German submarine U-366


German submarine U-366 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
She carried out two patrols. She did not sink or damage any ships.
She was a member of three wolfpacks.
She was sunk by a British aircraft, Swordfish "F" of 816 Squadron FAA, northwest of Hammerfest on 5 March 1944.

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-366 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 AEG GU 460/8–27 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-366 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.

Service history

The submarine was laid down on 22 May 1942 at the Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft yard at Flensburg as yard number 485, launched on 16 April 1943 and commissioned on 16 July under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Bruno Langenberg.
She served with the 5th U-boat Flotilla from 16 July 1943 and the 13th flotilla from 1 March 1944.
The boat was moved from Kiel in Germany to Bergen in Norway in February 1944.

First patrol

U-359s first patrol took her from Bergen to Hammerfest, along the Norwegian coastline, also in February.

Second patrol and loss

During another move from Hammerfest, she was attacked and sunk on 5 March 1944 by rockets fired from a Fairey Swordfish of 816 Naval Air Squadron, FAA. The aircraft had flown from the escort carrier.
50 men died in the U-boat; there were no survivors.

Wolfpacks

U-366 took part in three wolfpacks, namely:
  • Hartmut
  • Boreas
  • Orkan