| German submarine U-663 | |
|---|---|
| Career (Nazi Germany) |  |
| Name: | U-663 |
| Ordered: | 15 August 1940 |
| Builder: | Deutsche Werft, Hamburg |
| Yard number: | 812 |
| Laid down: | 31 March 1941 |
| Launched: | 26 March 1942 |
| Commissioned: | 14 May 1942 |
| Fate: | Sunk 8 May 1943 in the Bay of Biscay in position 46°50′N 10°00′W / 46.833°N 10°W, by depth charges from a RAAF Sunderland. |
| General characteristics [1] | |
| Class & type: | Type VIIC submarine |
| Displacement: |
769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced 871 t (857 long tons) submerged |
| Length: |
67.1 m (220 ft 2 in) o/a 50.5 m (165 ft 8 in) pressure hull |
| Beam: |
6.2 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a 4.7 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull |
| Draft: | 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in) |
| Propulsion: |
2 × supercharged Germaniawerft 6-cylinder 4-stroke F46 diesel engines, totalling 2,800–3,200 bhp (2,100–2,400 kW). Max rpm: 470-490 2 × BBC GG UB 720/8 electric motors, totalling 750 shp (560 kW) and max rpm: 296 |
| Speed: |
17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged |
| Range: |
8,500 nmi (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 kn (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 kn (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged |
| Test depth: |
230 m (750 ft) Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft) |
| Complement: | 44–52 officers & ratings |
| Armament: |
|
| Service record[2] | |
|---|---|
| Part of: |
5th U-boat Flotilla (14 May 1942 - 30 September 1942) - Training 11th U-boat Flotilla (1 October 1942 - 31 October 1942) 9th U-boat Flotilla (1 November 1942 - 8 May 1943) |
| Commanders: |
Kptlt. Heinrich Schmid (14 May 1942 - 8 May 1943) |
| Operations: |
1st patrol: 5 November 1942 - 31 December 1942 2nd patrol: 4 March 1943 - 6 March 1943 3rd patrol: 5 May 1943 - 8 May 1943 |
| Victories: | 2 merchant ships sunk (10,924 GRT) |
German submarine U-663 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 31 March 1941 by Deutsche Werft, Hamburg as yard number 812, launched on 26 March 1942 and commissioned on 14 May 1942 under Kapitänleutnant Heinrich Schmid.
Service History[]
The boat's career began with training at 5th U-boat Flotilla on 14 May 1942, followed by active service on 1 October 1942 as part of the 11th Flotilla. After only one month, she transferred to the 9th Flotilla on 1 November 1942, for the remainder of her service.
In 3 patrols she sank 2 merchant ships, for a total of 10,924 gross register tons (GRT).
Wolfpacks[]
U-663 took part in four wolfpacks, namely
- Drachen (22 November – 3 December 1942)
- Panzer (3–9 December 1942)
- Büffel (9–14 December 1942)
- Seeteufel (21–30 March 1943)
Fate[]
U-663 was sunk on 8 May 1943 in the Bay of Biscay in position 46°50′N 10°00′W / 46.833°N 10°W, by depth charges from RAAF Sunderland. All hands were lost.
Summary of Raiding Career[]
| Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage (GRT) |
Fate[3] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 November 1942 | Barberrys |  United Kingdom
|
5,170 | Sunk |
| 18 March 1943 | Clarissa Radcliffe | United Kingdom
|
5,754 | Sunk |
References[]
- ↑ Gröner 1985, pp. 72-74.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-663". http://www.uboat.net/boats/u663.html. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-663". http://uboat.net/boats/successes/u663.html. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
Bibliography[]
- Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999) (in German). Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945. IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
- Gröner, Erich (1985) (in German). U-Boote, Hilfskreuzer, Minenschiffe, Netzleger, Sperrbrecher. III. Koblenz: Bernard & Graefe. ISBN 3-7637-4802-4.
- Sharpe, Peter (1998). U-Boat Fact File. Great Britain: Midland Publishing. ISBN 1-85780-072-9.
External links[]
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-663". http://www.uboat.net/boats/u663.html. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
The original article can be found at German submarine U-663 and the edit history here.