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44-493: German submarine U-324 was a Type VIIC/41 U-boat of Nazi Germany 's Kriegsmarine during World War II . The submarine was laid down on 24 March 1943 at the Flender Werke at Lübeck , launched on 12 February 1944, and commissioned on 5 April 1944 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Ernst Edelhoff. Like all Type VIIC/41 U-boats , U-324 had a displacement of 759 tonnes (747 long tons) when at

88-735: A Royal Netherlands Navy project to build battlecruisers . Battlecruisers were deemed by some to be essential for the defense of the Dutch East Indies against possible Japanese expansion, especially as the Netherlands lacked any large surface ships. The designs were heavily influenced by the German Scharnhorst class and the final design was similar to the IvS design, because the Germans were expected to at least furnish

132-445: A U-boat with a single hit, finally making it too dangerous for a U-boat to attempt to fight it out on the surface regardless of its armament. In November 1943, less than six months after the experiment began, it was discontinued. All U-flaks were converted back to standard attack boats and fitted with Turm 4 , the standard anti-aircraft armament for U-boats at the time. (According to German sources, only six aircraft had been shot down by

176-466: A few minor mechanical improvements, making them 2 feet longer and 8 tons heavier. Speed and range were essentially the same. Many of these boats were fitted with snorkels in 1944 and 1945. They had the same torpedo tube arrangement as their predecessors, except for U-72 , U-78 , U-80 , U-554 , and U-555 , which had only two bow tubes, and for U-203 , U-331 , U-351 , U-401 , U-431 , and U-651 , which had no stern tube. On

220-487: A max rpm of 296, while newer boats used two BBC GG UB 720/8, Garbe, Lahmeyer & Co. RP 137/c or Siemens-Schuckert -Werke (SSW) GU 343/38-8 electric motors with the same power output as the AEG motors. Perhaps the most famous VIIC boat was U-96 , featured in the movie Das Boot . The concept of the "U-flak" or "Flak Trap" originated on 31 August 1942, when U-256 was seriously damaged by aircraft. Rather than scrap

264-404: A submerged speed of 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph). 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-324 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at

308-434: A total of 2,800 to 3,200 metric horsepower (2,060 to 2,350 kW; 2,760 to 3,160 shp) and 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. The boat was capable of operating at a depth of 250 metres (820 ft). The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) and

352-556: A total of 2,800–3,200 metric horsepower (2,100–2,400 kW) at 470 to 490 rpm. When submerged, the boat was powered by two AEG GU 460/8-276 (except in U-45 , U-46 , U-49 , U-51 , U-52 , U-54 , U-73 to U-76 , U-99 and U-100 , which retained the BBC motor of the VIIA) electric motors, giving a total of 750 metric horsepower (550 kW) at 295 rpm. The Type VIIC was the workhorse of

396-400: A total of 750 horsepower (560 kW) at 322 rpm. The VIIA had limited fuel capacity, so 24 Type VIIB boats were built between 1936 and 1940 with an additional 33 tonnes of fuel in external saddle tanks , which added another 2,500 nautical miles (4,600 km; 2,900 mi) of range at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced. More powerful engines made them slightly faster than

440-773: Is on display at the Laboe Naval Memorial located in Laboe , Schleswig-Holstein , Germany . At the start of the Second World War the Type VII class was together with the British U , S and T class and Dutch O 21 class one of the most advanced submarine classes in service. The Type VII was based on earlier German submarine designs going back to the World War I Type UB III and especially

484-786: The E-1 became the E-2 project. Construction of the first two prototypes started in December 1934 at the Baltic Shipyard in Leningrad , using German diesel engines and electric batteries . They were followed by the third prototype in April 1935. With further modifications to use less-expensive Soviet equipment, full production began in 1936 of the Soviet S-class submarines . In 1945

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528-795: The Soviet submarine S-13 was responsible for the sinking of the German military transport Wilhelm Gustloff and the General von Steuben with heavy losses of life. From 1927 to 1933 four IvS-designed submarines were built by Crichton-Vulcan Oy in Turku , Finland . One of these, CV 707 (later the Finnish Navy Vesikko ), was the prototype of the German Type II submarine, while three larger Vetehinen -class submarines served as

