German submarine U-603

History
Nazi Germany
Name:	U-603
Ordered:	22 May 1940
Builder:	Blohm & Voss, Hamburg
Yard number:	579
Laid down:	27 February 1941
Launched:	16 November 1941
Commissioned:	2 January 1942
Fate:	Sunk 1 March 1944 in the North Atlantic in position 48°55′N 26°10′W / 48.917°N 26.167°W / 48.917; -26.167Coordinates: 48°55′N 26°10′W / 48.917°N 26.167°W / 48.917; -26.167, by depth charges from USS Bronstein.
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 or 26 TMA mines 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds) various AA guns
Service record
Part of:	5th U-boat Flotilla 2 January – 30 November 1942 - Training 1st U-boat Flotilla 1 December 1942 – 1 March 1944
Commanders:	Kptlt. Kurt Kölzer 2 January – 12 September 1942 Oblt.z.S. Hans-Joachim Bertelsmann 13 September 1942 – 2 May 1943 Oblt.z.S. Rudolf Baltz 3 May 1943 – 28 January 1944 Kptlt. Hans-Joachim Bertelsmann 29 January – 1 March 1944
Operations:	1st patrol: 23 November – 9 December 1942 2nd patrol: 7 February – 26 March 1943 3rd patrol: 5 May – 16 July 1943 4th patrol: 9 September – 3 November 1943 5th patrol: 5 February – 1 March 1944
Victories:	4 merchant ships sunk (22,406 GRT)

German submarine U-603 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 27 February 1941 by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg as yard number 579, launched on 16 November 1941 and commissioned on 2 January 1942 under Kapitänleutnant Kurt Kölzer.

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-603 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 Brown, Boveri & Cie GG UB 720/8 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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