations: |
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| Victories: | None |
German submarineU-420 was aType VIICU-boat built for theKriegsmarine for service duringWorld War II. She waslaid down in the Danziger Werft as yard number 121,launched on 18 August 1942 andcommissioned on 16 December the same year underOberleutnant zur See Peter Högqvist. She then joined the8th U-boat Flotilla for training before transferring to the11th flotilla for operations.
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorterType VIIB submarines.U-420 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.[2] 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, twoSiemens-Schuckert GU 343/38–8double-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).[2]
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).[2] 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-420 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.[2]
U-420's first patrol involved her leavingKiel on 12 June 1943 and arriving atLorient in occupied France on 16 June 1943, having hugged the Norwegian coast and sailed around the north of Scotland. She then crossed the Atlantic, but was attacked on 3 July by a CanadianB-24 Liberator. The boat was hit by aFido homing torpedo which killed two men and wounded a third. The boat sustained enough damage to force the patrol to be cut short.[3]
Following a short transit voyage from Lorient toBrest,U-420 set off on her second patrol on 9 October 1943. After 20 October, she was never heard from again and her fate remains an unsolved mystery.[4]
A postwar assessment stated thatU-420 was sunk on October 26, 1943 in the North Atlantic at position50°49′N41°01′W / 50.817°N 41.017°W /50.817; -41.017 by depth charges from a Canadian B-24 Liberator of RCAF Squadron 10/A. This attack was actually againstU-91, inflicting no damage.