572-819: The Allies following Germany's capitulation. Like most surrendered U-boats, she was subsequently scuttled by the Royal Navy. NV Ingenieurskantoor voor Scheepsbouw The company was a joint venture by the German shipyards AG Vulcan Stettin (located in Stettin and Hamburg ), the Krupp -owned Germaniawerft in Kiel , and AG Weser in Bremen . Design work was carried out at the facilities of these companies in Germany. At

616-519: The German U-boat force, with 568 commissioned from 1940 to 1945. The first VIIC boat commissioned was the U-93 in 1940. The Type VIIC was an effective fighting machine and was seen almost everywhere U-boats operated, although its range of only 8,500 nautical miles was not as great as that of the larger Type IX (11,000 nautical miles), severely limiting the time it could spend in the far reaches of

660-577: The Spanish lost interest in the E-1 , and it was also sold to Turkey in 1935 as the TCG Gür . In 1936 it was reported in the media that there had been negotiations between Turkey, IvS and Dutch shipyards about a potential order for another four submarines, however, due financial concerns it came to nothing. The E-1 also attracted the attention of the Soviet Navy ; with significant modifications

704-563: The U-flaks in six missions, three by U-441 , and one each by U-256 , U-621 , and U-953 .) Type VIIC/41 was a slightly modified version of the VIIC and had the same armament and engines. The difference was a stronger pressure hull giving them a deeper crush depth and lighter machinery to compensate for the added steel in the hull, making them slightly lighter than the VIIC. A total of 91 were built. All of them from U-1271 onwards lacked

748-473: The VIIA. They had two rudders for greater agility. The torpedo armament was improved by moving the aft tube to the inside of the boat. Now an additional aft torpedo could be carried below the deck plating of the aft torpedo room (which also served as the electric motor room) and two watertight compartments under the upper deck could hold two additional torpedoes, giving them a total of 14 torpedoes. The only exception

792-1033: The World War I UB III submarine of the Kaiserliche Marine . Both were built by the Fijenoord shipyard in Rotterdam in 1927 and sold to Turkey , where they formed the Birinci İnönü class . They were followed by the Submarino E-1 built in 1930 by the Echevarrieta y Larrinaga shipyard in Cádiz , Spain , initially for the Spanish Navy , but mainly as a prototype of the German Type I submarine and Type VII submarine . However,

836-626: The bay in groups at maximum speed. The effort earned the Germans about two more months of relative freedom, until the RAF modified their tactics. When a pilot saw that a U-boat was going to fight on the surface, he held off attacking and called in reinforcements. When several aircraft had arrived, they all attacked at once. If the U-boat dived, surface vessels were called to the scene to scour the area with sonar and drop depth charges. The British also began equipping some aircraft with RP-3 rockets that could sink

880-458: The boat used two AEG GU 460/8-276 electric motors giving a total of 750 shp (560 kW) at 285 rpm. Only one ( U-218 ) managed to survive the war; the other five were sunk, killing all crew members. The Type VIIF boats were designed in 1941 as supply boats to rearm U-boats at sea once they had used up their torpedoes . This required a lengthened hull and they were the largest and heaviest type VII boats built. They were armed identically with

924-459: The boat, it was decided to refit her as a heavily armed anti-aircraft boat intended to combat the losses being inflicted by Allied aircraft in the Bay of Biscay . Two 20 mm quadruple Flakvierling mounts and an experimental 37 mm automatic gun were installed on the U-flaks' decks. A battery of 86 mm line-carrying anti-aircraft rockets was tested (similar to a device used by the British in

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968-509: The bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes , one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun , (220 rounds), one 3.7 cm (1.5 in) Flak M42 and two 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns. Its complement was between forty-four and sixty. U-324 served with the 4th U-boat Flotilla for training, and subsequently with the 11th U-boat Flotilla for front-line service from 15 March to 8 May 1945. U-324 departed in company with U-776 on 22 March 1945 but aborted

1012-565: The cancelled Type UG. The type UG was designed through the Dutch dummy company NV Ingenieurskantoor voor Scheepsbouw Den Haag (I.v.S) to circumvent the limitations of the Treaty of Versailles , and was built by foreign shipyards. The Finnish Vetehinen class and Spanish Type E-1 also provided some of the basis for the Type VII design. These designs led to the Type VII along with Type I ,

