History | |
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Nazi Germany | |
Name | U-347 |
Ordered | 10 April 1941 |
Builder | Nordseewerke, Emden |
Yard number | 219 |
Laid down | 19 October 1942 |
Launched | 21 May 1943 |
Commissioned | 7 July 1943 |
Fate | Sunk by a British aircraft on 17 July 1944 [1] |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Type VIIC submarine |
Displacement |
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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] [3] | |
Part of: |
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Identification codes: | M 53 298 |
Commanders: |
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Operations: |
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Victories: | None |
German submarine U-347 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
She was a member of three wolfpacks.
She was on her fourth patrol when she was sunk by a British aircraft on 17 July 1944.
She sank or damaged no ships.
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-347 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged. [4] 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), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel 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, two AEG GU 460/8–27 double-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). [4]
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). [4] 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-347 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and two twin 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty. [4]
The submarine was laid down on 19 October 1942 at the Nordseewerke yard at Emden as yard number 219, launched on 21 May 1943 and commissioned on 7 July under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Johahn de Buhr.
U-347 served with the 8th U-boat Flotilla, for training and the 9th flotilla for operations from 1 March 1944. She was reassigned to the 11th flotilla on 1 June 1944.
U-347 had sailed from Kiel in Germany to Stavanger in Norway March 1944, but her first patrol began when she departed Stavanger on 9 May. She arrived at Narvik on the 13th.
Her second foray began on 15 May 1944 when she departed Narvik (a port she would use as a base for the rest of her career), for the Norwegian Sea. She returned on 8 June.
U-347 departed Narvik on 23 June 1944; she returned the same day.
The boat had departed Narvik on 3 July 1944. On the 17th, she was sunk by a B-24 Liberator of No. 86 Squadron RAF. [5]
Forty-nine men died in the U-boat's sinking; there were no survivors. [6]
U-347 was thought to have been sunk on 17 July 1944 west of Narvik by a British PBY Catalina of No. 210 Squadron RAF. The pilot, Flying Officer John Cruickshank, was awarded the Victoria Cross for sinking U-361. [5]
U-347 took part in three wolfpacks, namely:
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