German submarine U-648

History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-648
Ordered	10 April 1941
Builder	Blohm & Voss, Hamburg
Yard number	624
Laid down	24 December 1941
Launched	16 September 1942
Commissioned	12 November 1942
Fate	Missing since 22 November 1943
General characteristics
Class & type	Type VIIC submarine
Displacement	769 t (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 × torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern); 14 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedoes or 26 TMA mines; 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds); 1 × twin 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun;
Service record
Part of:	5th U-boat Flotilla; 12 November 1942 – 30 April 1943; 6th U-boat Flotilla; 1 May – 22 November 1943;
Identification codes:	M 50 698
Commanders:	Oblt.z.S. Peter-Arthur Stahl; 12 November 1942 – 22 November 1943;
Operations:	3 patrols:; 1st patrol:; 3 April – 19 May 1943; 2nd patrol:; 1 July – 10 August 1943; 3rd patrol:; a. 25 – 28 September 1943; b. 9 October – 22 November 1943;
Victories:	None

German submarine U-648 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 24 December 1941 at the Blohm & Voss yard at Hamburg, launched on 16 September 1942, and commissioned on 12 November 1942 under the command of Leutnant zur See d.R. Peter-Arthur Stahl.

Attached to 5th U-boat Flotilla based at Kiel, U-648 completed her training period on 30 April 1943 and was assigned to front-line service.

History

Nazi Germany
Name	U-648
Ordered	10 April 1941
Builder	Blohm & Voss, Hamburg
Yard number	624
Laid down	24 December 1941
Launched	16 September 1942
Commissioned	12 November 1942
Fate	Missing since 22 November 1943
General characteristics
Class & type	Type VIIC submarine
Displacement	769 t (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 × torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern) 14 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedoes or 26 TMA mines 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds) 1 × twin 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun
Service record
Part of:	5th U-boat Flotilla 12 November 1942 – 30 April 1943 6th U-boat Flotilla 1 May – 22 November 1943
Identification codes:	M 50 698
Commanders:	Oblt.z.S. Peter-Arthur Stahl 12 November 1942 – 22 November 1943
Operations:	3 patrols: 1st patrol: 3 April – 19 May 1943 2nd patrol: 1 July – 10 August 1943 3rd patrol: a. 25 – 28 September 1943 b. 9 October – 22 November 1943
Victories:	None