 U-505, a typical Type IXC boat | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Nazi Germany | |
| Name | U-524 |
| Ordered | 14 February 1940 |
| Builder | Deutsche Werft,Hamburg |
| Yard number | 339 |
| Laid down | 7 August 1941 |
| Launched | 30 April 1942 |
| Commissioned | 8 July 1942 |
| Fate | Sunk on 22 March 1943[1] |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Type IXCsubmarine |
| Displacement | |
| Length |
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| Beam |
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| Height | 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in) |
| Draught | 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) |
| Installed power |
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| Propulsion |
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| Speed |
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| Range |
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| Test depth | 230 m (750 ft) |
| Complement | 4 officers, 44 enlisted |
| Armament |
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| Service record | |
| Part of: |
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| Identification codes: | M 19 715 |
| Commanders: |
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| Operations: |
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| Victories: | 2 merchant ships sunk (16,256 GRT) |
German submarineU-524 was aType IXCU-boat ofNazi Germany'sKriegsmarine duringWorld War II.
She waslaid down at the Deutsche Werft (yard) inHamburg as yard number 339 on 7 August 1941,launched on 30 April 1942 andcommissioned on 8 July withKapitänleutnant Walter Freiherr von Steinaecker in command.
U-524 began her service career with training as part of the4th U-boat Flotilla from 8 July 1942. She was reassigned to the10th flotilla for operations on 1 December 1942.
She carried out two patrols and sank two ships. She was a member of threewolfpacks.
She was sunk on 22 March 1943 in south ofMadeira by an American aircraft.[1]
German Type IXC submarines were slightly larger than the originalType IXBs.U-524 had a displacement of 1,120 tonnes (1,100 long tons) when at the surface and 1,232 tonnes (1,213 long tons) while submerged.[2] The U-boat had a total length of 76.76 m (251 ft 10 in), apressure hull length of 58.75 m (192 ft 9 in), abeam of 6.76 m (22 ft 2 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and adraught of 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in). The submarine was powered by twoMAN M 9 V 40/46supercharged four-stroke, nine-cylinderdiesel engines producing a total of 4,400 metric horsepower (3,240 kW; 4,340 shp) for use while surfaced, twoSiemens-Schuckert 2 GU 345/34double-acting electric motors producing a total of 1,000 shaft horsepower (1,010 PS; 750 kW) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.92 m (6 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 18.3 knots (33.9 km/h; 21.1 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph).[2] When submerged, the boat could operate for 63 nautical miles (117 km; 72 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 13,450 nautical miles (24,910 km; 15,480 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph).U-524 was fitted with six 53.3 cm (21 in)torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and two at the stern), 22torpedoes, one10.5 cm (4.13 in) SK C/32 naval gun, 180 rounds, and a3.7 cm (1.5 in) SK C/30 as well as a2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had acomplement of forty-eight.[2]
The boat departed Marviken (Kristiansand) in Norway on 14 November 1942, moved through theNorth Sea, negotiated thegap betweenIceland and theFaroe Islands and entered the Atlantic Ocean.
She opened her account when she sank theEmpire Spenser on 8 December 1942 southeast ofCape Farewell (Greenland).
She enteredLorient, on the French Atlantic coast, on 9 January 1943.
Having left Lorient on 3 March 1943, she sank the French shipWyoming on the 15th, north of theAzores.
She was sunk south ofMadeira on the 22nd bydepth charges dropped by an AmericanB-24 Liberator calledTidewater Tillie.[1]
Fifty-two men died; there were no survivors.[3]
U-524 took part in threewolfpacks, namely:
| Date | Ship Name | Nationality | Tonnage (GRT) | Fate[4] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 December 1942 | Empire Spenser |  United Kingdom | 8,194 | Sunk |
| 15 March 1943 | Wyoming |  Free France | 8,062 | Sunk |
Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in March 1943 | |
|---|---|
| Shipwrecks |
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| Other incidents |
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| National | |
|---|---|
| Other | |
