German submarine U-304
History | |
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Nazi Germany | |
Name: | U-304 |
Ordered: | 7 December 1940 |
Builder: | Flender Werke, Lübeck |
Yard number: | 304[1] |
Laid down: | 14 June 1941 |
Launched: | 13 June 1942 |
Commissioned: | 5 August 1942 |
Fate: | Sunk by aircraft, 28 May 1943 |
General characteristics | |
Class & type: | Type VIIC submarine |
Displacement: |
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Length: |
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Beam: |
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Height: | 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in) |
Draught: | 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in) |
Installed power: |
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Propulsion: |
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Speed: |
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Range: | |
Test depth: |
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Complement: | 4 officers, 40–56 enlisted |
Armament: |
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German submarine U-304 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. She saw service in the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. Built in 1941 and 1942 at Flender-Werke, Lübeck,[1] U-304 was a Type VIIC U-boat, capable of lengthy ocean patrols and of operating in distant environments.
Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-304 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.[2] She had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2,800 to 3,200 metric horsepower (2,060 to 2,350 kW; 2,760 to 3,160 shp) for use while surfaced, two Garbe, Lahmeyer & Co. RP 137/c double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 metric horsepower (550 kW; 740 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m (4 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).[2]
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph).[2] When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nautical miles (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-304 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and an anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.[2]
Service history
U-304 was launched on 13 June 1942 and commissioned 5 August 1942.[3] On 28 May 1943 the boat was attacked by RAF Liberator bomber of 120 Squadron and sunk by bombs off Cape Farewell in the North Atlantic at Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.. All 46 crew members died in the event.[4]
Wolfpacks
U-304 took part in three wolfpacks, namely.
- Without name (7–10 May 1943)
- Isar (10–15 May 1943)
- Donau 1 (15–26 May 1943)
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Gröner 1985, p. 72.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Gröner 1991, pp. 43-46.
- ↑ Gröner 1985, p. 86.
- ↑ Gröner 1991, p. 52.
Bibliography
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External links
- Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- Use dmy dates from December 2014
- German Type VIIC submarines
- Ships lost with all hands
- 1942 ships
- Ships built in Lübeck
- U-boats commissioned in 1942
- U-boats sunk in 1943
- U-boats sunk by British aircraft
- World War II shipwrecks in the Atlantic Ocean
- World War II submarines of Germany
- Maritime incidents in May 1943