German submarine U-278

	U-278 seen from a B-24 Liberator
History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-278
Ordered	10 April 1941
Builder	Bremer Vulkan, Bremen-Vegesack
Yard number	43
Laid down	26 March 1942
Launched	2 December 1942
Commissioned	16 January 1943
Fate	Surrendered on 9 May 1945; Scuttled on 31 December 1945 during Operation Deadlight;
General characteristics
Class & 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); 2 × twin 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns;
Service record
Part of:	8th U-boat Flotilla; 16 January – 30 September 1943; 7th U-boat Flotilla; 1 October – 31 December 1943; 11th U-boat Flotilla; 1 January – 31 August 1944; 13th U-boat Flotilla; 1 September 1944 – 8 May 1945;
Identification codes:	M 49 691
Commanders:	Kptlt. Joachim Franze; 16 January 1943 – 9 May 1945;
Operations:	7 patrols:; 1st patrol:; 8 – 28 January 1944; 2nd patrol:; 29 January – 19 February 1944; 3rd patrol:; 4 March – 4 April 1944; 4th patrol:; a. 24 April – 8 May 1944; b. 5 – 9 July 1944; c. 9 – 10 July 1944; d. 23 – 24 July 1944; 5th patrol:; a. 2 August – 3 October 1944; b. 6 – 8 October 1944; 6th patrol:; a. 12 – 20 December 1944; b. 23 December 1944 – 13 February 1945; 7th patrol:; a. 10 April – 9 May 1945; b. 12 May 1945; c. 15 – 19 May 1945;
Victories:	1 merchant ship sunk ; (7,177 GRT); 1 warship sunk ; (1,810 tons);

German submarine U-278 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

The submarine was laid down on 26 March 1942 at the Bremer Vulkan yard at Bremen-Vegesack as yard number 43. She was launched on 2 December and commissioned on 16 January 1943 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Joachim Franze.