German submarine U-648

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.

Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-648 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 Brown, Boveri & Cie GG UB 720/8 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-648 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 one twin 2 cm C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.

Service history
U-648 was last heard from on 22 November 1943 during her third war patrol and has been missing ever since.

Previously recorded fate
U-648 was originally thought to have been sunk on November 23, 1943, at position 42.4°N, -20.73°W by HMS Bazely, HMS Blackwood (K313) and HMS Drury (K316). These attacks were actually against GS U-424, GS U-714 and GS U-843, inflicting no damage.