German submarine U-304

German submarine U-304 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. She saw service in the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. Built in 1941 and 1942 at Flender-Werke, Lübeck, U-304 was a Type VIIC U-boat, capable of lengthy ocean patrols and of operating in distant environments.

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-304 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 & 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-304 was fitted with five torpedo tubes, fourteen torpedoes, one SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and two twin C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.

U-304 was launched on 13 June 1942 and commissioned 5 August 1942. On 14 May 1943, after being attacked by depth charges from HMS Duncan and HMS Snowflake (K211) she suffered minor damage.
On 28 May 1943 the boat was attacked by RAF Liberator bomber of 120 Squadron and sunk by bombs off Cape Farewell in the North Atlantic at. All 46 crew members died in the event.

U-304 took part in three wolfpacks, namely: