German submarine U-312 facts for kids
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| History | |
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 Nazi Germany |
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| Name | U-312 |
| Ordered | 5 June 1941 |
| Builder | Flender Werke, Lübeck |
| Yard number | 312 |
| Laid down | 10 April 1942 |
| Launched | 27 February 1943 |
| Commissioned | 21 April 1943 |
| Fate | Surrendered on 9 May 1945, sunk as part of Operation Deadlight on 29 November 1945 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and 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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| Service record | |
| Part of: |
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| Commanders: |
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| Operations: |
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| Victories: | None |
The German submarine U-312 was a special type of submarine called a Type VIIC U-boat. It was built for Nazi Germany's navy, the Kriegsmarine, during World War II. This submarine was started on 10 April 1942 at the Flender Werke shipyard in Lübeck, Germany. It was launched into the water on 27 February 1943 and officially joined the navy on 21 April 1943. Its first commander was Oberleutnant zur See Kurt-Heinz Nicolay.
During its time in service, U-312 went on eight combat missions, but it did not sink any enemy ships. When the war ended, the submarine surrendered on 9 May 1945. Later, on 29 November 1945, it was sunk as part of a plan called Operation Deadlight. U-312 was also part of eight "wolfpacks", which were groups of submarines that hunted together.
U-312: A German Submarine
Building a Submarine
U-312 was built at the Flender Werke shipyard in Lübeck, Germany. The process of building it began on 10 April 1942. After many months of work, the submarine was ready to be launched on 27 February 1943. It then officially joined the German navy on 21 April 1943, ready for its missions.
How U-312 Was Designed
U-312 was a Type VIIC submarine, which was a common and effective type of U-boat during World War II. These submarines were designed to be strong and able to travel long distances.
Size and Shape
When U-312 was on the surface of the water, it weighed about 769 tons. When it was underwater, it weighed more, about 871 tons, because of the water it took in to submerge. The submarine was about 67.10 meters (220 feet) long from end to end. Its main strong inner shell, called the pressure hull, was about 50.50 meters (165 feet) long. The widest part of the submarine, its beam, was about 6.20 meters (20 feet) across. It stood about 9.60 meters (31 feet) tall from its bottom to the top of its conning tower. The part of the submarine that was underwater, its draught, was about 4.74 meters (15 feet).
Power and Speed
U-312 had two powerful diesel engines that gave it between 2,800 and 3,200 horsepower when it was on the surface. For moving underwater, it used two electric motors that provided about 750 horsepower. These engines turned two propellers, each about 1.23 meters (4 feet) wide.
The submarine could travel at a top speed of 17.7 knots (about 32.8 kilometers per hour) when on the surface. Underwater, it was slower, reaching a maximum speed of 7.6 knots (about 14.1 kilometers per hour). When surfaced, it could travel a very long distance of 8,500 nautical miles (about 15,742 kilometers) at a speed of 10 knots. Underwater, its range was much shorter, about 80 nautical miles (148 kilometers) at 4 knots.
U-312 was built to dive deep, safely reaching depths of up to 230 meters (750 feet). Its maximum "crush depth," the point where the pressure would be too much for its hull, was between 250 and 295 meters (820 to 968 feet). The submarine usually had a crew of 4 officers and between 40 and 56 enlisted sailors.
Weapons on Board
For attacking enemy ships, U-312 was equipped with five torpedo tubes, which are tubes used to launch torpedoes. Four of these tubes were at the front (bow) and one was at the back (stern). It could carry 14 torpedoes or 26 mines.
For fighting on the surface, it had an 8.8 cm (3.5 inch) deck gun with 220 rounds of ammunition. It also had two twin 2 cm (0.79 inch) anti-aircraft guns to defend against airplanes.
Life at Sea: U-312's Journeys
After finishing its training with the 8th U-boat Flotilla, U-312 was sent to the 6th U-boat Flotilla for active duty starting on 1 December 1943. It then traveled from Kiel in Germany to Bergen in Norway in early January 1944.
Early Training and First Missions
U-312 began its first combat patrol on 23 January 1944, sailing through the northern Norwegian Sea and near Bear Island. It finished this patrol in Hammerfest on 29 February. Its second patrol was similar, taking it through the Norwegian, Greenland, and Barents Seas before returning to Narvik on 12 April 1944. The third patrol started from Narvik on 29 April and ended back there on 13 May, after which the submarine moved to Trondheim.
Later Patrols and Challenges
The fourth patrol was fairly quiet, beginning and ending in Narvik. The fifth patrol was notable for sailing around the North Cape and going east of Murmansk.
The sixth patrol took U-312 further south, reaching the northern coast of Scotland by 24 December 1944. After this, the submarine was based at Kilbotn, from where it carried out its seventh and eighth patrols.
The End of Its Journey
When Germany surrendered at the end of World War II, U-312 was moved from Kilbotn to Narvik, then to Skjomenfjord. Finally, it arrived at Loch Eriboll in Scotland on 19 May 1945. This was in preparation for Operation Deadlight, a plan by the Allies to sink captured German U-boats. U-312 was later moved to Lisahally and was sunk on 29 November 1945 by the guns of the British warship HMS Onslow.
