German submarine U-1278

U-995 Type VIIC/41 at the Laboe Naval Memorial. This U-boat is almost identical to U-1278.
History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-1278
Ordered	13 June 1942
Builder	Bremer Vulkan AG, Bremen
Yard number	73
Laid down	12 August 1943
Launched	15 April 1944
Commissioned	31 May 1944
Fate	Sunk on 17 February 1945
General characteristics
Type	Type VIIC/41 submarine
Displacement	757 long tons (769 t) surfaced 857 long tons (871 t) submerged
Length	67.23 m (220 ft 7 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 × diesel engines 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 × electric motors 2 × screws
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 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	250 m (820 ft) Calculated crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft)
Complement	44-52 officers & ratings
Armament	5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (4 bow, 1 stern) 14 × torpedoes 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds) 1 × 3.7 cm (1.5 in) Flak M42 AA gun 2 × 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 AA guns
Service record
Part of:	8th U-boat Flotilla 31 May – 30 November 1944 11th U-boat Flotilla 1 December 1944 – 17 February 1945
Identification codes:	M 30 549
Commanders:	Oblt.z.S. / Kptlt. Erich Müller-Bethke[1] 31 May 1944 – 17 February 1945
Operations:	1 patrol: 11 – 17 February 1945
Victories:	None

German submarine U-1278 was a Type VIIC/41 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

She was ordered on 13 June 1942, and was laid down on 12 August 1943, at Bremer Vulkan AG, Bremen, as yard number 73. She was launched on 15 April 1944, and commissioned under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Erich Müller-Bethke on 31 May 1944.^[2]