Recognition Guide Warships of the Second World War
Kriegsmarine — Submarine

German submarine U-243

Type VIIC submarine

German submarine U-243
No. 10 Squadron RAAF — This photograph C 4603 comes from the collections of the Imperial War Museums — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons Plate Oblique aerial photograph taken from Short Sunderland Mark III, W4030 'H', of No. 10 Squadron RAAF, while attacking German type VIIC submarine U-243, west of St Nazaire in the Bay of Biscay. Depth charges dropped by W4030, one of which crippled the U-boat, explode by its stern. Splashes from machine gun fire from the Sunderland's rear turret, which put both the submarine's 37-mm and port twin 20mm

Service

  1. Kriegsmarine as U-2432 October 1943 — 8 July 1944280 days of the war
Type VIIC submarine Particulars
Name
U-243
Builder
Germaniawerft, Kiel
Ordered
10 April 1941
Laid down
28 October 1942
Launched
2 September 1943
Commissioned
2 October 1943
Fate
Sunk on 8 July 1944 in the Bay of Biscay (1944)
Status
Wreck

Specifications

Displacement, surfaced
757 long tons (769 t)
Displacement, submerged
857 long tons (871 t)
Length
67.1 m (220.1 ft) OA
Beam
6.2 m (20.3 ft)
Draught
4.72 m (15.5 ft)
Speed
17.7 knots (32.8 km/h, 20.4 mph)
Range
8,500 nmi (15,742 km)
Main gun
88 mm (3.5 in)

U-243 was a Type VIIC submarine of the Kriegsmarine. Germaniawerft, Kiel laid her keel on 28 October 1942. She entered service on 2 October 1943, having been launched on 2 September 1943.

612 ships of the class were built. The class followed the Type UB III, Vetehinen class and was succeeded by the Type XXI (Late-war replacement).

The boat displaced 757 long tons surfaced and 857 long tons submerged. She measured 67.1 m (220 ft) long with a beam of 6.2 m (20 ft). Her designed speed was 17.7 knots.

Her main battery was one 88 mm (3.5 in) guns.

She was in commission for 280 days of the Second World War.

She was sunk on 8 July 1944, at 47°06′N 6°40′W. The wreck survives.

Written from the harvested record. Every figure above is sourced; the wording is this site's own.

Armament and machinery

Armament and machinery
Propulsion
  • 2 shafts
  • 2 × diesel engines
  • 2 × electric motors
Power
  • 2800 - 3200 PS (diesels)
  • 750 PS (electric)
Armament
  • 5 × 53.3 cm torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern)
  • 14 × torpedoes or 26 TMA mines
  • 1 × 8.8 cm deck gun (220 rounds)
  • 1 × 3.7 cm Flak M42 AA gun
  • 2 × twin 2 cm C/30 anti-aircraft guns

Sister ships

587 more in the class

Sources

  • Facts harvested from German submarine U-243 on Wikipedia. Figures only — no wording is taken from it.
  • Photograph: No. 10 Squadron RAAF — This photograph C 4603 comes from the collections of the Imperial War Museums — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons