Recognition Guide Warships of the Second World War
Kriegsmarine — Submarine

German submarine U-397

Type VIIC submarine

Displacement
757 long tons (769 t)
Length
67.23 m (220.6 ft)
Beam
6.2 m (20.3 ft)
Speed
17.7 knots (32.8 km/h, 20.4 mph)
Main gun
88 mm (3.5 in)

Service

  1. Kriegsmarine as U-39720 November 1943 — 5 May 1945532 days of the war
Type VIIC submarine Particulars
Name
U-397
Builder
Howaldtswerke, Kiel
Ordered
20 January 1941
Laid down
29 August 1942
Launched
6 October 1943
Commissioned
20 November 1943
Fate
Scuttled on 5 May 1945, in northern Germany (1945)
Status
Wreck

Specifications

Displacement, surfaced
757 long tons (769 t)
Displacement, submerged
857 long tons (871 t)
Length
67.23 m (220.6 ft) OA
Beam
6.2 m (20.3 ft)
Draught
4.74 m (15.6 ft)
Speed
17.7 knots (32.8 km/h, 20.4 mph)
Range
8,500 nmi (15,742 km)
Main gun
88 mm (3.5 in)

U-397 was a Type VIIC submarine built for the Kriegsmarine. Howaldtswerke, Kiel laid her keel on 29 August 1942. Launched on 6 October 1943, she entered service on 20 November 1943.

Her class ran to 612 ships. The class followed the Type UB III, Vetehinen class and was succeeded by the Type XXI (Late-war replacement).

The boat displaced 757 long tons surfaced and 857 long tons submerged. She measured 67.2 m (221 ft) long with a beam of 6.2 m (20 ft). Her designed speed was 17.7 knots.

Her main battery was one 88 mm (3.5 in) guns.

She was in commission for 532 days of the Second World War.

She was scuttled on 5 May 1945. The wreck survives.

Written from the harvested record. Every figure above is sourced; the wording is this site's own.

Armament and machinery

Armament and machinery
Propulsion
  • 2 shafts
  • 2 × diesel engines
  • 2 × electric motors
Power
  • 2800 - 3200 PS (diesels)
  • 750 PS (electric)
Armament
  • 5 × 53.3 cm torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern)
  • 14 × torpedoes
  • 1 × 8.8 cm deck gun (220 rounds)
  • 1 × 3.7 cm Flak M42 AA gun
  • 2 × twin 2 cm C/30 anti-aircraft guns

Sister ships

587 more in the class

Sources