German submarine U-288 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
The submarine was laid down on 7 September 1942 at the Bremer Vulkan yard at Bremen-Vegesack as yard number 53. She was launched on 15 May 1943 and commissioned on 26 June under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Willy Meyer.
She did not sink or damage any ships.
She was sunk by British aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm from two escort carriers on 3 April 1944.
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-288 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 460/8–27 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-288 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.
U-288 served with the 8th U-boat Flotilla for training from June 1943 to January 1944 and operationally with the 13th flotilla from 1 February.
The boat's initial foray began with her departure from Kiel on 26 February 1944 for the Norwegian Sea and finished at Narvik on 11 March.
She departed Narvik on 23 March 1944. On 3 April she attacked Convoy JW 58 but was sunk by rockets and depth charges from a Fairey Swordfish of 819 Naval Air Squadron and a TBM Avenger and a Martlet, both of 846 squadron. The Swordfish had come from, the Avenger and the Martlet had been launched from .
Forty-nine men died; there were no survivors.
U-288 took part in four wolfpacks, namely: