German submarine U-627
History | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Name | U-627 |
Ordered | 15 August 1940 |
Builder | Blohm & Voss in Hamburg |
Yard number | 603 |
Laid down | 8 August 1941 |
Launched | 29 April 1942 |
Commissioned | 18 June 1942 |
Fate | Sunk on 27 October 1942 just south of Iceland in position 59°08′N 22°29′W / 59.14°N 22.49°W by depth charges from a British B-17 Flying Fortress bomber. |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Type VIIC submarine |
Displacement | |
Length |
|
Beam |
|
Height | 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in) |
Draught | 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in) |
Installed power |
|
Propulsion |
|
Speed |
|
Range | |
Test depth |
|
Complement | 4 officers, 40–56 enlisted |
Armament |
|
Service record[1] | |
Part of: |
|
Identification codes: | M 07 218 |
Commanders: |
|
Operations: |
|
Victories: | None |
German submarine U-627 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. Its hull was laid down on 8 August 1941 at the yards of Blohm & Voss in Hamburg and it was commissioned on 18 June 1942 under the command of Kapitänleutnant Robert Kindelbacher.
U-627 was sunk on 27 October 1942 just south of Iceland in position 59°08′N 22°29′W / 59.14°N 22.49°W by depth charges from a British B-17 Flying Fortress bomber from 206 Squadron RAF. This resulted in the loss of all 44 crew members.[1]
Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-627 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), 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 BBC GG UB 720/8 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).[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-627 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 a 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.[2]
Patrol and loss
U-627 departed Kiel on 15 October 1942 bound for the North Atlantic via the Norwegian coastline and the gap between Iceland and the Faroe Islands. She was at sea for only 13 days before being spotted South by Southwest of Iceland by a B-17 patrol bomber of 206 Squadron RAF - FL457/F, piloted by Pilot Officer R.L. Cowey - and sunk with depth charges, in position 59°08′N 22°29′W / 59.14°N 22.49°W with a loss of all 44 men aboard.
References
- ^ a b Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-627". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 12 October 2014.
- ^ a b c d Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.
Bibliography
- Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). German U-boat commanders of World War II : a biographical dictionary. Translated by Brooks, Geoffrey. London, Annapolis, Md: Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-186-6.
- Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). Der U-Boot-Krieg, 1939-1945: Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945] (in German). Vol. IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
- Gröner, Eric; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). German Warships 1815-1945: U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
- Niestle, Axel (1998). German U-Boat Losses During World War II. United States Naval Institute. ISBN 1-55750-641-8.
External links
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-627". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
59°08′N 22°29′W / 59.14°N 22.49°W
- German Type VIIC submarines
- World War II submarines of Germany
- U-boats sunk in 1942
- World War II shipwrecks in the Atlantic Ocean
- Ships built in Hamburg
- U-boats commissioned in 1942
- 1942 ships
- U-boats sunk by British aircraft
- U-boats sunk by depth charges
- Submarines lost with all hands
- Maritime incidents in October 1942