Name U-324 Yard number 324 Commissioned 5 April 1944 Launched 12 February 1944 Draft 4.74 m Builder Flender Werke | Ordered 16 July 1942 Laid down 24 March 1943 Construction started 24 March 1943 Length 67 m Beam 6.2 m | |
Fate Surrendered, 8 May 1945; broken up, March 1947 Part of 4th U-boat Flotilla, 11th U-boat Flotilla | ||
German submarine U-324 was a Type VIIC/41 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
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The submarine was laid down on 24 March 1943 at the Flender Werke at Lübeck, launched on 12 February 1944, and commissioned on 5 April 1944 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Ernst Edelhoff.
Design
Like all Type VIIC/41 U-boats, U-324 had a displacement of 759 tonnes (747 long tons) when at the surface and 860 tonnes (850 long tons) while submerged. 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 length of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), and a draught length of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 supercharged six-cylinder four-stroke 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) and two Garbe, Lahmeyer & Co. RP 137/c double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 metric horsepower (550 kW; 740 shp) for use while submerged. The boat was capable of operating at a depth of 250 metres (820 ft).
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) and a submerged speed of 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph). 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-324 was fitted with an 8.8 centimetres (3.5 in) SK C/35 naval gun and 220 rounds, an anti-aircraft gun, five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four on the bow and one on the stern) and fourteen torpedoes. Its complement was between forty-four and sixty.
Service history
U-324 served with the 4th U-boat Flotilla for training, and subsequently with the 11th U-boat Flotilla for front-line service from 15 March to 8 May 1945. U-324 did not, however, complete any patrols. The boat departed in company with U-776 on 22 March 1945 but aborted the patrol due to engine trouble and returned to port. Still under repair at the cessation of hostilities, she surrendered at Bergen, Norway on 8 May 1945 and was broken up in March 1947.