German submarine U-215

German submarine U-215 was a Type VIID mine-laying U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. She was one of six U-boats of her kind, equipped with special vertical tubes that launched the mines. Her keel was laid down 15 November 1940 by Germaniawerft in Kiel as yard number 647. The U-boat was launched on 9 October 1941 and commissioned on 22 November with Kapitänleutnant Fritz Hoeckner in command.

Design
As one of the six German Type VIID submarines, U-215 had a displacement of 965 t when at the surface and 1080 t while submerged. She had a total length of 76.90 m, a pressure hull length of 59.80 m, a beam of 6.38 m, a height of 9.70 m, and a draught of 5.01 m. The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 supercharged four-stroke, six-cylinder diesel engines producing a total of 2800 to 3200 PS for use while surfaced, two AEG GU 460/8-276 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 shp for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 m.

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 16 - 16.7 kn and a maximum submerged speed of 7.3 kn. When submerged, the boat could operate for 69 nmi at 4 kn; when surfaced, she could travel 11200 nmi at 10 kn. U-215 was fitted with five 53.3 cm torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), twelve torpedoes, one 8.8 cm SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and an anti-aircraft gun, in addition to five mine tubes with fifteen SMA mines. The boat had a complement of 49.

Service history
U-215 was sunk in the summer of 1942 by British warship HMS Le Tiger while on a mission to lay mines in Boston Harbor after attacking and sinking the U.S. liberty ship Alexander Macomb, part of an allied convoy. The wreck was not discovered until 2004.

Wreck site
She now lies 270 ft beneath the surface of the Atlantic, 150 nmi off the coast of New England and south of Nova Scotia, in Canadian territorial waters. Four of her five vertical tubes are still sealed, her hatches are still sealed with the remains of 49 German sailors entombed within.