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German submarine U-524
Career War Ensign of Germany 1938-1945
Name: U-524
Ordered: 7 April 1940
Builder: Deutsche Werft, Hamburg
Yard number: 339
Laid down: 7 August 1941
Launched: 30 April 1942
Commissioned: 8 July 1942
Fate: Sunk, February 1943 south of Madeira by a US aircraft[1]
General characteristics
Type: Type IXC submarine
Displacement: 1,120 t (1,100 long tons) surfaced
1,232 t (1,213 long tons) submerged
Length: 76.8 m (252 ft 0 in) overall
58.7 m (192 ft 7 in) pressure hull
Beam: 6.8 m (22 ft 4 in) overall
4.4 m (14 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height: 9.4 m (30 ft 10 in)
Draft: 4.7 m (15 ft 5 in)
Propulsion: 2 × MAN M9V40/46 supercharged 9-cylinder diesel engines, 4,000 hp (2,983 kW)
2 × SSW GU345/34 double-acting electric motors, 1,000 hp (746 kW)
Speed: 18.2 knots (33.7 km/h) surfaced
7.3 knots (13.5 km/h) submerged
Range: 24,880 nmi (46,080 km) at 10 knots (19 km/h) surfaced
117 nmi (217 km) at 4 kn (7.4 km/h) submerged
Test depth: 230 m (750 ft)
Complement: 48 to 56
Armament: 6 × torpedo tubes (four bow, two stern)
22 × 55 cm (22 in) torpedoes
1 × 10.5 cm SK C/32 naval gun[2] (110 rounds)
Service record
Part of: 4th U-boat Flotilla
(8 July–30 November 1942)
10th U-boat Flotilla
(1 December 1942–22 March 1943)
Commanders: Kptlt. Herbert SchneiderFreiherr Walter von Steinaecker
(8 July 1942–22 February 1943)
Operations: 1st patrol:
14 November 1942–9 January 1943
2nd patrol:
3–22 March 1943
Victories: Two ships sunk, total 16,256 GRT

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

She was laid down at the Deutsche Werft (yard) in Hamburg as 'werk' 339 on 7 August 1941, launched on 30 April 1942 and commissioned on 8 July with Kapitänleutnant Freierr Walter von Steinaecker in command.

U-524 began her service career with training as part of the 4th U-boat Flotilla from 8 July 1942. She was re-assigned to the 10th flotilla for operations on 1 December 1942.

She carried out two patrols and sank two ships. She was a member of three wolfpacks. She was sunk in March 1943 south of Madeira by an American aircraft.[3]

Operational career[]

1st patrol[]

The boat departed Marviken (Kristiansand) in Norway on 14 November 1942, moved through the North Sea, negotiated the 'gap' between Iceland and the Faroe Islands and entered the Atlantic Ocean.

She opened her account when she sank the Empire Spenser on 8 December 1942 southeast of Cape Farewell (Greenland).

She entered Lorient, on the French Atlantic coast, on 9 January 1943.

2nd patrol and loss[]

Having left Lorient on 3 March 1943, she sank the French ship Wyoming on the 15th, north of the Azores.

She was sunk south of Madeira on the 22nd by depth charges dropped by an American B-24 Liberator called Tidewater Tillie.[4]

Fifty-two men died; there were no survivors.[5]

Summary of raiding history[]

Date Name Nationality Tonnage
(GRT)
Fate[6]
8 December 1942 Empire Spenser Flag of the United Kingdom United Kingdom 8,194 Sunk
15 March 1943 Wyoming Flag of France France 8,062 Sunk

References[]


Notes[]

  1. Kemp, Paul: U-Boats Destroyed - German Submarine Losses in the World Wars, 1997, Arms & Armour, ISBN 1-85409-515-3, p. 107
  2. Campbell, John Naval Weapons of World War Two ISBN 0-87021-459-4 pp.248 and 249
  3. Kemp, p. 107
  4. Kemp, p. 107.
  5. http://uboat.net/boats/u524/htm
  6. http://uboat.net/boats/successes/u524/html

External links[]


Coordinates: 30°15′N 18°13′W / 30.25°N 18.217°W / 30.25; -18.217

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