German submarine U-524
U-505, a typical Type IXC boat
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| History | |
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 Nazi Germany |
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| Name: | U-524 |
| Ordered: | 7 April 1940 |
| Builder: | Deutsche Werft, Hamburg |
| Yard number: | 339 |
| Laid down: | 7 August 1941 |
| Launched: | 30 April 1942 |
| Commissioned: | 8 July 1942 |
| Fate: | Sunk, February 1943 south of Madeira by a US aircraft[1] |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type: | Type IXC submarine |
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| Height: | 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in) |
| Draught: | 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) |
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| Test depth: | 230 m (750 ft) |
| Complement: | 4 officers, 44 enlisted |
| Armament: |
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| Service record | |
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| Victories: | Two ships sunk, total 16,256 GRT |
German submarine U-524 was a Type IXC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
She was laid down at the Deutsche Werft (yard) in Hamburg as yard number 339 on 7 August 1941, launched on 30 April 1942 and commissioned on 8 July with Kapitänleutnant Walter Freiherr von Steinaecker in command.
U-524 began her service career with training as part of the 4th U-boat Flotilla from 8 July 1942. She was re-assigned to the 10th flotilla for operations on 1 December 1942.
She carried out two patrols and sank two ships. She was a member of three wolfpacks.
She was sunk in March 1943 south of Madeira by an American aircraft.[1]
Contents
Design
German Type IXC submarines were slightly larger than the original Type IXBs. U-524 had a displacement of 1,120 tonnes (1,100 long tons) when at the surface and 1,232 tonnes (1,213 long tons) while submerged.[2] The U-boat had a total length of 76.76 m (251 ft 10 in), a pressure hull length of 58.75 m (192 ft 9 in), a beam of 6.76 m (22 ft 2 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in). The submarine was powered by two MAN M 9 V 40/46 supercharged four-stroke, nine-cylinder diesel engines producing a total of 4,400 metric horsepower (3,240 kW; 4,340 shp) for use while surfaced, two Siemens-Schuckert 2 GU 345/34 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 1,000 shaft horsepower (1,010 PS; 750 kW) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.92 m (6 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 18.3 knots (33.9 km/h; 21.1 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph).[2] When submerged, the boat could operate for 63 nautical miles (117 km; 72 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 13,450 nautical miles (24,910 km; 15,480 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-524 was fitted with six 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and two at the stern), 22 torpedoes, one 10.5 cm (4.13 in) SK C/32 naval gun, 180 rounds, and a 3.7 cm (1.5 in) as well as a 2 cm (0.79 in) anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of forty-eight.[2]
Service history
1st patrol
The boat departed Marviken (Kristiansand) in Norway on 14 November 1942, moved through the North Sea, negotiated the gap between Iceland and the Faroe Islands and entered the Atlantic Ocean.
She opened her account when she sank the Empire Spenser on 8 December 1942 southeast of Cape Farewell (Greenland).
She entered Lorient, on the French Atlantic coast, on 9 January 1943.
2nd patrol and loss
Having left Lorient on 3 March 1943, she sank the French ship Wyoming on the 15th, north of the Azores.
She was sunk south of Madeira on the 22nd by depth charges dropped by an American B-24 Liberator called Tidewater Tillie.[1]
Fifty-two men died; there were no survivors.[3]
Wolfpacks
U-524 took part in three wolfpacks, namely.
- Panzer (23 November - 11 December 1942)
- Ungestüm (11–23 December 1942)
- Wohlgemut (12–22 March 1943)
Summary of raiding history
| Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage (GRT) |
Fate[4] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 December 1942 | Empire Spenser |  United Kingdom |
8,194 | Sunk |
| 15 March 1943 | Wyoming |  Free France |
8,062 | Sunk |
References
Bibliography
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External links
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- Use dmy dates from September 2012
- Use dmy dates from December 2014
- German Type IX submarines
- U-boats commissioned in 1942
- U-boats sunk in 1943
- World War II submarines of Germany
- 1942 ships
- World War II shipwrecks in the Atlantic Ocean
- Ships built in Hamburg
- U-boats sunk by US aircraft
- U-boats sunk by depth charges
- Ships lost with all hands
- Maritime incidents in March 1943
