German submarine U-475


German submarine U-475 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
She carried out four patrols. She damaged one warship.
She was scuttled on 3 May 1945 and broken up in 1947.

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-475 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-475 was fitted with five torpedo tubes, fourteen torpedoes, one SK C/35 naval gun,, one Flak M42 and two twin C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.

Armament

FLAK weaponry

U-475 was mounted with two 2cm Flak C38 in a M 43U Zwilling mount with short folding shield on the upper Wintergarten. The M 43U mount was used on a number of U-boats.

Service history

The submarine was laid down on 5 September 1942 in the Deutsche Werke, Kiel as yard number 306, launched on 28 May 1943 and commissioned on 7 July under the command of Kapitänleutnant Otto Stoeffler.
She served with the 5th U-boat Flotilla from 7 July 1943 for training and was transferred to the 8th flotilla from 1 August 1944 for operations. She was reassigned to the 4th flotilla on 16 February 1945.

First patrol

U-475s first patrol was preceded by a short journey from Kiel in Germany to Helsinki in Finland. The patrol itself, split into four parts, commenced with her departure from Helsinki on 11 July 1944. On the 28th she damaged the Soviet patrol craft MO-107 in Viborg Bay.

Second patrol

Her second foray was relatively uneventful – starting in Danzig on 14 October 1944. She returned to Danzig on 17 November.

Third patrol

The submarine steamed as far north as a point east of Stockholm before returning to Danzig.

Fourth patrol

The boat's fourth sortie also started and finished in Danzig and at 54 days duration, was her longest.

Fate

U-475 had moved from Danzig to Kiel in March 1945. She was scuttled on 3 May 1945 at Kiel-Wik. The wreck was broken up in 1947.