German submarineU-281

History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-281
Ordered	5 June 1941
Builder	Bremer Vulkan,Bremen-Vegesack
Yard number	46
Laid down	7 May 1942
Launched	16 January 1943
Commissioned	27 February 1943
Fate	Surrendered at Kristiansand-Sud on 9 May 1945; Sunk on 30 November 1945 inOperation Deadlight;
General characteristics
Class and type	Type VIICsubmarine
Displacement	769tonnes(757long tons) surfaced; 871 t (857 long tons) submerged;
Length	67.10 m (220 ft 2 in)o/a; 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in)pressure hull;
Beam	6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a; 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull;
Height	9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught	4.74 m (15 ft 7 in)
Installed power	2,800–3,200 PS (2,100–2,400 kW; 2,800–3,200 bhp) (diesels); 750 PS (550 kW; 740 shp) (electric);
Propulsion	2 shafts; 2 ×diesel engines; 2 ×electric motors;
Speed	17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced; 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged;
Range	8,500nmi(15,700km;9,800mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced; 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged;
Test depth	230 m (750 ft); Crush depth:250–295 m (820–968 ft);
Complement	4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Armament	5 × 53.3 cm (21 in)torpedo tubes(four bow, one stern); 14 ×torpedoesor26 TMAmines; 1 ×8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun(220 rounds); 2 × twin2 cm (0.79 in) C/30anti-aircraft guns;
Service record
Part of:	8th U-boat Flotilla; 27 February – 31 July 1943; 7th U-boat Flotilla; 1 August – 9 November 1944; 33rd U-boat Flotilla; 10 November 1944 – 8 May 1945;
Identification codes:	M 50 190
Commanders:	Kptlt.Heinz von Davidson; 27 February 1943 – 9 May 1945;
Operations:	4 patrols:; 1st patrol:; 6 October – 26 November 1943; 2nd patrol:; 5 January – 5 March 1944; 3rd patrol:; a. 6 – 15 June 1944; b. 9 – 14 August 1944; 4th patrol:; a. 4 September – 29 October 1944; b. 2 – 5 November 1944;
Victories:	None

German submarineU-281was aType VIIC U-boatofNazi Germany'sKriegsmarineduringWorld War II.

The submarine waslaid downon 7 May 1942 at theBremer Vulkanyard at Bremen-Vegesack as yard number 46. She waslaunchedon 16 January 1943 andcommissionedon 27 February under the command ofKapitänleutnantHeinz von Davidson.^[1]

Design

German Type VIIC submarineswere preceded by the shorterType VIIB submarines.U-281had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.^[3]She had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), apressure hulllength of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), abeamof 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and adraughtof 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by twoGermaniawerftF46 four-stroke, six-cylindersupercharged diesel enginesproducing a total of 2,800 to 3,200 metric horsepower (2,060 to 2,350 kW; 2,760 to 3,160 shp) for use while surfaced, twoAEGGU 460/8–27double-acting electric motorsproducing a total of 750 metric horsepower (550 kW; 740 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m (4 ft)propellers.The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).^[3]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph).^[3]When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nautical miles (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph).U-281was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in)torpedo tubes(four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteentorpedoes,one8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun,220 rounds, and two twin2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns.The boat had acomplementof between forty-four and sixty.^[3]

Service history

U-279served with the8th U-boat Flotillafor training from February to July 1943 and operationally with the7th flotillafrom 1 August.^[1]She carried out four patrols, but sank no ships. She was a member of 11wolfpacks.

First patrol

After two short voyages in Norwegian waters, the boat headed for occupied France, departingKielon 6 October 1943, the 'long' way round theBritish Isles.She passed betweenIcelandand theFaroe Islandsand into the Atlantic Ocean. She was attacked by aB-24 Liberatoreast ofCape Farewell(Greenland) on the 17th. The aircraft'sdepth chargesfell short, but three men were wounded by machine gun fire. The submarine arrived atSt. Nazaireon 26 November.

Second patrol

U-281's second patrol was to mid-Atlantic and at 61 days, was to be her longest.

Third patrol

By contrast, her third patrol was the shortest; she did not get out of theBay of Biscay.

Return to Germany and surrender

She then made the short journey from St. Nazaire to La Pallice, further south along the French Atlantic coast in August 1944, before undertaking the longer voyage toKristiansandin Norway, again negotiating thegapbetween Iceland and the Faroes, but in the other direction. She did not stay in Norway long, arriving atFlensburgon 5 November 1944.

The submarine surrendered at Kristiansand-Sud on 9 May 1945. She was transferred toLoch Ryanin Scotland viaScapa Flow^[4]for OperationDeadlight.She was sunk on 30 November 1945.

U-281 appears in the filmThe Cruel Seaafter her surrender (approx 1 hour 57 minutes into the film).

