Recognition Guide Warships of the Second World War
Kriegsmarine — Submarine

German submarine U-643

Type VIIC submarine

German submarine U-643
HQ Coastal Command, Royal Air Force official photographer — http://media.iwm.org.uk/iwm/mediaLib//60/media-60375/large.jpg This photograph C 3933 comes from the collections of the Imperial War Museums — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons Plate Royal Air Force 1939-1945- Coastal Command Three U-boats were sunk by Coastal Command aircraft on 8 October 1943 around convoy SC143. One of them was U-643, depth charged by two Liberators from No 86 Squadron. This photograph, showing the U-boat stopped and down by the bow, was taken from the third Liberator to arrive on the scene. The stricken submarine eventually blew up and sank, but 18 of her

Service

  1. Kriegsmarine as U-6438 October 1942 — 8 October 1943365 days of the war
Type VIIC submarine Particulars
Name
U-643
Builder
Blohm & Voss, Hamburg
Ordered
20 January 1941
Laid down
1 December 1941
Launched
20 August 1942
Commissioned
8 October 1942
Fate
Scuttled on 8 October 1943 in position 56 (1943)
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-643 was a Type VIIC submarine in service with the Kriegsmarine. Blohm & Voss, Hamburg laid her keel on 1 December 1941. She entered service on 8 October 1942, having been launched on 20 August 1942.

She was one of 612 ships of her class. 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 365 days of the Second World War.

She was scuttled on 8 October 1943, at 56°14′N 26°55′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 × twin 2 cm C/30 anti-aircraft gun

Sister ships

587 more in the class

Sources

  • Facts harvested from German submarine U-643 on Wikipedia. Figures only — no wording is taken from it.
  • Photograph: HQ Coastal Command, Royal Air Force official photographer — http://media.iwm.org.uk/iwm/mediaLib//60/media-60375/large.jpg This photograph C 3933 comes from the collections of the Imperial War Museums — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons