German submarine U-142 (1940)

History
Nazi Germany
Name:	U-142
Ordered:	25 September 1939
Builder:	Deutsche Werke, Kiel
Laid down:	12 December 1939
Launched:	27 July 1940
Commissioned:	4 September 1940
Fate:	Scuttled on 2 May 1945 at Wilhelmshaven
General characteristics
Class and type:	IID
Type:	Coastal submarine
Displacement:	314 t (309 long tons) surfaced 364 t (358 long tons) submerged
Length:	43.97 m (144 ft 3 in) o/a 29.80 m (97 ft 9 in) pressure hull
Beam:	4.92 m (16 ft 2 in) (o/a) 4.00 m (13 ft 1 in) (pressure hull)
Height:	8.40 m (27 ft 7 in)
Draught:	3.93 m (12 ft 11 in)
Installed power:	700 PS (510 kW; 690 bhp) (diesels) 410 PS (300 kW; 400 shp) (electric)
Propulsion:	2 shafts 2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors
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 depth:	80 m (260 ft)
Complement:	3 officers, 22 men
Armament:	3 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes 5 × torpedoes or up to 12 TMA or 18 TMB 1 × 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun
Service record
Part of:	1st U-boat Flotilla 4 September - 16 October 1940 24th U-boat Flotilla 17 October 1940 - 18 December 1940 22nd U-boat Flotilla 19 December - 21 June 1941 22nd U-boat Flotilla 22 June - 31 August 1941 22nd U-boat Flotilla 1 September 1941 - 2 May 1945 5th U-boat Flotilla 2 May 1945
Commanders:	Lt.z.S. Nicolai Clausen 9 September - 13 October 1940 Kptlt. Paul-Hugo Kettner 14–12 October 1940 Siegfried Lindke 21 October 1941 - 12 March 1942 Oblt.z.S. Hans-Joachim Bertelsmann 18 March -12 September 1942 Oblt.z.S. Johann-Otto Krieg 13 September - 24 December 1942 Karl-Heinz Landahn 25 December 1942 - 4 March 1944 Oblt.z.S. Carl Schauroth 5 March 1944 - 6 February 1945 Oblt.z.S. Friederich Baumgärtel 2 February 1945 - 2 May 1945
Operations:	1st patrol: 21 June - 12 July 1941 2nd patrol: 27 July - 9 August 1941

German submarine U-142 was a Type IID U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. Her keel was laid down on 12 December 1939 by Deutsche Werke in Kiel as yard number 271. She was launched on 27 July 1940 and commissioned on 4 September 1940 with Leutnant zur See Asmus Nicolai Clausen in command.

U-142 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 three patrols, but did not sink or damage any ships. She spent the rest of the war as a training vessel.

She was scuttled in May 1945.

German Type IID submarines were enlarged versions of the original Type IIs. U-142 had a displacement of 314 tonnes (309 long tons) when at the surface and 364 tonnes (358 long tons) while submerged. Officially, the standard tonnage was 250 long tons (250 t), however. The U-boat had a total length of 43.97 m (144 ft 3 in), a pressure hull length of 29.80 m (97 ft 9 in), a beam of 4.92 m (16 ft 2 in), a height of 8.40 m (27 ft 7 in), and a draught of 3.93 m (12 ft 11 in). The submarine was powered by two MWM RS 127 S four-stroke, six-cylinder diesel engines of 700 metric horsepower (510 kW; 690 shp) for cruising, two Siemens-Schuckert PG VV 322/36 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 410 metric horsepower (300 kW; 400 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 0.85 m (3 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 80–150 metres (260–490 ft).

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