German submarine U-326
| History | |
|---|---|
 Nazi Germany |
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| Name: | U-326 |
| Ordered: | 16 July 1942 |
| Builder: | Flender Werke, Lübeck |
| Yard number: | 326 |
| Laid down: | 26 April 1943 |
| Launched: | 22 April 1944 |
| Commissioned: | 6 June 1944 |
| Fate: | Sunk by an American aircraft, April 1945[1] |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type: | Type VIIC/41 submarine |
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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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| Test depth: |
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| Complement: | 4 officers, 40–56 enlisted |
| Armament: |
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| Service record[2][3] | |
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| Identification codes: | M 14 594 |
| Commanders: |
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| Operations: | One: 28 March – 25 April 1945 |
| Victories: | None |
German submarine U-326 was a Type VIIC/41 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
She carried out one patrol but sank or damaged no ships.
The boat was sunk in May 1945 in the Bay of Biscay by an American aircraft.
Contents
Design
German Type VIIC/41 submarines were preceded by the heavier Type VIIC submarines. U-326 had a displacement of 759 tonnes (747 long tons) when at the surface and 860 tonnes (850 long tons) while submerged.[4] 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).[4]
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).[4] 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-326 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.[4]
Service history
The submarine was laid down on 26 April 1943 by the Flender Werke yard at Lübeck as yard number 326, launched on 22 April 1944 and commissioned on 6 June under the command of Kapitänleutnant Peter Matthes.
She served with the 4th U-boat Flotilla for training, from 6 June 1944 to 28 February 1945. She was then transferred to the 11th flotilla for operations on 1 March.
Patrol
Having carried out a series of short voyages between Kiel in Germany and Horten Naval Base, Stavanger and Bergen in Norway in February and March 1945, U-326 departed Bergen on 28 March and passing western Scotland and Ireland, entered the Bay of Biscay.
Fate
The boat was sunk by a homing torpedo dropped from an American B-24 Liberator west of Brest on 25 April 1945.[5]
Forty-three men died; there were no survivors.
See also
References
Bibliography
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External links
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- Use dmy dates from December 2014
- German Type VIIC/41 submarines
- U-boats commissioned in 1944
- 1944 ships
- World War II submarines of Germany
- World War II shipwrecks in the Atlantic Ocean
- Ships built in Lübeck
- U-boats sunk by US aircraft
- Ships lost with all hands
- U-boats sunk in 1945
- Maritime incidents in April 1945
