German submarine U-270

German submarine U-270 was a Type VIIC U-boat of the Nazi German Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 15 October 1941 at the Bremer-Vulkan-Vegesacker Werft (yard) in Bremen as 'werk' 35. She was launched on 11 July 1942 and commissioned on 5 September under the command of Oberleutnant Paul-Fredrich Otto.

In six patrols, she caused one British warship of to be declared a total loss. She was a member of seven wolf packs.

She was sunk in August 1943 in the Bay of Biscay by an Australian aircraft.

Service history
After training with the 8th U-boat Flotilla, the boat became operational on 1 April 1943 when she was transferred to the 6th flotilla.

1st and 2nd patrols
U-270's first patrol began when she departed Kiel on 23 March 1943. She entered the Atlantic Ocean after negotiating the 'gap' between Iceland and the Faroe Islands. Two crew members were injured in bad weather on 4 April. She then docked at the French Atlantic port of St. Nazaire on 15 May.

For her second sortie, the boat moved through the Atlantic waters off northwest Spain.

3rd and 4th patrols
She attacked the British frigate HMS Lagan (K 259) which caused the warship to be declared a total loss. During an attack on a convoy in mid-Atlantic, the boat's pressure hull was cracked by depth charges dropped by the escorts; the submarine was forced to return to base.

U-270 was attacked by a British B-17 Flying Fortress on 6 January 1944 and succeeded in shooting the aircraft down, but not before sufficient damage was caused to force the U-boat to curtail the patrol.

5th patrol
The submarine was returning to base after being attacked and badly damaged by a Vickers Wellington of No. 172 Squadron RAF, when she was attacked by a second Fortress, this time from 53 Squadron. This B-17 was also shot down, but did not cause any further damage to the boat.

6th patrol and loss
U-270 departed Lorient for the last time on 10 August 1944. In the Bay of Biscay, she was attacked and sunk by an Australian Sunderland flying boat of No. 461 Squadron RAAF on the 13th.

There were no deaths; seventy-one men survived.