German submarine U-521

U-505, a typical Type IXC boat
History
Nazi Germany
Name:	U-521
Ordered:	14 February 1940
Builder:	Deutsche Werft, Hamburg
Yard number:	336
Laid down:	3 July 1941
Launched:	17 March 1942
Commissioned:	3 June 1942
Fate:	Sunk, 2 July 1943
General characteristics
Class and type:	Type IXC submarine
Displacement:	1,120 t (1,100 long tons) surfaced 1,232 t (1,213 long tons) submerged
Length:	76.76 m (251 ft 10 in) o/a 58.75 m (192 ft 9 in) pressure hull
Beam:	6.76 m (22 ft 2 in) o/a 4.40 m (14 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height:	9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught:	4.70 m (15 ft 5 in)
Installed power:	4,400 PS (3,200 kW; 4,300 bhp) (diesels) 1,000 PS (740 kW; 990 shp) (electric)
Propulsion:	2 shafts 2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors
Speed:	18.3 knots (33.9 km/h; 21.1 mph) surfaced 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph) submerged
Range:	13,450 nmi (24,910 km; 15,480 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced 64 nmi (119 km; 74 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth:	230 m (750 ft)
Complement:	4 officers, 44 enlisted
Armament:	6 × torpedo tubes (4 bow, 2 stern) 22 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedoes 1 × 10.5 cm (4.1 in) SK C/32 deck gun (180 rounds) 1 × 3.7 cm (1.5 in) SK C/30 AA gun 1 × twin 2 cm FlaK 30 AA guns
Service record
Part of:	4th U-boat Flotilla 3 June – 30 September 1942 2nd U-boat Flotilla 1 October 1942 – 2 June 1943
Commanders:	Kptlt. Klaus Bargsten 3 June 1942 – 2 June 1943
Operations:	1st patrol: 6 October – 8 December 1942 2nd patrol: 7 January – 26 March 1943 3rd patrol: 5 May – 2 June 1943
Victories:	Three commercial ships sunk (19,551 GRT) one auxiliary warship sunk (750 GRT)

German submarine U-521 was a Type IXC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

She was built by the Deutsche Werft yard at Finkenwerder, Hamburg with yard number 336. Commissioned in June 1942, she was commanded by Kapitänleutnant Klaus Bargsten.

The U-boat was assigned to the 4th U-boat Flotilla for training and the 2nd flotilla for operations.

U-521 was sunk on 2 July 1943 by the submarine chaser USS Gilmer. The only survivor was Bargsten himself. This was the second boat under Bargsten's command, and the first that suffered heavy losses. The wreck of the submarine has never been found.

German Type IXC submarines were slightly larger than the original Type IXBs. U-521 had a displacement of 1,120 tonnes (1,100 long tons) when at the surface and 1,232 tonnes (1,213 long tons) while submerged. The U-boat had a total length of 76.76 m (251 ft 10 in), a pressure hull length of 58.75 m (192 ft 9 in), a beam of 6.76 m (22 ft 2 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in). The submarine was powered by two MAN M 9 V 40/46 supercharged four-stroke, nine-cylinder diesel engines producing a total of 4,400 metric horsepower (3,240 kW; 4,340 shp) for use while surfaced, two Siemens-Schuckert 2 GU 345/34 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 1,000 shaft horsepower (1,010 PS; 750 kW) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.92 m (6 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).