German submarine U-272 was a type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine in World War II. She was laid down on 28 November 1941, launched on 15 August 1942 and commissioned on 7 October that year under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Horst Hepp. She served in the 8th U-boat flotilla, a training unit and never reached operational status. She was sunk near Hel after colliding with on 12 November 1942. 29 of her crew died and there were 19 survivors.
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-272 had a displacement of 769t when at the surface and 871t while submerged. She had a total length of 67.1m (220.1feet), a pressure hull length of 50.5m (165.7feet), a beam of 6.2m (20.3feet), a height of 9.6m (31.5feet), and a draught of 4.74m (15.55feet). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of NaNPS for use while surfaced, two AEG GU 460/8-276 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750PS for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23abbr=onNaNabbr=on 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-272 was fitted with five 53.30NaN0 torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.82NaN2 SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and two twin 2sp=usNaNsp=us C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.