Type XXIII submarine
Type XXIII submarines belonged to a new generation of German submarines of the Second World War. Projects of submarines of new types were developed in Germany from the end of 1942. The designers paid the main attention to increasing the speed and range in the position of the submarine. This was achieved by increasing the battery capacity, power of the electric motors and a new body shape. The installation of "Snorkel" and perfect hydroacoustic equipment is planned, the noise level of mechanisms and screws has been reduced. By the middle of 1943, the projects of "electric submarine submarines" - ocean type XXI and small coastal type XXIII - were developed. Submarines of type XXIII were built by line-sectional production. It was planned to build about 1000 units. Final assembly was carried out at Deutche Werft in Hamburg and Germania Werft in Kiel. The lead submarine U 2321 was surrendered on June 12, 1944. By the end of the war, 63 ships had been assembled. Since February 1945, six submarines (U 2321, 2322, 2324, 2326, 2329 and 2336) have made 10 sorties and sunk 4 Allied merchant ships without any casualties. On May 7, 1945, U 2336 sank 2 steamers. They became the last victories of German submarines in World War II. After the end of the war, U 2353 was delivered to the USSR and served in the Soviet Navy as the H-31 until 1953. In 1956, the sunken U 2365 and U 2367 were raised and became the first submarines of the German Navy as "Hai" ("Shark") and "Hecht" ("Pike").
