| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | U-392 |
| Ordered | 20 January 1941 |
| Builder | Howaldtswerke,Kiel |
| Yard number | 24 |
| Laid down | 10 January 1942 |
| Launched | 10 April 1943 |
| Commissioned | 29 May 1943 |
| Fate | Sunk, 16 March 1944[1] |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Type VIICsubmarine |
| Displacement | |
| Length |
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| Beam |
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| Height | 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in) |
| Draught | 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in) |
| Installed power |
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| Propulsion |
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| Speed |
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| Range | |
| Test depth |
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| Complement | 4 officers, 40–56 enlisted |
| Armament |
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| Service record[2] | |
| Part of: |
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| Identification codes: | M 45 441 |
| Commanders: |
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| Operations: |
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| Victories: | None |
German submarineU-392 was aType VIICU-boat ofNazi Germany'sKriegsmarine duringWorld War II. She carried out two patrols. She did not sink or damage any ships. She was sunk by US aircraft and British warships in theStrait of Gibraltar on 16 March 1944.[2]
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorterType VIIB submarines.U-392 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.[3] 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, twoGarbe, Lahmeyer & Co. RP 137/cdouble-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).[3]
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).[3] 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-392 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.[3]
The submarine waslaid down on 10 January 1942 at theHowaldtswerke (yard) atFlensburg as yard number 24,launched on 10 April 1943 andcommissioned on 29 May under the command ofOberleutnant zur See Henning Schümann.
The boat was a member of fivewolfpacks.
She served with the5th U-boat Flotilla from 29 May 1943 and the1st flotilla from 1 December of the same year.
The boat departedKiel on 2 December 1943. She passed through thegap that separates Iceland and theFaroe Islands, turned about and headed northeast of Iceland; she then turned about once more and made for the northern Atlantic Ocean. She docked inBrest in occupied France on 20 January 1944.
U-392 had departed Brest on 29 February 1944, heading south. On 16 March, she was attacked and sunk bydepth charges from three USPBY Catalinas, the BritishfrigateHMS Affleck and the British destroyerHMS Vanoc in the Strait of Gibraltar.
52 men died in the U-boat; there were no survivors.
U-392 took part in fivewolfpacks, namely:
35°55′00″N5°41′00″W / 35.9167°N 5.6833°W /35.9167; -5.6833