German submarine U-142 (1940)
German submarine "U-142" was a Type IID U-boat of Nazi Germany's "Kriegsmarine" during World War II. Her keel was laid down on 12 December 1939 by Deutsche Werke in Kiel as yard number 271. She was launched on 27 July 1940 and commissioned on 4 September 1940 with "Oberleutnant zur See" Asmus Nicolai Clausen in command. "U-142" began her service life with the 1st U-boat Flotilla. She was then assigned to the 24th Flotilla and subsequently to the 22nd Flotilla where she conducted three patrols, but did not sink or damage any ships . She spent the rest of the war as a training vessel. She was scuttled on 5 May 1945. Design. German Type IID submarines were enlarged versions of the original Type IIs. "U-142" had a displacement of when at the surface and while submerged. Officially, the standard tonnage was , however. The U-boat had a total length of , a pressure hull length of , a beam of , a height of , and a draught of . The submarine was powered by two MWM RS 127 S four-stroke, six-cylinder diesel engines of for cruising, two Siemens-Schuckert PG VV 322/36 double-acting electric  motors producing a total of for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to . The submarine had a maximum surface speed of and a maximum submerged speed of . When submerged, the boat could operate for at ; when surfaced, she could travel at . "U-142" was fitted with three torpedo tubes at the bow, five torpedoes or up to twelve Type A torpedo mines, and a anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of 25. Operational career. First patrol. The boat's first patrol commenced with her departure  from Gotenhafen, (now Gdynia in modern-day Poland) on 21 June 1941. She arrived in Oxhöft, (a suburb of Gdynia), without incident on 12 July. Second patrol. Her second foray was also abortive, departing Oxhöft 25 July 1941 and arriving in Stormelö (in southwest Finland) on 9 August. Third patrol. Her third sortie was equally barren, beginning in Stormelo on 28 August 1941 and ending in Gotenhafen on the 31st. Loss. "U-142" was scuttled in the "Raederschleuse" (lock) in Wilhelmshaven on 5 May 1945. The wreck was broken up on an unknown date.