Type | VIIC | |||||||||
| Ordered | 5 Jun 1941 | |||||||||
| Laid down | 30 Apr 1942 | Bremer Vulkan-Vegesacker Werft, Bremen-Vegesack (werk 45) | ||||||||
| Launched | 4 Jan 1943 | |||||||||
| Commissioned | 13 Feb 1943 | Ltnt. Walter Hungershausen | ||||||||
| Commanders |
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| Career 1 patrol |
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| Successes | No ships sunk or damaged | |||||||||
| Fate | Sunk 16 Nov, 1943 south-west of Iceland, in position 49.11N, 27.32W, by depth charges from a British Liberator aircraft (Sqdn. 86/M). 49 dead (all hands lost). | |||||||||
Wolfpack operations
U-280 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
Körner (30 Oct 1943 - 2 Nov 1943)
Tirpitz 3 (2 Nov 1943 - 8 Nov 1943)
Eisenhart 3 (9 Nov 1943 - 15 Nov 1943)
Attacks on this boat
16 Nov 1943
The sinking of U-280
At 10.25 hours the Liberator aircraft FL931 (86 Sqdn RAF/M, pilot F/O J.H. Bookless, RAAF) attacked the boat near convoy HX-265. In the first strafing attack the depth charges overshot and accurate AA fire knocked out the outer engine on the port side. Nevertheless the aircraft attacked again sinking U-280 with depth charges. The Liberator remained on patrol for an hour on three engines and then safely returned to base. (Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)
1 recorded attack on this boat.
Men lost from U-boats
Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-280 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.
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