German submarine U-490
| Career (Nazi Germany) |  |
|---|---|
| Name: | U-490 |
| Ordered: | 17 July 1941 |
| Builder: | Germaniawerft, Kiel |
| Yard number: | 559 |
| Laid down: | 21 February 1942 |
| Launched: | 24 December 1942 |
| Commissioned: | 27 March 1943 |
| Fate: | Sunk, 12 June 1944[1] |
| General characteristics [2] | |
| Class and type: | German Type XIV submarine |
| Displacement: | 1,688 t (1,661 long tons) surfaced 1,932 t (1,901 long tons) submerged |
| Length: | 67.1 m (220 ft 2 in) o/a 48.51 m (159 ft 2 in) pressure hull |
| Beam: | 9.35 m (30 ft 8 in) o/a 4.9 m (16 ft 1 in) pressure hull |
| Height: | 11.7 m (38 ft 5 in) |
| Draft: | 6.51 m (21 ft 4 in) |
| Propulsion: | 2 × Germaniawerft F46 supercharged 6-cylinder diesel engines, 3,200 hp (2,400 kW) 2 × SSW Gu343/388-8 double-acting electric motors 750 hp (560 kW) |
| Speed: | 14.9 knots (27.6 km/h; 17.1 mph) surfaced 6.2 knots (11.5 km/h; 7.1 mph) submerged |
| Range: | 12,350 nmi (22,870 km; 14,210 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced 55 nautical miles (102 km; 63 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged |
| Test depth: | 240 m (790 ft) |
| Complement: | 53–60 men |
| Armament: | 2 × 37 mm AA guns 2 × 20 mm AA guns |
| Service record[3][4] | |
|---|---|
| Part of: |
4th U-boat Flotilla (27 March 1943–31 March 1944) 12th U-boat Flotilla (1 April 1943–12 June 1944) |
| Commanders: |
Oblt.z.S. Wilhelm Gerlach (27 March 1943–12 June 1944) |
| Operations: | 1st patrol: 22 July–4 August 1943 |
| Victories: | None |
German submarine U-490 was a Type XIV supply and replenishment U-boat ("Milchkuh") of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
Her keel was laid down on 21 February 1942, by Germaniawerft of Kiel as yard number 559. She was launched on 24 December 1942 and commissioned on 27 March 1943, with Leutnant zur See Wilhelm Gerlach in command. He remained in command throughout the boat's short career.[3]
The U-boat's service life commenced with the 4th U-boat Flotilla from 27 March 1943 to 31 March 1944 (for training). She then served, for operations, with the 12th flotilla.
Operational career
U-490 's first patrol began with her departure from Kiel on 4 May 1944. She headed for the Atlantic by way of the so-called Faeroes Gap between Iceland and the Faeroe Islands, north of the British Isles.
Although as a supply boat, she avoided combat, she was lost on her first patrol when on 12 June, she was attacked in mid-ocean by the escort carrier USS Croatan and the destroyers Frost, Huse and Inch. There were 60 survivors (no casualties).[3]
References
- ↑ Kemp 1999, p. 196.
- ↑ Gröner 1985, pp. 118-9.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type XIV boat U-490". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 8 June 2012.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "War Patrols by German U-boat U-490". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 8 June 2012.
Bibliography
- Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945. Der U-Boot-Krieg (in German) IV (Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler). ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
- Gröner, Erich (1985). U-Boote, Hilfskreuzer, Minenschiffe, Netzleger, Sperrbrecher. Die deutschen Kriegsschiffe 1815-1945 (in German) III (Koblenz: Bernard & Graefe). ISBN 3-7637-4802-4.
- Kemp, Paul (1999). U-Boats Destroyed - German Submarine Losses in the World Wars. London: Arms & Armour. ISBN 1-85409-515-3.
External links
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type XIV boat U-490". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
- U-490 at ubootwaffe.net