Wolfpacks

U-281took part in elevenwolfpacks,namely:

Schlieffen(16 – 22 October 1943)
Siegfried(22 – 27 October 1943)
Siegfried 2(27 – 30 October 1943)
Körner (30 October – 2 November 1943)
Tirpitz 3 (2 – 8 November 1943)
Eisenhart 9 (9 – 11 November 1943)
Rügen (14 – 26 January 1944)
Hinein (26 January – 3 February 1944)
Igel 2 (3 – 17 February 1944)
Hai 2(17 – 22 February 1944)
Preussen (22 – 23 February 1944)

References

^^a ^b ^cHelgason, Guðmundur."The Type VIIC boat U-281".German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net.Retrieved6 August2012.
^Helgason, Guðmundur."War Patrols by German U-boat U-281".German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net.Retrieved6 August2012.
^^a ^b ^c ^dGröner 1991,pp. 43–46.
^Hofmann, Markus."U 281".Deutsche U-Boote 1935–1945 – u-boot-archiv.de(in German).Retrieved26 December2014.

Bibliography

Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999).German U-boat commanders of World War II: a biographical dictionary.Translated by Brooks, Geoffrey. London, Annapolis, Md: Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press.ISBN 1-55750-186-6.
Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999).Der U-Boot-Krieg, 1939-1945: Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945[German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945] (in German). Vol. IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler.ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991).U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels.German Warships 1815–1945. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press.ISBN 0-85177-593-4.

External links

Helgason, Guðmundur."The Type VIIC boat U-281".German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net.Retrieved26 December2014.
Hofmann, Markus."U 281".Deutsche U-Boote 1935–1945 – u-boot-archiv.de(in German).Retrieved26 December2014.

55°50′N10°05′W/ 55.833°N 10.083°W/55.833; -10.083

[uboatnet-1] Helgason, Guðmundur."The Type VIIC boat U-281".German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net.Retrieved6 August2012.

[patrols-2] Helgason, Guðmundur."War Patrols by German U-boat U-281".German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net.Retrieved6 August2012.

[FOOTNOTEGröner199143–46-3] Gröner 1991,pp. 43–46.

[4] Hofmann, Markus."U 281".Deutsche U-Boote 1935–1945 – u-boot-archiv.de(in German).Retrieved26 December2014.

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[2]

[3]

[4]

