German submarine U-307 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The U-boat was laid down on 5 November 1941, and commissioned on 18 November 1942.
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-307 had a displacement of 769t when at the surface and 871t while submerged. She had a total length of 67.1m (220.1feet), a pressure hull length of 50.5m (165.7feet), a beam of 6.2m (20.3feet), a height of 9.6m (31.5feet), and a draught of 4.74m (15.55feet). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of NaNPS for use while surfaced, two Garbe, Lahmeyer & Co. RP 137/c double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750PS for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23abbr=onNaNabbr=on 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-307 was fitted with five 53.30NaN0 torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.82NaN2 SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and two twin 2sp=usNaNsp=us C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.
Despite carrying out 13 war patrols between July 1943 and April 1945, U-307 sank only two vessels; the 7,176 GRT American Liberty ship on 30 April 1944, fifty miles south of Bear Island, and the 50 GRT Norwegian Army motor boat Lennox in Van Mijenfjorden, Spitsbergen, on 18 August 1944.
In September 1944, together with the supply ship Carl J. Busch, U-307 transported the men of Operation Haudegen, a German military meteorological mission, to Svalbard.
U-307 took part in twelve wolfpacks, namely:
U-307 was sunk on 29 April 1945 in the Barents Sea near Murmansk, Russia, in position 69.4°N 77°W by depth charges from the British Loch class frigate . There were 37 dead and 14 survivors.
| Date | Ship Name | Nationality | Tonnage (GRT) | Fate[1] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 April 1944 | William S. Thayer |  United States | 7,176 | Sunk | |
| 18 August 1944 | Lennox |  Norway | 50 | Sunk |