German submarine U-423

German submarine U-423 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
She carried out one patrol. She did not sink or damage any ships.
She was sunk by a Norwegian aircraft northwest of the Faroe Islands on 17 June 1944.

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-423 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 Siemens-Schuckert GU 343/38–8 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-423 was fitted with five torpedo tubes, fourteen torpedoes, one SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and two twin C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.

Service history

The submarine was laid down on 16 March 1942 at the Danziger Werft at Danzig, as yard number 124, launched on 7 November and commissioned on 3 March under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Joachim Methner.
She served with the 8th U-boat Flotilla from 3 March 1943 until her loss.

Patrol and loss

The boat's only patrol commenced with her departure from Kiel on 9 June 1944. On 17 June, she was sunk northeast of the Faroe Islands by depth charges dropped from a Norwegian PBY Catalina flying boat of No. 333 Squadron RAF.
Fifty-three men went down with the U-boat; there were no survivors.