German submarine U-528

Last updated
History
War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg Nazi Germany
NameU-528
Ordered15 August 1940
Builder Deutsche Werft, Hamburg
Yard number343
Laid down10 November 1941
Launched1 July 1942
Commissioned16 September 1942
FateSunk by a British aircraft and a British warship southwest of Ireland on 11 May 1943
General characteristics
Class and type Type IXC/40 submarine
Displacement
  • 1,144  t (1,126 long tons) surfaced
  • 1,257 t (1,237 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 6.86 m (22 ft 6 in) o/a
  • 4.44 m (14 ft 7 in) pressure hull
Height9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught4.67 m (15 ft 4 in)
Installed power
  • 4,400 PS (3,200 kW; 4,300 bhp) (diesels)
  • 1,000 PS (740 kW; 990 shp) (electric)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 18.3 knots (33.9 km/h; 21.1 mph) surfaced
  • 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph) submerged
Range
  • 13,850  nmi (25,650 km; 15,940 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 63 nmi (117 km; 72 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth230 m (750 ft)
Complement4 officers, 44 enlisted
Armament
Service record
Part of:
Identification codes: M 50 081
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Karl-Heinz Fuchs
  • 16 September – 19 December 1942
  • Oblt.z.S. Georg von Rabenau
  • 19 December 1942 – 11 May 1943
Operations:
  • 1 patrol:
  • 15 April – 11 May 1943
Victories: None

German submarine U-528 was a Type IXC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

Contents

She was laid down at the Deutsche Werft (yard) in Hamburg as yard number 343 on 10 November 1941, launched on 1 July 1942 and commissioned on 16 September with Kapitänleutnant Karl-Heinz Fuchs in command.

U-528 began her service career with training as part of the 4th U-boat Flotilla from 16 September 1942. She was reassigned to the 10th flotilla for operations on 1 April 1943.

She carried out one patrol but did not sink any ships. She was a member of one wolfpack.

She was sunk by a British aircraft and a British warship southwest of Ireland on 11 May 1943.

Design

German Type IXC/40 submarines were slightly larger than the original Type IXCs. U-528 had a displacement of 1,144 tonnes (1,126 long tons) when at the surface and 1,257 tonnes (1,237 long tons) while submerged. [1] 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 6.86 m (22 ft 6 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.67 m (15 ft 4 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). [1]

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). [1] 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 13,850 nautical miles (25,650 km; 15,940 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-528 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) SK C/30 as well as a 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of forty-eight. [1]

Service history

Patrol and loss

The boat departed Kiel on 15 April 1943, moved through the North Sea, negotiated the gap between Iceland and the Faroe Islands and entered the Atlantic Ocean. There, she was intercepted by the escorts of Convoy ON (S) 5 and damaged. She was sunk on her way to the French Atlantic bases.

U-528 was 'destroyed' [2] on 11 May 1943 southwest of Ireland by depth charges dropped from a Handley Page Halifax of No. 58 Squadron RAF and the British sloop HMS Fleetwood.

Eleven men went down with the U-boat; there were 45 survivors. Among the survivors was Reimar Lüst who later became an astrophysicist.

Wolfpacks

U-528 took part in one wolfpack, namely:

Related Research Articles

German submarine U-803 was a Type IXC/40 U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II at Bremerhaven.

German submarine U-192 was a very short-lived Type IXC/40 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine built during World War II for service in the Battle of the Atlantic. During her maiden voyage in May 1943, she was sunk by a British warship, HMS Loosestrife on 6 May 1943.

German submarine U-183 was a Type IXC/40 U-boat of the German Navy (Kriegsmarine) during World War II. She was commissioned on 1 April 1942, one of the first IXC/40 boats, somewhat larger and faster than the IXC type. She began her service life in the 4th U-boat Flotilla, a training organization, moving on to the 2nd, then the 33rd Flotilla, both operational or front outfits.

German submarine U-881 was a Type IXC/40 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The ship was ordered on 2 April 1942, laid down on 7 August 1943, and launched on 4 March 1944. She was commissioned into the Kriegsmarine under the command of Kapitänleutnant Dr. Karl-Heinz Frischke on 27 May 1944. Initially assigned to the 4th U-boat Flotilla, she was transferred to the 33rd U-boat Flotilla on 1 March 1945.

German submarine U-191 was a Type IXC/40 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine built for service during World War II.

German submarine U-471 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 25 October 1941 by Deutsche Werke, Kiel as yard number 302, launched on 6 March 1943 and commissioned on 5 May 1943 under Oberleutnant zur See Friedrich Kloevekorn.

German submarine <i>U-127</i> (1941) German World War II submarine

German submarine U-127 was a Type IXC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. She was laid down at the DeSchiMAG AG Weser yard in Bremen as yard number 990 on 20 June 1940, launched on 1 February 1941 and commissioned on 24 April under the command of Korvettenkapitän Bruno Hansmann.

German submarine U-169 was a Type IXC/40 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine built for service during World War II. Her keel was laid down on 15 May 1941 by the Deutsche Schiff- und Maschinenbau AG in Bremen as yard number 708. She was launched on 6 June 1942 and commissioned on 16 November with Oberleutnant zur See Hermann Bauer in command.

German submarine U-186 was a Type IXC/40 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine built for service during World War II. Her keel was laid down on 24 July 1941 by DeSchiMAG AG Weser in Bremen as yard number 1026. She was launched on 11 March 1942 and commissioned on 10 July with Korvettenkapitän Siegfried Hesemann in command.

German submarine U-189 was a Type IXC/40 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine built for service during World War II. Her keel was laid down on 12 September 1941 by DeSchiMAG AG Weser in Bremen as yard number 1035. She was launched on 1 May 1942 and commissioned on 15 August with Korvettenkapitän Hellmut Kurrer in command.

German submarine <i>U-524</i> German World War II submarine

German submarine U-524 was a Type IXC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine U-538 was a Type IXC/40 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine U-540 was a Type IXC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine U-542 was a Type IXC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine U-544 was a Type IXC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine U-545 was a Type IXC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine U-722 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 21 December 1942 by H. C. Stülcken Sohn, Hamburg as yard number 788, launched on 21 September 1943 and commissioned on 15 December 1943 under Leutnant zur See Hans-Heinrich Reimers.

German submarine U-801 was a Type IXC/40 U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine U-841 was a Type IXC/40 U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

German submarine U-846 was a Type IXC/40 U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Gröner 1991, p. 68.
  2. ↑ Kemp 1997, p. 7.

Bibliography

46°55′N14°44′W / 46.917°N 14.733°W / 46.917; -14.733

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.