German submarine U-528

German submarine U-528 was a Type IXC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

History
Nazi Germany
Name: U-528
Ordered: 15 August 1940
Builder: Deutsche Werft, Hamburg
Yard number: 342
Laid down: 10 November 1941
Launched: 1 July 1942
Commissioned: 16 September 1942
Fate: Sunk by a British aircraft and a British warship southwest of Ireland, May 1943
General characteristics
Class and type: Type IXC/40 submarine
Displacement:
  • 1,144 t (1,126 long tons) surfaced
  • 1,257 t (1,237 long tons) submerged
Length:
Beam:
  • 6.86 m (22 ft 6 in) o/a
  • 4.44 m (14 ft 7 in) pressure hull
Height: 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught: 4.67 m (15 ft 4 in)
Installed power:
  • 4,400 PS (3,200 kW; 4,300 bhp) (diesels)
  • 1,000 PS (740 kW; 990 shp) (electric)
Propulsion:
Speed:
  • 18.3 knots (33.9 km/h; 21.1 mph) surfaced
  • 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph) submerged
Range:
  • 13,850 nmi (25,650 km; 15,940 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 63 nmi (117 km; 72 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth: 230 m (750 ft)
Complement: 4 officers, 44 enlisted
Armament:
Service record
Part of:
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Karl-Heinz Fuchs
  • 16 September – 19 December 1942
  • Georg Rabenau
  • 19 December 1942 – 11 May 1943
Operations: 15 April – 11 May 1943
Victories: None

She was laid down at the Deutsche Werft (yard) in Hamburg as yard number 343 on 10 November 1941, launched on 1 July 1942 and commissioned on 16 September with Kapitänleutnant Karl-Heinz Fuchs in command.

U-528 began her service career with training as part of the 4th U-boat Flotilla from 16 September 1942. She was reassigned to the 10th flotilla for operations on 1 April 1943.

She carried out one patrol but did not sink any ships. She was a member of one wolfpack.

She was sunk by a British aircraft and a British warship southwest of Ireland, in May 1943.

Design

German Type IXC/40 submarines were slightly larger than the original Type IXCs. U-528 had a displacement of 1,144 tonnes (1,126 long tons) when at the surface and 1,257 tonnes (1,237 long tons) while submerged.[1] The U-boat had a total length of 76.76 m (251 ft 10 in), a pressure hull length of 58.75 m (192 ft 9 in), a beam of 6.86 m (22 ft 6 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.67 m (15 ft 4 in). The submarine was powered by two MAN M 9 V 40/46 supercharged four-stroke, nine-cylinder diesel engines producing a total of 4,400 metric horsepower (3,240 kW; 4,340 shp) for use while surfaced, two Siemens-Schuckert 2 GU 345/34 double-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).[1]

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).[1] 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 13,850 nautical miles (25,650 km; 15,940 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-528 was fitted with six 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and two at the stern), 22 torpedoes, one 10.5 cm (4.13 in) SK C/32 naval gun, 180 rounds, and a 3.7 cm (1.5 in) SK C/30 as well as a 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of forty-eight.[1]

Service history

Patrol and loss

The boat departed Kiel on 15 April 1943, moved through the North Sea, negotiated the gap between Iceland and the Faroe Islands and entered the Atlantic Ocean. There, she was intercepted by the escorts of Convoy ON (S) 5 and damaged. She was sunk on her way to the French Atlantic bases.

U-528 was 'destroyed'[2] on 11 May 1943 southwest of Ireland by depth charges dropped from a Handley Page Halifax of No. 58 Squadron RAF and the British sloop HMS Fleetwood.

Eleven men went down with the U-boat; there were 45 survivors. Among the survivors was Reimar Lüst who later became an astrophysicist.

Wolfpacks

U-528 took part in one wolfpack, namely.

  • Star (27 April - 4 May 1943)

References
  1. Gröner 1991, p. 68.
  2. Kemp 1997, p. 7.

Bibliography
  • Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). German U-boat commanders of World War II : a biographical dictionary. Translated by Brooks, Geoffrey. London, Annapolis, Md: Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-186-6.
  • Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945]. Der U-Boot-Krieg (in German). IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
  • Edwards, Bernard (1996). Dönitz and the Wolf Packs - The U-boats at War. Cassell Military Classics. p. 194. ISBN 0-304-35203-9.
  • Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
  • Kemp, Paul (1997). U-Boats Destroyed - German Submarine Losses in the World Wars. Arms & Armour. ISBN 1-85409-515-3.
  • Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type IXC/40 boat U-528". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 7 December 2014.
  • Hofmann, Markus. "U 528". Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 - u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 21 November 2019.

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