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German submarine U 341

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Name
  
U-341

Yard number
  
213

Commissioned
  
28 November 1942

Launched
  
10 October 1942

Draft
  
4.74 m

Builder
  
Nordseewerke

Ordered
  
20 January 1941

Laid down
  
28 October 1941

Construction started
  
28 October 1941

Length
  
67 m

Beam
  
6.18 m

Fate
  
Sunk by a Canadian aircraft, September 1943

Part of
  

German submarine U-341 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

Contents

She did not sink or damage any ships.

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-341 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 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 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).

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). 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-341 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 an anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.

Service history

The submarine was laid down on 28 October 1941 at the Nordseewerke yard at Emden as yard number 213, launched on 20 August 1942 and commissioned on 28 November 1942 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Dietrich Epp.

U-341 served with the 8th U-boat Flotilla, for training and then with the 3rd flotilla for operations from 1 June.

1st patrol

U-341 sailed from Kiel on 25 May 1943, and out into the Atlantic Ocean via the Iceland / Faroe Islands gap. Having moved all over the central north Atlantic without encountering any shipping, she arrived at La Pallice in occupied France, on 10 July.

2nd patrol and loss

For her second foray, U-341 departed La Pallice on 31 August 1943 and headed north. On 19 September, she was sunk by depth charges dropped by a Canadian B-24 Liberator of No. 10 Squadron RCAF southwest of Iceland.

Fifty men died; there were no survivors

Wolfpacks

U-341 took part in one wolfpack, namely.

  • Leuthen (15–19 September 1943)
  • References

    German submarine U-341 Wikipedia


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