German submarine U-307

Last updated
History
War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg Nazi Germany
NameU-307
Ordered20 January 1941
Builder Flender Werke, Lübeck
Yard number307
Laid down5 November 1941
Launched30 September 1942
Commissioned18 November 1942
FateSunk by depth charges, 29 April 1945 [1]
General characteristics
Class and type Type VIIC submarine
Displacement
  • 769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced
  • 871 t (857 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a
  • 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught4.74 m (15 ft 7 in)
Installed power
  • 2,800–3,200 PS (2,100–2,400 kW; 2,800–3,200 bhp) (diesels)
  • 750 PS (550 kW; 740 shp) (electric)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced
  • 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged
Range
  • 8,500  nmi (15,700  km; 9,800  mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth
  • 230 m (750 ft)
  • Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft)
Complement4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Armament
Service record
Part of:
Identification codes: M 50 406
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Friedrich-Georg Herrle
  • 18 November 1942 – 1 December 1944
  • Oblt.z.S. Erich Krüger
  • 2 December 1944 – 29 April 1945
Operations:
  • 13 patrols:
  • 1st patrol:
  • 9 – 12 July 1943
  • 2nd patrol:
  • 16 July – 21 August 1943
  • 3rd patrol:
  • 2 September – 9 October 1943
  • 4th patrol:
  • a. 27 October – 9 December 1943
  • b. 12 – 15 December 1943
  • 5th patrol:
  • 23 February – 27 March 1944
  • 6th patrol:
  • 16 April – 5 May 1944
  • 7th patrol:
  • a. 25 May – 12 July 1944
  • b. 2 – 3 August 1944
  • 8th patrol:
  • a. 4 – 23 August 1944
  • b. 24 – 25 August 1944
  • c. 29 – 31 August 1944
  • 9th patrol:
  • a. 9 September – 4 October 1944
  • b. 5 – 7 October 1944
  • c. 8 – 10 October 1944
  • d. 15 – 20 January 1945
  • 10th patrol:
  • 24 January – 16 February 1945
  • 11th patrol:
  • 20 – 28 February 1945
  • 12th patrol:
  • 12 March – 1 April 1945
  • 13th patrol:
  • 16 – 29 April 1945
Victories: 2 merchant ships sunk
(7,226  GRT)

German submarine U-307 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The U-boat was laid down on 5 November 1941, and commissioned on 18 November 1942.

Contents

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-307 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-307 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 two twin 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty. [2]

Service history

Despite carrying out 13 war patrols between July 1943 and April 1945, U-307 sank only two vessels; the 7,176 GRT American Liberty ship SS William S. Thayer on 30 April 1944, fifty miles south of Bear Island, and the 50 GRT Norwegian Army motor boat Lennox in Van Mijenfjorden, Spitsbergen, on 18 August 1944.

In September 1944, together with the supply ship Carl J. Busch , U-307 transported the men of Operation Haudegen, a German military meteorological mission, to Svalbard.

Wolfpacks

U-307 took part in twelve wolfpacks, namely:

Fate

U-307 was sunk on 29 April 1945 in the Barents Sea near Murmansk, Russia, in position 69°24′N33°44′E / 69.400°N 33.733°E / 69.400; 33.733 by depth charges from the British Loch class frigate HMS Loch Insh. There were 37 dead and 14 survivors.

Summary of raiding history

DateShip NameNationalityTonnage
(GRT)		Fate [3]
30 April 1944 William S. Thayer Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 7,176Sunk
18 August 1944 Lennox Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 50Sunk

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References

  1. ↑ Kemp 1999, p. 254.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.
  3. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-307". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 26 December 2014.

Bibliography

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