German submarine U-524 was a Type IXC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
She was laid down at the Deutsche Werft (yard) in Hamburg as yard number 339 on 7 August 1941, launched on 30 April 1942 and commissioned on 8 July with Kapitänleutnant Walter Freiherr von Steinaecker in command.
U-524 began her service career with training as part of the 4th U-boat Flotilla from 8 July 1942. She was reassigned to the 10th flotilla for operations on 1 December 1942.
She carried out two patrols and sank two ships. She was a member of three wolfpacks.
She was sunk on 22 March 1943 in south of Madeira by an American aircraft.
German Type IXC submarines were slightly larger than the original Type IXBs. U-524 had a displacement of 1120t when at the surface and 1232t while submerged. The U-boat had a total length of 76.76m (251.84feet), a pressure hull length of 58.75m (192.75feet), a beam of 6.76m (22.18feet), a height of 9.6m (31.5feet), and a draught of 4.7m (15.4feet). The submarine was powered by two MAN M 9 V 40/46 supercharged four-stroke, nine-cylinder diesel engines producing a total of 4400PS for use while surfaced, two Siemens-Schuckert 2 GU 345/34 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 1000shp for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.92abbr=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-524 was fitted with six 53.30NaN0 torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and two at the stern), 22 torpedoes, one 10.52NaN2 SK C/32 naval gun, 180 rounds, and a 3.7sp=usNaNsp=us SK C/30 as well as a 2sp=usNaNsp=us C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of forty-eight.
The boat departed Marviken (Kristiansand) in Norway on 14 November 1942, moved through the North Sea, negotiated the gap between Iceland and the Faroe Islands and entered the Atlantic Ocean.
She opened her account when she sank the Empire Spenser on 8 December 1942 southeast of Cape Farewell (Greenland).
She entered Lorient, on the French Atlantic coast, on 9 January 1943.
Having left Lorient on 3 March 1943, she sank the French ship Wyoming on the 15th, north of the Azores.
She was sunk south of Madeira on the 22nd by depth charges dropped by an American B-24 Liberator called Tidewater Tillie.
Fifty-two men died; there were no survivors.[1]
U-524 took part in three wolfpacks, namely:
| Date | Ship Name | Nationality | Tonnage (GRT) | Fate[2] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 December 1942 | Empire Spenser |  United Kingdom | 8,194 | Sunk | |
| 15 March 1943 | Wyoming | 8,062 | Sunk |