v t e Type VII submarines
Type VIIA	U-27 U-28 U-29 U-30 U-31 U-32 U-33 U-34 U-35 U-36
Type VIIB	U-45 U-46 U-47 U-48 U-49 U-50 U-51 U-52 U-53 U-54 U-55 U-73 U-74 U-75 U-76 U-83 U-84 U-85 U-86 U-87 U-99 U-100 U-101 U-102
Type VIIC	U-69 U-70 U-71 U-72 U-77 U-78 U-79 U-80 U-81 U-82 U-88 U-89 U-90 U-91 U-92 U-93 U-94 U-95 U-96 U-97 U-98 U-132 U-133 U-134 U-135 U-136 U-201 U-202 U-203 U-204 U-205 U-206 U-207 U-208 U-209 U-210 U-211 U-212 U-221 U-222 U-223 U-224 U-225 U-226 U-227 U-228 U-229 U-230 U-231 U-232 U-235 U-236 U-237 U-238 U-239 U-240 U-241 U-242 U-243 U-244 U-245 U-246 U-247 U-248 U-249 U-250 U-251 U-252 U-253 U-254 U-255 U-256 U-257 U-258 U-259 U-260 U-261 U-262 U-263 U-264 U-265 U-266 U-267 U-268 U-269 U-270 U-271 U-272 U-273 U-274 U-275 U-276 U-277 U-278 U-279 U-280 U-281 U-282 U-283 U-284 U-285 U-286 U-287 U-288 U-289 U-290 U-291 U-301 U-302 U-303 U-304 U-305 U-306 U-307 U-308 U-309 U-310 U-311 U-312 U-313 U-314 U-315 U-316 U-331 U-332 U-333 U-334 U-335 U-336 U-337 U-338 U-339 U-340 U-341 U-342 U-343 U-344 U-345 U-346 U-347 U-348 U-349 U-350 U-351 U-352 U-353 U-354 U-355 U-356 U-357 U-358 U-359 U-360 U-361 U-362 U-363 U-364 U-365 U-366 U-367 U-368 U-369 U-370 U-371 U-372 U-373 U-374 U-375 U-376 U-377 U-378 U-379 U-380 U-381 U-382 U-383 U-384 U-385 U-386 U-387 U-388 U-389 U-390 U-391 U-392 U-393 U-394 U-396 U-397 U-398 U-399 U-400 U-401 U-402 U-403 U-404 U-405 U-406 U-407 U-408 U-409 U-410 U-411 U-412 U-413 U-414 U-415 U-416 U-417 U-418 U-419 U-420 U-421 U-422 U-423 U-424 U-425 U-426 U-427 U-428 U-429 U-430 U-431 U-432 U-433 U-434 U-435 U-436 U-437 U-438 U-439 U-440 U-441 U-442 U-443 U-444 U-445 U-446 U-447 U-448 U-449 U-450 U-451 U-452 U-453 U-454 U-455 U-456 U-457 U-458 U-465 U-466 U-467 U-468 U-469 U-470 U-471 U-472 U-473 U-475 U-476 U-477 U-478 U-479 U-480 U-481 U-482 U-483 U-484 U-485 U-486 U-551 U-552 U-553 U-554 U-555 U-556 U-557 U-558 U-559 U-560 U-561 U-562 U-563 U-564 U-565 U-566 U-567 U-568 U-569 U-570 U-571 U-572 U-573 U-574 U-575 U-576 U-577 U-578 U-579 U-580 U-581 U-582 U-583 U-584 U-585 U-586 U-587 U-588 U-589 U-590 U-591 U-592 U-593 U-594 U-595 U-596 U-597 U-598 U-599 U-600 U-601 U-602 U-603 U-604 U-605 U-606 U-607 U-608 U-609 U-610 U-611 U-612 U-613 U-614 U-615 U-616 U-617 U-618 U-619 U-620 U-621 U-622 U-623 U-624 U-625 U-626 U-627 U-628 U-629 U-630 U-631 U-632 U-633 U-634 U-635 U-636 U-637 U-638 U-639 U-640 U-641 U-642 U-643 U-644 U-645 U-646 U-647 U-648 U-649 U-650 U-651 U-652 U-653 U-654 U-655 U-656 U-657 U-658 U-659 U-660 U-661 U-662 U-663 U-664 U-665 U-666 U-667 U-668 U-669 U-670 U-671 U-672 U-673 U-674 U-675 U-676 U-677 U-678 U-679 U-680 U-681 U-682 U-683 U-701 U-702 U-703 U-704 U-705 U-706 U-707 U-708 U-709 U-710 U-711 U-712 U-713 U-714 U-715 U-716 U-717 U-718 U-719 U-720 U-721 U-722 U-731 U-732 U-733 U-734 U-735 U-736 U-737 U-738 U-739 U-740 U-741 U-742 U-743 U-744 U-745 U-746 U-747 U-748 U-749 U-750 U-751 U-752 U-753 U-754 U-755 U-756 U-757 U-758 U-759 U-760 U-761 U-762 U-763 U-764 U-765 U-766 U-767 U-768 U-771 U-772 U-773 U-774 U-775 U-776 U-777 U-778 U-779 U-821 U-822 U-825 U-826 U-901 U-903 U-904 U-905 U-907 U-921 U-922 U-923 U-924 U-925 U-926 U-927 U-928 U-951 U-952 U-953 U-954 U-955 U-956 U-957 U-958 U-959 U-960 U-961 U-962 U-963 U-964 U-965 U-966 U-967 U-968 U-969 U-970 U-971 U-972 U-973 U-974 U-975 U-976 U-977 U-978 U-979 U-980 U-981 U-982 U-983 U-984 U-985 U-986 U-987 U-988 U-989 U-990 U-991 U-992 U-993 U-994 U-1051 U-1052 U-1053 U-1054 U-1055 U-1056 U-1057 U-1058 U-1101 U-1102 U-1131 U-1132 U-1161 U-1162 U-1191 U-1192 U-1193 U-1194 U-1195 U-1196 U-1197 U-1198 U-1199 U-1200 U-1201 U-1202 U-1203 U-1204 U-1205 U-1206 U-1207 U-1208 U-1209 U-1210
Type VIIC/41	U-292 U-293 U-294 U-295 U-296 U-297 U-298 U-299 U-300 U-317 U-318 U-319 U-320 U-321 U-322 U-323 U-324 U-325 U-326 U-327 U-328 U-691 U-827 U-828 U-929 U-930 U-995 U-997 U-998 U-999 U-1000 U-1001 U-1002 U-1003 U-1004 U-1005 U-1006 U-1007 U-1008 U-1009 U-1010 U-1011 U-1013 U-1014 U-1015 U-1016 U-1017 U-1018 U-1019 U-1020 U-1021 U-1022 U-1023 U-1024 U-1025 U-1063 U-1064 U-1065 U-1103 U-1104 U-1105 U-1106 U-1107 U-1108 U-1109 U-1110 U-1163 U-1164 U-1165 U-1166 U-1167 U-1168 U-1169 U-1170 U-1171 U-1172 U-1271 U-1272 U-1273 U-1274 U-1275 U-1276 U-1277 U-1278 U-1279 U-1301 U-1302 U-1303 U-1304 U-1305 U-1306 U-1307 U-1308
Type VIID	U-213 U-214 U-215 U-216 U-217 U-218
Type VIIF	U-1059 U-1060 U-1061 U-1062
Preceded by:Type II Followed by:Type IX List of U-boats of Germany

v t e Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in November 1945
Shipwrecks	6 Nov:USSOberrender 8 Nov:USSHogan 10 Nov:HMCSAssiniboine 12 Nov:Hokkai Maru 17 Nov:Sesotris 20 Nov:Ingénieur Général Haarbleicher 22 Nov:USSCanandaigua,Kiyokawa Maru 27 Nov:U-2321,U-2322,U-2324,U-2328,U-2345,U-2361 28 Nov:U-2325,U-2329,U-2334,U-2335,U-2338,U-2350,U-2363 29 Nov:U-298,U-312,U-968 30 Nov:U-170,U-281,U-328,U-369,U-481,U-868
Other incidents	30 Nov:U.S.O.,Outarde
194419451946 October 1945December 1945