1056-658: The defense of airfields), but this idea proved unworkable. At times, two additional single 20 mm guns were also mounted. The submarines' limited fuel capacities restricted them to operations only within the Bay of Biscay. Only five torpedoes were carried, preloaded in the tubes, to free up space needed for additional gun crew. Four VIIC boats were modified for use as surface escorts for U-boats departing and returning to French Atlantic bases. These "U-flak" boats were U-441 , U-256 , U-621 , and U-953 . Conversion began on three others ( U-211 , U-263 , and U-271 ) but none

1100-635: The eleven-man staff that were leading the firm from the office in Kiel moved to the Dutch office. This office at the corner of the Wagenstraat and Gedempte burgwal would be used by IvS till its dissolution in 1945. At first IvS used the old UB III and UC III boats of the Imperial German Navy as starting point for their new submarine designs. IvS first designed two submarines based on

1144-402: The fittings to handle mines. Today one Type VIIC/41 still exists: U-995 is on display at Laboe (north of Kiel ), the only surviving Type VII in the world. The Type VIIC/42 was designed in 1942 and 1943 to replace the aging Type VIIC. They would have had a much stronger pressure hull, with skin thickness up to 28 mm (1.1 in), and would have had a nearly 40% deeper crush depth as

1188-585: The gun turrets for these ships, as constructing them was beyond Dutch capabilities. In the end, political disagreements delayed the decision-making process and none of the projected ships were laid down, as on May 10, 1940 the Germans invaded the Netherlands . In 1933, the Reichsmarine established a training school in Kiel for U-boat crews, called the Unterseebootsabwehrschule ("Submarine Defence School"). This program provided for

1232-553: The latter being built in AG Weser shipyard in Bremen , Germany. The production of Type I was stopped after only two boats; the reasons for this are not certain. The design of the Type I was further used in the development of the Type VII and Type IX . Type VII submarines were the most widely used U-boats of the war and were the most produced submarine class in history, with 704 built. The type had several modifications. The Type VII

1276-648: The other Type VIIs except that they could have up to 39 torpedoes onboard and had no deck guns. Only four Type VIIFs were built. Two of them, U-1062 and U-1059 , were sent to support the Monsun Gruppe in the Far East; U-1060 and U-1061 remained in the Atlantic. Type VIIF U-boats used the same engines as the Type VIID class. Three were sunk during the war; the surviving boat was surrendered to

1320-458: The patrol due to engine trouble and returned to port. Still under repair at the cessation of hostilities, she surrendered at Bergen , Norway on 9 May 1945 and was broken up in March 1947. German Type VII submarine#Type VIIC Type VII U-boats were the most common type of German World War II U-boat . 703 boats were built by the end of the war. The lone surviving example, U-995 ,

1364-474: The previous VIICs. These boats would have been very similar in external appearance to the VIIC/41 but with two periscopes in the tower and would have carried two more torpedoes. Contracts were signed for 164 boats and a few boats were laid down, but all were cancelled on 30 September 1943 in favor of the new Type XXI , and none was advanced enough in construction to be launched. They would have been powered by

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1408-695: The prototypes for the Type VII. A fifth IvS design was the small submarine Saukko , built in Helsinki by the Sandvikens Skeppsdocka och Mekaniska Verkstad shipyard, and originally planned to be deployed in Lake Ladoga . The contracts were worded in such a way that IvS employees (many of whom were former Kaiserliche Marine and Reichsmarine personnel) were involved with crew training and selection, and were also allowed to take part in submarine service trials. The Germans - who were, at

1452-534: The same engines as the VIIC. The type VIID boats, designed in 1939 and 1940, were a lengthened – by 10 m (32 ft 10 in) – version of the VIIC for use as a minelayer. The mines were carried in, and released from, three banks of five vertical tubes just aft of the conning tower . The extended hull also improved fuel and food storage. On the surface the boat used two supercharged Germaniawerft, 6 cylinder, 4-stroke F46 diesels delivering 3,200 bhp (2,400 kW) at between 470 and 490 rpm. When submerged

1496-408: The surface and 860 tonnes (850 long tons) while submerged. 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), and a draught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 supercharged six-cylinder four-stroke diesel engines producing

