German World War II submarine
German submarine "U-326" was a Type VIIC/41 U-boat of Nazi Germany's "Kriegsmarine" during World War II. While she carried out one patrol U-326 failed to sink or damage any ships. The boat was sunk on 30 April 1945 in the Bay of Biscay by an American aircraft.
Design.
German Type VIIC/41 submarines were preceded by the heavier Type VIIC submarines. "U-326" had a displacement of when at the surface and while submerged. She had a total length of , a pressure hull length of , a beam of , a height of , and a draught of . The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of for use while surfaced, two Garbe, Lahmeyer &amp; Co. RP 137/c double-acting electric motors producing a total of for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to .
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of and a maximum submerged speed of . When submerged, the boat could operate for at ; when surfaced, she could travel at . "U-326" was fitted with five torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one SK C/35 naval gun, (220 rounds), one Flak M42 and two C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.
Service history.
The submarine was laid down on 26 April 1943 by the Flender Werke yard at Lübeck as yard number 326, launched on 22 April 1944 and commissioned on 6 June under the command of "Kapitänleutnant" Peter Matthes.
She served with the 4th U-boat Flotilla for training, from 6 June 1944 to 28 February 1945. She was then transferred to the 11th flotilla for operations on 1 March.
Patrol.
Having carried out a series of short voyages between Kiel in Germany and Horten Naval Base, Stavanger and Bergen in Norway in February and March 1945, "U-326" departed Bergen on 28 March and passing western Scotland and Ireland, entered the Bay of Biscay.
Fate.
The boat was sunk by a retro bombs dropped from a US Navy PBY Catalina of VP-63 west of Brest on 30 April 1945.
Forty-three men died; there were no survivors.
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