German submarine U-328 facts for kids
Quick facts for kids History |
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 Nazi Germany |
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| Name | U-328 |
| Ordered | 16 July 1942 |
| Builder | Flender Werke, Lübeck |
| Yard number | 328 |
| Laid down | 15 May 1943 |
| Launched | 24 June 1944 |
| Commissioned | 19 September 1944 |
| Fate | Surrendered on 9 May 1945; sunk as part of Operation Deadlight on 30 November 1945 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Type VIIC/41 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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| Identification codes: | M 43 571 |
| Commanders: |
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| Operations: | None |
| Victories: | None |
U-328 was a German U-boat (a type of submarine) used by Nazi Germany's navy, the Kriegsmarine, during World War II. It was a Type VIIC/41 submarine.
This U-boat did not go on any combat missions. It also did not sink or damage any enemy ships.
U-328 surrendered in Norway on May 9, 1945, as World War II was ending. Later, on November 30, 1945, it was sunk as part of an operation called Deadlight.
Contents
Understanding the U-328 Submarine Design
How U-328 Was Built
U-328 was a Type VIIC/41 U-boat. These submarines were designed to be very strong. They could travel both on the surface of the water and deep underwater.
When U-328 was on the surface, it weighed about 759 tonnes (747 long tons). When it was fully underwater, it weighed more, around 860 tonnes (850 long tons). The submarine was about 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in) long overall. Its special inner hull, called the pressure hull, was 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in) long. This inner hull was built to withstand the huge pressure of the deep ocean.
The submarine was 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) wide and sat 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in) deep in the water.
Power and Speed of U-328
U-328 used two different types of engines to move. On the surface, it was powered by two large diesel engines. These engines were very powerful, giving the submarine between 2,800 to 3,200 metric horsepower (2,060 to 2,350 kW; 2,760 to 3,160 shp) of power.
When underwater, the U-boat switched to two electric motors. These motors provided 750 metric horsepower (550 kW; 740 shp) of power.
The submarine could travel at a top speed of 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) (about 32.8 kilometers per hour) on the surface. Underwater, it was slower, reaching about 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) (about 14.1 kilometers per hour).
How Far Could U-328 Travel?
U-328 had a good range for its time. When traveling on the surface at a slower speed of 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) (about 18.5 kilometers per hour), it could go as far as 8,500 nmi (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) (about 15,742 kilometers).
Underwater, the range was much shorter. It could travel about 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) (about 148 kilometers) at a speed of 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) (about 7.4 kilometers per hour).
Depth and Crew of U-328
This U-boat was designed to operate safely at a depth of 250 metres (820 ft) (about 820 feet). Its maximum safe depth, known as its crush depth, was between 275–325 m (902–1,066 ft) (about 902 to 1,066 feet). Going deeper than this could cause the submarine to collapse from the water pressure.
The crew of U-328 usually had between 44 and 60 people. This included about four officers and 40 to 56 enlisted sailors.
Weapons on U-328
U-328 was equipped with several weapons:
- Torpedoes: It had five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes. Four of these were at the front (bow) of the submarine, and one was at the back (stern). It carried a total of 14 torpedoes.
- Deck Gun: There was one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun on the deck, used for attacking ships on the surface. It had 220 rounds of ammunition.
- Anti-Aircraft Guns: For defense against airplanes, it had one 3.7 cm (1.5 in) Flak M42 gun and two 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns.
The Service History of U-328
Building and Launching U-328
The construction of U-328 began on May 15, 1943, at the Flender Werke shipyard in Lübeck, Germany. It was given the yard number 328.
The submarine was officially launched into the water on June 24, 1944. It was then fully completed and commissioned (put into active service) on September 19, 1944. Its first commander was Oberleutnant zur See Peter Lawrence.
Training and Final Days
U-328 spent most of its service time in training. From September 19, 1944, to May 1, 1945, it was part of the 4th U-boat Flotilla. This group was mainly for training new U-boat crews.
For a very short period, from May 2 to May 8, 1945, it was assigned to the 11th U-boat Flotilla. However, it did not participate in any combat missions or sink any ships.
As World War II was ending, U-328 surrendered at Bergen in Norway on May 9, 1945.
Operation Deadlight
After surrendering, U-328 was moved to Loch Ryan in Scotland on May 30, 1945. This was part of an operation called Operation Deadlight. During this operation, many captured German U-boats were sunk by the Allied forces to prevent them from being used again.
U-328 was eventually sunk by aircraft from the Fleet Air Arm (the British Royal Navy's air force) on November 30, 1945.
See also
