German submarine U-378

History
Nazi Germany
Name:	U-378
Ordered:	16 October 1939
Builder:	Howaldtswerke, Kiel
Yard number:	9
Laid down:	3 May 1940
Launched:	13 September 1941
Commissioned:	30 October 1941
Fate:	Sunk in mid-Atlantic by US aircraft, 20 October 1943
General characteristics
Class and type:	Type VIIC submarine
Displacement:	769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced 871 t (857 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:	230 m (750 ft) Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft)
Complement:	4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
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) various AA guns
Service record
Part of:	8th U-boat Flotilla 30 October 1941 – 28 February 1942 3rd U-boat Flotilla 1 March – 30 June 1942 11th U-boat Flotilla 1 July 1942 – 30 April 1943 3rd U-boat Flotilla 1 May – 20 October 1943
Identification codes:	M 34 668
Commanders:	Kptlt. Alfred Hoschatt 30 October 1941 – 11 October 1942 Oblt.z.S. Peter Schrewe 18 June – 10 September 1942 Kptlt. Hans-Jürgen Zetzsche 10 September – 11 October 1942[deputizing] Kptlt. Erich Mäder 12 October 1942 – 20 October 1943
Operations:	1st patrol: a. 11–12 March 1942 b. 15 March – 1 April 1942 2nd patrol: 7–20 April 1942 3rd patrol: 29 April – 6 May 1942 4th patrol: 12 September 1942 5th patrol: 11 November – 12 December 1942 6th patrol: 15 March – 1 April 1943 7th patrol: 12 April – 4 June 1943 8th patrol: 6 September – 20 October 1943
Victories:	One warship sunk; 1,920 tons

German submarine U-378 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

She carried out eight patrols before being sunk by US aircraft on 20 October 1943 in mid-Atlantic at position 47°40′N 28°27′W / 47.667°N 28.450°W / 47.667; -28.450Coordinates: 47°40′N 28°27′W / 47.667°N 28.450°W / 47.667; -28.450.

She was a member of 16 wolfpacks.

She sank one warship.

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-378 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged. 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 Garbe, Lahmeyer & Co. RP 137/c 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).

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