German submarine U-362

German submarine U-362 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II.

Built by Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft at Flensburg, the U-boat was laid down 9 November 1941, launched on 21 October 1942, and commissioned on 4 February 1943 with Oberleutnant zur See Ludwig Franz in command.

Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-362 had a displacement of 769 t when at the surface and 871 t while submerged. She had a total length of 67.10 m, a pressure hull length of 50.50 m, a beam of 6.20 m, a height of 9.60 m, and a draught of 4.74 m. The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2800 to 3200 PS for use while surfaced, two AEG GU 460/8–27 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 PS for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 m.

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 kn and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 kn. When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nmi at 4 kn; when surfaced, she could travel 8500 nmi at 10 kn. U-362 was fitted with five 53.3 cm torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and four twin 2 cm C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.

Service history
Sailing from Kiel on 6 February 1944, U-362 first sailed for northern Norway from where she sortied out into the Norwegian Sea on several patrols, without sinking any ships.

The U-boat sailed from Hammerfest on 2 August 1944, on her fifth and final patrol and headed east across the Barents Sea, north of Russia. On 5 September 1944 in the Kara Sea, she was sunk by depth charges from the SOVIET MINESWEEPER T-116 at 75.85°N, 89.45°W. All 51 of the crew were lost.

Wolfpacks
U-362 took part in five wolfpacks, namely:
 * Werwolf (23 – 27 February 1944)
 * Donner (11 – 12 April 1944)
 * Trutz (16 – 31 May 1944)
 * Grimm (31 May – 6 June 1944)
 * Greif (3 August – 5 September 1944)