German submarine U-297
German submarine U-297 was a Type VIIC/41 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
She was laid down on 27 January 1943 by the Bremer Vulkan Werft at Bremen-Vegesack as yard number 62, launched on 9 October 1943 and commissioned on 17 November with Oberleutnant zur See Wolfgang Aldermann in command.
In one patrol, she did not sink or damage any ships.
She was sunk by a British aircraft on or after 6 December 1944.
Fifty men died; there were no survivors.
Design
German Type VIIC/41 submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-297 had a displacement of when at the surface and while submerged. She had a total length of, a pressure hull length of, a beam of, a height of, and a draught of. The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of for use while surfaced, two AEG GU 460/8–27 double-acting electric motors producing a total of for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to.The submarine had a maximum surface speed of and a maximum submerged speed of. When submerged, the boat could operate for at ; when surfaced, she could travel at. U-297 was fitted with five torpedo tubes, fourteen torpedoes, one SK C/35 naval gun,, one Flak M42 and two C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.
Service history
The boat's service life began with training with the 8th U-boat Flotilla in November 1943. She was then transferred to the 11th flotilla for operations on 1 November 1944.She made the short journey from Kiel in Germany to Horten Naval Base in Norway, arriving on 18 November 1944.
Patrol and loss
U-297s only patrol began from Horten; it took her through the 'gap' between the Faroe and the Shetland Islands.She was sunk by a Sunderland flying boat of No. 201 Squadron RAF on 6 December 1944, west of Yesnaby in the Orkney Islands.
Previously recorded fate and wreck discovery
U-297 was originally thought to have been sunk on 6 December 1944 by depth charges dropped by the British frigates and. She had also been listed as missing since 3 January 1945 probably in the Pentland Firth.The wreck of U-297 was found and identified in May 2000. It lies at a depth of.