German submarine U-446

German submarine U-446 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

She carried out no patrols. She did not sink or damage any ships.

She was sunk on 21 September 1942 by a mine. She was raised on 1 November 1942 and scuttled on 3 May 1945. She was broken up in 1947.

Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-446 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-446 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 a 2 cm C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.

Service history
The submarine was laid down on 9 April 1941 at F Schichau in Danzig (now Gdansk), as yard number 1506, launched on 11 April 1942 and commissioned on 20 June under Oberleutnant zur See Hellmuth-Bert Richard.

She served with the 8th U-boat Flotilla from 20 June 1942 until 21 September.

Fate
The submarine was sunk on 21 September 1942 by a mine near Kahlberg (now Krynica Morska in Poland) in the Gulf of Danzig. She was raised on 1 November and scuttled near Kiel on 3 May 1945. She was broken up in 1947.

Twenty-three men died in the mine sinking; there were eighteen survivors.