German submarine U-351

German submarine U-351 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-351
Ordered	9 October 1939
Builder	Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft, Flensburg
Yard number	470
Laid down	4 March 1940
Launched	27 March 1941
Commissioned	20 June 1941
Fate	Scuttled, off northern Germany on 5 May 1945. Broken up in 1948
General characteristics
Class and type	Type VIIC submarine
Displacement	769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced 871 t (857 long tons) submerged
Length	67.10 m (220 ft 2 in) o/a 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in) pressure hull
Beam	6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height	9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught	4.74 m (15 ft 7 in)
Installed power	2,800–3,200 PS (2,100–2,400 kW; 2,800–3,200 bhp) (diesels) 750 PS (550 kW; 740 shp) (electric)
Propulsion	2 shafts 2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors
Speed	17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged
Range	8,500 nmi (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth	230 m (750 ft) Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft)
Complement	4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Armament	4 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes in the bow 14 × torpedoes or 26 TMA mines 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds) 1 x 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 AA gun
Service record
Part of:	26th U-boat Flotilla 20 June 1941 – 31 March 1942 24th U-boat Flotilla 1 April 1942 – 30 June 1944 22nd U-boat Flotilla 1 July 1944 – 28 February 1945 4th U-boat Flotilla 1 March – 5 May 1945
Identification codes:	M 33 940
Commanders:	Oblt.z.S. Karl Hause 20 June – 14 December 1941 Oblt.z.S. Günther Rosenberg 15 December 1941 – 24 August 1942 Oblt.z.S. Eberhard Zimmermann 25 August 1942 – 25 May 1943 Oblt.z.S. Götz Roth 26 May – 5 October 1943 Oblt.z.S. Helmut Wicke 13 December 1943 – 30 June 1944 Oblt.z.S. Hans-Jürgen Schley 1 July 1944 – 19 March 1945 Oblt.z.S. Hugo Strehl 20 March – 5 May 1945
Operations:	None
Victories:	None

She carried out no patrols. She did not sink or damage any ships.

She was scuttled on 5 May 1945 in northern Germany.

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-351 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 460/8-276 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-351 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 a 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.

Service history

The submarine was laid down on 4 March 1940 at the Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft yard at Flensburg as yard number 470, launched on 27 March 1941 and commissioned on 20 June under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Karl Hause.

She served with the 26th U-boat Flotilla from 20 June 1941, the 24th flotilla from 1 April 1942, the 22nd flotilla from 1 July 1944 and the 4th flotilla from 1 March 1945. All these assignments were for employment as a training or school boat. U-351 was scuttled on 5 May 1945 in Horup Haff, (east of Flensburg). The wreck was broken up in 1948.

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). Vol. IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
• Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). German Warships 1815–1945, U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.

External links

• Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-351". German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
• Hofmann, Markus. "U 351". Deutsche U-Boote 1935–1945 – u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 26 December 2014.