German submarine U-446
German submarine U-446 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
She carried out no patrols. She did not sink or damage any ships.
She was sunk on 21 September 1942 by a mine. She was raised on 1 November 1942 and scuttled on 3 May 1945. She was broken up in 1947.
Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-446 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-446 was fitted with five torpedo tubes, fourteen torpedoes, one SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and a C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.
Service history
The submarine was laid down on 9 April 1941 at F Schichau in Danzig, as yard number 1506, launched on 11 April 1942 and commissioned on 20 June under Oberleutnant zur See Hellmuth-Bert Richard.She served with the 8th U-boat Flotilla from 20 June 1942 until 21 September.
Fate
The submarine was sunk on 21 September 1942 by a mine near Kahlberg in the Gulf of Danzig. She was raised on 1 November but not put back into regular service and instead used for blasting tests. At the end of the war she was scuttled near Kiel on 3 May 1945. She was broken up in 1947.Twenty-three men died in the mine sinking; there were eighteen survivors.