Type | VIIC | |||||||||||||
| Ordered | 15 Aug 1940 | |||||||||||||
| Laid down | 31 Mar 1941 | Howaldtswerke Hamburg AG, Hamburg (werk 812) | ||||||||||||
| Launched | 26 Mar 1942 | |||||||||||||
| Commissioned | 14 May 1942 | Kptlt. Heinrich Schmid | ||||||||||||
| Commanders |
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| Career 3 patrols |
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| Successes | 2 ships sunk, total tonnage 10,924 GRT | |||||||||||||
| Fate | Sunk 8 May, 1943 in the Bay of Biscay west of Brest, in position 46.50N, 10.00W, after being damaged by depth charges from an Australian Sunderland aircraft (RAAF Sqdn. 10/W) during an attack on 7 May. 49 dead (all hands lost). (Axel Niestlé, November 1989). | |||||||||||||
The boat reported in after the attack but was never heard from again. She must have suffered major hull failures during the attack and sunk as a result of those.
Previously recorded fate
- Sunk by the British Halifax aircraft (RAF 58/S) on 7 May 1943 in position 46.33N, 11.12W. (Postwar assessment)
Notes. This attack was in fact against the U-214 causing minor damages.
Wolfpack operations
U-663 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
Drachen (22 Nov 1942 - 3 Dec 1942)
Panzer (3 Dec 1942 - 9 Dec 1942)
Büffel (9 Dec 1942 - 14 Dec 1942)
Seeteufel (21 Mar 1943 - 30 Mar 1943)
Attacks on this boat
7 May 1943
An attack on 7 May, 1943 in the Bay of Biscay west of St. Nazaire, France, in position 47.06N, 10.58W, by depth charges from an Australian Sunderland aircraft (RAAF-Sqdn. 10/W) is often credited with sinking the U-465.
This attack was in fact against U-663 inflicting major damage. (Sources: 1989-11-01, Axel Niestle)
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-663 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.
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