German submarine U-292

History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-292
Ordered	14 October 1941
Builder	Vegesacker Werft, Bremen-Vegesack
Yard number	57
Laid down	12 November 1942
Launched	20 July 1943
Commissioned	25 August 1943
Fate	Sunk on 27 May 1944 west of Trondheim by a British aircraft
General characteristics
Class and type	Type VIIC/41 submarine
Displacement	759 tonnes (747 long tons) surfaced; 860 t (846 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	8,500 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); Crush depth: 275–325 m (902–1,066 ft);
Complement	44–60 officers and ratings
Armament	5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, one 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; 25 August 1943 – 30 April 1944; 1st U-boat Flotilla; 1 – 27 May 1944;
Identification codes:	M 54 381
Commanders:	Oblt.z.S. Werner Schmidt; 25 August 1943 – 27 May 1944;
Operations:	1 patrol:; 24 – 27 May 1944;
Victories:	None

German submarine U-292 was a Type VIIC/41 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

She was laid down on 12 November 1942 by the Vegesacker Werft (yard) at Bremen-Vegesack as yard number 57, launched on 20 July 1943, and commissioned on 25 August with Oberleutnant zur See Werner Schmidt in command.

She was sunk by a British aircraft, west of Trondheim on 27 May 1944.

In one patrol, she sank or damaged no ships.

Design

German Type VIIC/41 submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-292 had a displacement of 759 tonnes (747 long tons) when at the surface and 860 tonnes (850 long tons) while submerged.^[3] She had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing 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, two AEG GU 460/8–27 double-acting electric motors producing 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-292 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, (220 rounds), one 3.7 cm (1.5 in) Flak M42 and two 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.^[3]

Service history

The boat's service life began with training with the 8th U-boat Flotilla in August 1943. She was then transferred to the 1st flotilla for operations on 1 May 1944.

Patrol and loss

Having carried out a series of short voyages from Kiel and Larvik^[4] in Norway, the submarine departed Bergen (also in Norway) on 24 May 1944. On the 27th, she was sunk by depth charges dropped from Liberator S of No. 59 Squadron RAF west of Trondheim in position 62°37′N 00°57′E / 62.617°N 0.950°E / 62.617; 0.950.^[5]

Fifty-one men died; there were no survivors.^[5]

References

^ Kemp 1999, p. 192.
^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC/41 boat U-292". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.
^ The Times Atlas of the World - Third edition, revised 1995, ISBN 0 7230 0809 4, p. 12
^ ^a ^b Niestlé 2014, p. 35.

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). Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945]. Der U-Boot-Krieg (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.
Kemp, Paul (1999). U-Boats Destroyed - German Submarine Losses in the World Wars. London: Arms & Armour. ISBN 1-85409-515-3.
Niestlé, Axel (2014). German U-boat Losses During World War II : Details of Destruction. Havertown: Frontline Books. ISBN 978-1848322103.