History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-294
Ordered	14 October 1941
Builder	Bremer Vulkan Werft, Bremen-Vegesack
Yard number	59
Laid down	22 December 1942
Launched	27 August 1943
Commissioned	4 October 1943
Fate	Surrendered on 9 May 1945; sunk as part of Operation Deadlight on 31 December 1945
General characteristics
Class and type	Type VIIC/41 submarine
Displacement	759 tonnes (747 long tons) surfaced 860 t (846 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	250 m (820 ft) Crush depth: 275–325 m (902–1,066 ft)
Complement	4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Armament	5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern) 14 × torpedoes 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds) 1 × 3.7 cm (1.5 in) Flak M42 AA gun 2 × 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 AA guns
Service record[1]
Part of:	8th U-boat Flotilla 4 October 1943 – 31 July 1944 11th U-boat Flotilla 1 August – 5 November 1944 13th U-boat Flotilla 6 November – 28 February 1945 14th U-boat Flotilla 1 March – 8 May 1945
Identification codes:	M 52 122
Commanders:	Oblt.z.S. Heinz Schütt 4 October 1943 – 9 May 1945
Operations:	5 patrols: 1st patrol: a. 31 May – 23 June 1944 b. 12 – 13 July 1944 c. 31 August – 2 September 1944 d. 9 – 13 September 1944 2nd patrol: 18 – 24 September 1944 3rd patrol: a. 15 – 23 October 1944 b. 27 – 28 October 1944 c. 4 November 1944 d. 7 – 12 November 1944 4th patrol: a. 12 – 14 November 1944 b. 15 – 17 November 1944 c. 25 – 27 December 1944 d. 15 – 18 March 1945 e. 20 – 22 March 1945 5th patrol: a. 8 – 24 April 1945 b. 25 – 26 April 1945 c. 15 – 19 May 1945
Victories:	None

German submarine U-294 was a Type VIIC/41 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

She was laid down on 22 December 1942 by the Bremer Vulkan Werft (yard) at Bremen-Vegesack as yard number 59, launched on 27 August 1943, and commissioned on 4 October with Oberleutnant zur See Heinz Schütt in command.

In five patrols, she sank or damaged no ships.

She surrendered at Narvik in Norway on 9 May 1945 and was sunk as part of Operation Deadlight on 31 December 1945.

Design

German Type VIIC/41 submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-294 had a displacement of 759 tonnes (747 long tons) when at the surface and 860 tonnes (850 long tons) while submerged.^[2] She had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2,800 to 3,200 metric horsepower (2,060 to 2,350 kW; 2,760 to 3,160 shp) for use while surfaced, two AEG GU 460/8–27 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 metric horsepower (550 kW; 740 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m (4 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).^[2]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph).^[2] When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nautical miles (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-294 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, (220 rounds), one 3.7 cm (1.5 in) Flak M42 and two 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.^[2]

Service history

The boat's service life began with training with the 8th U-boat Flotilla in October 1943. She was then transferred to the 11th flotilla for operations on 1 August 1944. She was reassigned to the 13th flotilla on 6 November and moved again to the 14th flotilla on 1 March 1945.

First and second patrols

U-294's first patrol took her to northeast of the Shetland Islands. It was preceded by a short voyage between Kiel in Germany and Stavanger in Norway in May 1944.

More brief sojourns followed, using Bergen, Flekkefjord and Kiel.

The boat's second 'official' patrol was between 18 and 24 September 1944.

Third and fourth patrols

The submarine's third sortie took her as far as the North Sea.

More short voyages were carried out, using Flekkefjord, Horten Naval Base and Tönsberg in October and November 1944.

Her fourth patrol started and finished in Bergen, but included a stop in Trondheim.

Fifth patrol and fate

U-294 departed Narvik and arrived at Harstad (northwest of Narvik),^[3] before going on to Skjomenfjord, in April 1945.

She arrived at Loch Eriboll in northern Scotland on 19 May 1945 and then moved to Lisahally (Londonderry port), for Operation Deadlight. She was sunk by gunfire from HMS Offa and HMS Zealous on 31 December.^[4]