German submarine U-347
| History | |
|---|---|
 Nazi Germany
| |
| Name: | U-347 |
| Ordered: | 10 April 1941 |
| Builder: | Nordseewerke, Emden |
| Yard number: | 219 |
| Laid down: | 19 October 1942 |
| Launched: | 21 May 1943 |
| Commissioned: | 7 July 1943 |
| Fate: | Sunk by a British aircraft, July 1944[1] |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type: | Type VIIC submarine |
| Displacement: |
|
| Length: |
|
| Beam: |
|
| Height: | 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in) |
| Draught: | 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in) |
| Installed power: |
|
| Propulsion: |
|
| Speed: |
|
| Range: | |
| Test depth: |
|
| Complement: | 4 officers, 40–56 enlisted |
| Armament: |
|
| Service record[2][3] | |
| Part of: |
|
| Commanders: |
|
| Operations: |
|
| Victories: | None |
German submarine U-347 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
She was a member of three wolfpacks.
She was on her fourth patrol when she was sunk by a British aircraft in July 1944.
She sank or damaged no ships.
Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-347 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.[4] 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 AEG GU 460/8–27 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).[4]
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).[4] 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-347 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 an anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.[4]
Service history
The submarine was laid down on 19 October 1942 at the Nordseewerke yard at Emden as yard number 219, launched on 21 May 1943 and commissioned on 7 July under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Johahn de Buhr.
U-347 served with the 8th U-boat Flotilla, for training and the 9th flotilla for operations from 1 March 1944. She was reassigned to the 11th flotilla on 1 June 1944.
1st patrol
U-347 had sailed from Kiel in Germany to Stavanger in Norway March 1944, but her first patrol began when she departed Stavanger on 9 May. She arrived at Narvik on the 13th.
2nd patrol
Her second foray began on 15 May 1944 when she departed Narvik (a port she would use as a base for the rest of her career), for the Norwegian Sea. She returned on 8 June.
3rd patrol
U-347 departed Narvik on 23 June 1944; she returned the same day.
4th patrol and loss
The boat had departed Narvik on 3 July 1944. On the 17th, she was sunk by a B-24 Liberator of No. 86 Squadron RAF.[5]
Forty-nine men died in the U-boat's sinking; there were no survivors.[6]
Previously recorded fate
U-347 was thought to have been sunk on 17 July 1944 west of Narvik by a British PBY Catalina of No. 210 Squadron RAF. The pilot, Flying Officer John Cruickshank, was awarded the Victoria Cross for sinking U-361.[5]
Wolfpacks
U-347 took part in three wolfpacks, namely.
- Trutz (15–31 May 1944)
- Grimm (31 May - 6 June 1944)
- Trutz (5–10 July 1944)
References
- ↑ Kemp 1999, p. 204.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-347". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 23 August 2012.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "War Patrols by German U-boat U-347". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 23 August 2012.
- 1 2 3 4 Gröner 1991, pp. 43-46.
- 1 2 Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-347". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
- ↑ Hofmann, Markus. "U 347". Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 - u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 26 December 2014.
Bibliography
- Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945. Der U-Boot-Krieg (in German) IV (Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler). ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
- Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel (London: Conway Maritime Press). ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
- Kemp, Paul (1999). U-Boats Destroyed - German Submarine Losses in the World Wars. London: Arms & Armour. ISBN 1-85409-515-3.
External links
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-347". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
- Hofmann, Markus. "U 347". Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 - u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 26 December 2014.