 The submarine was laid down on 3 May 1940 at the Howaldtswerke yard at Kiel as yard number 9, launched on 13 September 1941 and commissioned on 30 October under the command of "Kapitänleutnant" Alfred Hoschatt.The boat's first patrol was in two parts and commenced with her departure from Kiel on 11 March 1942.The second part began from the German island of Helgoland (sometimes spelt 'Heligoland').