U-361 shortly before her sinking | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | U-361 |
| Ordered | 7 December 1940 |
| Builder | Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft,Flensburg |
| Yard number | 480 |
| Laid down | 12 September 1941 |
| Launched | 9 September 1942 |
| Commissioned | 18 December 1942 |
| Fate | Sunk on 17 July 1944 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Type VIICsubmarine |
| 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[1] | |
| Part of: |
|
| Identification codes: | M 49 274 |
| Commanders: |
|
| Operations: |
|
| Victories: | None |
German submarineU-361 was aType VIICU-boat ofNazi Germany'sKriegsmarine duringWorld War II.
She carried out three patrols. She did not sink or damage any ships.
She was a member of sixwolfpacks.
She was sunk by a British aircraft west ofNarvik on 17 July 1944.
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorterType VIIB submarines.U-361 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), apressure hull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), abeam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and adraught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by twoGermaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylindersuperchargeddiesel 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, twoAEG GU 460/8–27double-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-361 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in)torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteentorpedoes, one8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and two twin2 cm (0.79 in) C/30anti-aircraft guns. The boat had acomplement of between forty-four and sixty.[2]
The submarine waslaid down on 12 September 1941 at theFlensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft yard atFlensburg as yard number 480,launched on 9 September 1942 andcommissioned on 18 December under the command ofKapitänleutnant Hans Seidel.
She served with the8th U-boat Flotilla from 18 December 1942 and the11th flotilla from 1 March 1944.
U-361's first patrol took her fromKiel in Germany to Narvik in Norway.
Her second foray was towardBear Island in theBarents Sea, then into theNorwegian Sea.
U-361 left Narvik for the last time on 27 June 1944. On 17 July, she was attacked by a BritishCatalina flying boat ofNo. 210 Squadron RAF. On the initial attack, the Catalina'sdepth charges failed to release, andU-361s crew were able to fire their anti-aircraft gun, hitting the aeroplane as it attacked again, killing the navigator and injuring four others. The first pilot,John Cruickshank, was hit in seventy-two places, with two serious wounds to his lungs and ten penetrating wounds to his lower limbs. In this second attack, Cruikshank's depth charges hit theU-361, sinking her. For his heroism in the attack, and in the five and a half hours until the Catalina returned to Sullum Voe, Cruickshank was awarded theVictoria Cross. There were no survivors of the U-boat's crew, all 52 men died.[3]
U-361 was originally noted as sunk on 17 July 1944 by a BritishB-24 Liberator of86 Squadron. This attack sankU-347.[1]
U-361 took part in sixwolfpacks, namely: