German submarine U-143 (1940)

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-143.
History
Nazi Germany
NameU-143
Ordered25 September 1939
BuilderDeutsche Werke, Kiel
Yard number272
Laid down3 January 1940
Launched10 August 1940
Commissioned18 September 1940
FateSurrendered on 5 May 1945 at Heligoland; sunk on 22 December 1945 as part of Operation Deadlight
General characteristics
Class and typeType IID coastal submarine
Displacement
  • 314 t (309 long tons) surfaced
  • 364 t (358 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 4.92 m (16 ft 2 in) o/a
  • 4.00 m (13 ft 1 in) pressure hull
Height8.40 m (27 ft 7 in)
Draught3.93 m (12 ft 11 in)
Installed power
  • 700 PS (510 kW; 690 bhp) (diesels)
  • 410 PS (300 kW; 400 shp) (electric)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 12.7 knots (23.5 km/h; 14.6 mph) surfaced
  • 7.4 knots (13.7 km/h; 8.5 mph) submerged
Range
  • 3,450 nmi (6,390 km; 3,970 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) surfaced
  • 56 nmi (104 km; 64 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth80 m (260 ft)
Complement3 officers, 22 men
Armament
Service record[1][2]
Part of:
Identification codes: M 24 039
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. / Kptlt. Ernst Mengerson
  • 18 September - 2 November 1940
  • Oblt.z.S. Helmut Möhlmann
  • 9 December 1940 -19 March 1941
  • Oblt.z.S. Jürgen von Rosenstiel
  • 20 – 30 March 1941
  • Oblt.z.S. Harald Gelhaus
  • 31 March - 19 November 1941
  • Oblt.z.S. / Kptlt. Helmut Manseck
  • 19 November 1941 - 7 April 1942
  • Oblt.z.S. Gerhard Groth
  • 8 April - 14 December 1942
  • Oblt.z.S. Erwin Schwager
  • 15 December 1942 - 8 February 1943
  • Oblt.z.S. Hans Vogel
  • 9 February 1943 - 29 May 1944
  • Oblt.z.S. Walter Kasparek
  • 30 May 1944 - 5 May 1945
Operations:
  • 4 patrols:
  • 1st patrol:
  • a. 19 April - 13 May 1941
  • b. 13–18 May 1941
  • 2nd patrol:
  • 9 - 29 June 1941
  • 3rd patrol:
  • a. 6–14 July 1941
  • b. 17–21 July 1941
  • 4th patrol:
  • 17 August - 12 September 1941
Victories: 1 merchant ship sunk
(1,409 GRT)

German submarine U-143 was a Type IID U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. Her keel was laid down on 3 January 1940 by Deutsche Werke in Kiel as yard number 272. She was launched on 10 August 1940 and commissioned on 18 September under Kapitänleutnant Ernst Mengerson.

U-143 began her service life with the 1st U-boat Flotilla. She was then assigned to the 24th flotilla and subsequently to the 22nd flotilla where she conducted four patrols, sinking one ship of 1,409 gross register tons (GRT). She spent the rest of the war as a training vessel.

  1. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type IID boat U-143". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 14 July 2012.
  2. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "War Patrols by German U-boat U-143". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 14 July 2012.