1540-556: The surface the boats (except for U-88 , U-90 and U-132 to U-136 which used MAN M6V40/46s) were propelled by two supercharged Germaniawerft, 6 cylinder, 4-stroke M6V 40/46 diesels totaling 2,800 to 3,200 PS (2,100 to 2,400 kW; 2,800 to 3,200 shp) at 470 to 490 rpm. For submerged propulsion, several different electric motors were used. Early models used the VIIB configuration of two AEG GU 460/8-276 electric motors, totaling 750 PS (550 kW; 740 shp) with

1584-575: The time of IvS, the Germans were bound by the Treaty of Versailles, signed in 1919. This treaty, among other terms, demanded that all German U-boats be destroyed or given to other nations. Thus the Reichsmarine was left without a submarine capability, and IvS was created to work around these restrictions. The work of the company was a major factor in the foundation of the Kriegsmarine of World War II . NV Ingenieurskantoor voor Scheepsbouw (IvS)

1628-475: The time, tightly restricted from using submarines themselves - thus gained first-hand knowledge of how their prototypes worked in practice. The company also designed the Finnish Navy coastal defense ships Väinämöinen and Ilmarinen in the late 1920s. Both ships were also built by Crichton-Vulcan Oy, entering service in 1932 and 1934, respectively. The IvS was also involved in designing plans for

1672-408: The western and southern Atlantic without refueling from a tender or U-boat tanker. The VIIC came into service toward the end of the " First Happy Time " near the beginning of the war and was still the most numerous type in service when Allied anti-submarine efforts finally defeated the U-boat campaign in late 1943 and 1944. Type VIIC differed from the VIIB only in the addition of an active sonar and

1716-560: Was U-83 , which lacked a stern tube and carried only 12 torpedoes. Type VIIBs included many of the most famous U-boats of World War II , including U-48 (the most successful), Günther Prien 's U-47 , Otto Kretschmer 's U-99 , and Joachim Schepke 's U-100 . On the surface the boat was powered by two supercharged MAN, 6 cylinder 4-stroke M6V 40/46 diesels (except for U-45 to U-50 , U-83 , U-85 , U-87 , U-99 , U-100 , and U-102 , which were powered by two supercharged Germaniawerft 6-cylinder 4-stroke F46 diesels) giving

1760-454: Was completed and they were eventually returned to duty as standard VIIC attack boats. The modified boats became operational in June 1943 and at first appeared to be successful against a surprised Royal Air Force . Hoping that the extra firepower might allow the boats to survive relentless British air attacks in the Bay of Biscay and reach their operational areas, Donitz ordered the boats to cross

1804-558: Was founded on 21 July 1922 and initially was led from the Germaniawerft in Kiel , Germany. During this time the company gradually built up a team of skilled and experienced German and Dutch engineers that were led by technical director Hans Techel, the former director of U-boat design at Germaniawerft. In 1925, after resolving their legal technicalities with the Dutch government, IvS finally opened its office in The Hague and

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1848-558: Was the first submarine to sink a ship in World War II, both scuttled in Kupfermühlen Bay on 4 May 1945). The boat was powered on the surface by two MAN AG , 6-cylinder, 4-stroke M6V 40/46 diesel engines , giving a total of 2,100 to 2,310 brake horsepower (1,570 to 1,720 kW) at 470 to 485 rpm. When submerged it was propelled by two Brown, Boveri & Cie (BBC) GG UB 720/8 double-acting electric motors, giving

1892-570: Was the most numerous U-boat type to be involved in the Battle of the Atlantic . Type VIIA U-boats were designed in 1933–34 as the first series of a new generation of attack U-boats. Most Type VIIA U-boats were constructed at Deschimag AG Weser in Bremen with the exception of U-33 through U-36 , which were built at Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft , Kiel . Despite the highly cramped living quarters, type VIIA U-boats were generally popular with their crews because of their fast crash dive speed, which

1936-630: Was thought to give them more protection from enemy attacks than bigger, more sluggish types. Also, the smaller boat's lower endurance meant patrols were shorter. They were more heavily armed than the smaller Type II U-boats they replaced, with four bow and one external stern torpedo tubes. Usually carrying 11 torpedoes on board, they were very agile on the surface and mounted the 8.8-centimetre (3.5 in) quick-firing deck gun with about 220 rounds. Ten Type VIIA boats were built between 1935 and 1937. All but two Type VIIA U-boats were sunk during World War II (famous Otto Schuhart U-29 and U-30 , which

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