Patrol info for U-278
| Departure | Arrival / Fate | Duration | ||
| 24 Apr 1944 | Hammerfest | 8 May 1944 | Bergen | 15 days |
Commander | Officers * |
 Kptlt. Joachim Franze |
WO Oblt. Wolfgang Heibges |
Daily positions, sinkings and allied attacks during the patrol of U-278
Legend
indicates an Allied attack on the boat.
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We have daily positions for all 15 days on this patrol.
Departure from Hammerfest on 24 Apr 1944.
25 Apr 1944 - 26 Apr 1944 - 27 Apr 1944 - 28 Apr 1944 - 29 Apr 1944 - 30 Apr 1944 - 1 May 1944 - 2 May 1944 - 3 May 1944 - 4 May 1944 - 5 May 1944 - 6 May 1944 - 7 May 1944 -
Arrival at Bergen on 8 May 1944.
Wolfpack operations during this patrol
U-278 operated with the following Wolfpacks during this patrol
Donner & Keil (25 Apr 1944 - 3 May 1944)
Ships hit by U-278 during this patrol
No entries found.
General Events during this patrol
We have no events listed for this patrol.
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Attacks on U-278 during this patrol
3 May 1944
At 03.32 hours, the boat was surprised by three carrier aircraft (one Swordfish of 842 Sqn FAA from HMS Fencer and one Swordfish and one Martlet of 833 Sqn FAA from HMS Activity) in the vicinity of convoy RA-59. It happened so quickly that the AA gunners only returned fire after the initial attack, but then managed to keep the aircraft on distance with the quadruple AA gun until escaping by crash diving after 20 minutes. The four or five depth charges dropped during the attack fell wide and the boat was undamaged except for 33 hits on the conning tower and the upper deck from the strafing runs. The Germans had observed AA hits on the right wing of the Martlet and claimed it shot down after losing it out of sight with a trail of smoke. However, all three aircraft safely returned to their carriers.
About this data
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* These are officers that later became commanders themselves.
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