Recognition Guide Warships of the Second World War
Kriegsmarine — Submarine

German submarine U-288

Type VIIC submarine

German submarine U-288
Royal Navy official photographer — http://media.iwm.org.uk/iwm/mediaLib//30/media-30586/large.jpg This photograph A 22859 comes from the collections of the Imperial War Museums — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons Plate Fleet Air Arm Attack a U-boat, during a Convoy To Russia, 3 April 1944 A picture taken from an Avenger aircraft from 846 Naval Air Squadron flown off HMS Tracker of an attack on U-Boat 288 during Convoy JW 58 . Machine gun fire from the attacking aircraft is seen straddling the U-boat near the conning tower.

Service

  1. Kriegsmarine as U-28826 June 1943 — 3 April 1944282 days of the war
Type VIIC submarine Particulars
Name
U-288
Builder
Bremer Vulkan, Bremen-Vegesack
Ordered
5 June 1941
Laid down
7 September 1942
Launched
15 May 1943
Commissioned
26 June 1943
Fate
Sunk on 3 April 1944 (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
4.74 m (15.6 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-288 was a Type VIIC submarine in service with the Kriegsmarine. Bremer Vulkan, Bremen-Vegesack laid her keel on 7 September 1942. She entered service on 26 June 1943, having been launched on 15 May 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 282 days of the Second World War.

She was sunk on 3 April 1944. 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)
  • 2 × twin 2 cm C/30 anti-aircraft guns

Sister ships

587 more in the class

Sources

  • Facts harvested from German submarine U-288 on Wikipedia. Figures only — no wording is taken from it.
  • Photograph: Royal Navy official photographer — http://media.iwm.org.uk/iwm/mediaLib//30/media-30586/large.jpg This photograph A 22859 comes from the collections of the Imperial War Museums — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons