German submarine U-447

{{Infobox ship image

|Ship image=

|Ship caption=

}}

{{Infobox ship career

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|Ship country=Nazi Germany

|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|Nazi Germany|naval}}

|Ship name=U-447

|Ship ordered=6 August 1940

|Ship builder=Schichau-Werke, Danzig

|Ship yard number=1507

|Ship laid down=1 July 1941

|Ship launched=30 April 1942

|Ship commissioned=11 July 1942

|Ship fate=Sunk on 7 May 1943 in the North Atlantic in position {{coord|35|30|N|11|55|W}}, by depth charges from RAF Hudson.

}}

{{Infobox ship characteristics

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|Header caption=

|Ship class=Type VIIC submarine

|Ship displacement=

{{convert|769|t|LT|0|lk=on}} surfaced
{{convert|871|t|LT|0|abbr=on}} submerged

|Ship length=

{{convert|67.10|m|ftin|abbr=on}} o/a
{{convert|50.50|m|ftin|abbr=on}} pressure hull

|Ship beam=

{{convert|6.20|m|ftin|abbr=on}} o/a
{{convert|4.70|m|ftin|abbr=on}} pressure hull

|Ship draught={{convert|4.74|m|ftin|abbr=on}}

|Ship power=

{{convert|2800|–|3200|PS|kW bhp|abbr=on}} (diesels)
{{convert|750|PS|kW shp|abbr=on}} (electric)

|Ship propulsion=

2 shafts
2 × diesel engines
2 × electric motors

|Ship speed=

{{convert|17.7|kn|lk=in}} surfaced
{{convert|7.6|kn}} submerged

|Ship range=

{{convert|8500|nmi|abbr=on|lk=on}} at {{convert|10|kn}} surfaced
{{convert|80|nmi|abbr=on}} at {{convert|4|kn}} submerged

|Ship test depth=

{{convert|230|m|ft|abbr=on}}
Crush depth: {{convert|250|–|295|m|ft|abbr=on}}

|Ship complement=4 officers, 40–56 enlisted

|Ship armament=

5 × {{convert|53.3|cm|in|0|abbr=on}} torpedo tubes (4 bow, 1 stern)
14 × torpedoes
1 × 8.8 cm SK C/35 naval gun (220 rounds)
1 x 2 cm FlaK 30 AA gun

}}

{{Infobox service record

|is_ship=yes

|label=Service record{{cite web

|url=http://uboat.net/boats/u447.html

|title=The Type VIIC boat U-447

|last=Helgason

|first=Guðmundur

|website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net

|access-date=15 September 2014

}}

|partof=

8th U-boat Flotilla
11 July 1942 – 28 February 1943
9th U-boat Flotilla
1 March – 7 May 1943

|codes=M 17 865

|commanders=

Kptlt. Friedrich-Wilhelm Bothe
11 July 1942 – 7 May 1943

|operations=*2 patrols:

1st patrol:
20 February – 24 March 1943
2nd patrol:
27 April – 7 May 1943

|victories=None

}}

German submarine U-447 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II.

She was laid down on 1 July 1941 by Schichau-Werke, Danzig as yard number 1507, launched on 30 April 1942 and commissioned on 11 July 1942 under Oberleutnant zur See Friedrich-Wilhelm Bothe.

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-447 had a displacement of {{convert|769|t|LT}} when at the surface and {{convert|871|t|LT}} while submerged.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|pp=43-46}} She had a total length of {{convert|67.10|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, a pressure hull length of {{convert|50.50|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, a beam of {{convert|6.20|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, a height of {{convert|9.60|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, and a draught of {{convert|4.74|m|ftin|abbr=on}}. The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of {{convert|2800 to 3200|PS|kW shp|-1}} for use while surfaced, two AEG GU 460/8-276 double-acting electric motors producing a total of {{convert|750|PS|kW shp}} for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two {{convert|1.23|m|ft|abbr=on|0}} propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to {{convert|230|m}}.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|pp=43-46}}

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of {{convert|17.7|kn}} and a maximum submerged speed of {{convert|7.6|kn}}.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|pp=43-46}} When submerged, the boat could operate for {{convert|80|nmi}} at {{convert|4|kn}}; when surfaced, she could travel {{convert|8500|nmi}} at {{convert|10|kn}}. U-447 was fitted with five {{convert|53.3|cm|in|0|abbr=on}} torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and a 2 cm FlaK 30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|pp=43-46}}

Service history

The boat's career began with training at 8th U-boat Flotilla on 11 July 1942, followed by active service on 1 March 1943 as part of the 9th Flotilla for the remainder of her service. In 2 patrols she sank no ships.

=Wolfpacks=

U-447 took part in three wolfpacks, namely:

Neuland (4 – 6 March 1943)
Ostmark (6 – 11 March 1943)
Drossel (29 April – 7 May 1943)

=Fate=

U-447 was sunk on 7 May 1943 in the North Atlantic in position {{coord|35|30|N|11|55|W}}, by depth charges from 2 RAF Hudson bombers from 233 Squadron. All crew members died.

References

Bibliography

{{cite book | last1 = Busch | first1 = Rainer | last2 = Röll | first2 = Hans-Joachim | translator-last = Brooks | translator-first = Geoffrey | title = German U-boat commanders of World War II : a biographical dictionary | publisher = Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press | location = London, Annapolis, Md | year = 1999 | isbn = 1-55750-186-6 }}
{{cite book

|last1=Busch

|first1=Rainer

|last2=Röll

|first2=Hans-Joachim

|title=Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945

|trans-title=German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945

|series=Der U-Boot-Krieg

|volume=IV

|publisher=Mittler

|location=Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn

|year=1999

|isbn=3-8132-0514-2