German submarine U-286

German submarine U-286 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

The submarine was laid down on 3 August 1942 at the Bremer Vulkan yard at Bremen-Vegesack as yard number 51. She was launched on 21 April 1943 and commissioned on 5 June under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Willi Dietrich.

She was sunk by British warships on 29 April 1945 off Murmansk.

Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-286 had a displacement of 769 t when at the surface and 871 t while submerged. She had a total length of 67.10 m, a pressure hull length of 50.50 m, a beam of 6.20 m, a height of 9.60 m, and a draught of 4.74 m. The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2800 to 3200 PS for use while surfaced, two AEG GU 460/8–27 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 PS 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 17.7 kn and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 kn. When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nmi at 4 kn; when surfaced, she could travel 8500 nmi at 10 kn. U-286 was fitted with five 53.3 cm torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and two twin 2 cm C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.

Service history
U-286 served with the 8th U-boat Flotilla for training from June 1943 to July 1944 and operationally with the 11th flotilla from 1 August. She was then reassigned to the 13th flotilla on 5 November and back to the 11th flotilla on 1 March 1945. She carried out four patrols, sinking one warship of 1,150 tons.

The boat's first patrol was preceded by a short voyage from Kiel on 10 June 1944 to Flekkefjord in Norway (west of Kristiansand).

First, second and third patrols
U-285's first patrol proper began with her departure from Flekkefjord on 5 July 1944. On the 18th, she was attacked by a Norwegian De Havilland Mosquito of No. 333 Squadron RAF. One man was killed, seven others were wounded. The boat was also damaged, but docked at Kristiansand the same day.

Her second sortie was preceded by a series of short voyages between Kristiansand, Bergen and Horten Naval Base which culminated in Trondheim. This patrol took her three times to the Norwegian Sea and Murmansk, but success continued to elude her. She arrived in Harstad, (northwest of Narvik). on 7 January 1945.

The boat's third foray was relatively uneventful, starting and finishing in Harstad.

Fourth patrol and loss
The submarine sank the British frigate HMS Goodall (K479) in the Kola Inlet 7 nmi from Murmansk on 29 April 1945. Her success was short-lived; she was attacked and sunk by gunfire from the British frigates HMS Loch Insh (K433), HMS Anguilla (K500), and HMS Cotton (K510) in the Barents Sea later that day north of Murmansk at 69.48333°N, 33.61667°W with the loss of her entire crew of 51 men.

Soviet and Russian sources state U-286 was sunk on 23 April 1945 by depth charges from Soviet destroyer "Karl Liebknecht" of Novik-class.

Wolfpacks
U-286 took part in three wolfpacks, namely:
 * Stier (28 November 1944 – 3 January 1945)
 * Rasmus (6 – 13 February 1945)
 * Faust (16 – 29 April 1945)