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German submarine U-290

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German World War II submarine

History
Nazi Germany
NameU-290
Ordered5 June 1941
BuilderBremer Vulkan, Bremen-Vegesack
Yard number55
Laid down12 October 1942
Launched16 June 1943
Commissioned24 July 1943
FateScuttled on 5 May 1945 in Flensburg Fjord
General characteristics
Class and typeType VIIC submarine
Displacement
Length
Beam
  • 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a
  • 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught4.74 m (15 ft 7 in)
Installed power
  • 2,800–3,200 PS (2,100–2,400 kW; 2,800–3,200 bhp) (diesels)
  • 750 PS (550 kW; 740 shp) (electric)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced
  • 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged
Range
  • 8,500 nmi (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth
  • 230 m (750 ft)
  • Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft)
Complement4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Armament
Service record
Part of:
Identification codes: M 53 114
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Hartmut Strenger
  • 24 July – 26 December 1943
  • Oblt.z.S. Helmut Herglotz
  • 27 December 1943 – April 1945
  • Oblt.z.S.d.R. Heinz Baum
  • April – 5 May 1945
Operations:
  • 3 patrols:
  • 1st patrol:
  • a. 1 – 16 June 1944
  • b. 15 – 17 July 1944
  • c. 12 – 13 August 1944
  • d. 15 – 17 August 1944
  • 2nd patrol:
  • a. 7 September – 5 November 1944
  • b. 30 – 31 December 1944
  • 3rd patrol:
  • 1 – 29 January 1945
Victories: None

German submarine U-290 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

The submarine was laid down on 12 October 1942 at the Bremer Vulkan yard at Bremen-Vegesack as yard number 55. She was launched on 16 June 1943 and commissioned on 24 July under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Hartmut Strenger.

She did not sink or damage any ships.

She was scuttled in Flensburg Fjord on 5 May 1945.

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-290 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged. She had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2,800 to 3,200 metric horsepower (2,060 to 2,350 kW; 2,760 to 3,160 shp) for use while surfaced, two AEG GU 460/8–27 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 metric horsepower (550 kW; 740 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m (4 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph). When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nautical miles (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-290 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, (220 rounds), one 3.7 cm (1.5 in) Flak M42 and two twin 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.

Service history

U-290 served with the 8th U-boat Flotilla for training from July 1943 to April 1944 and operationally with the 6th flotilla from 1 May. She was reassigned to the 11th flotilla in August. She was transferred twice more, first back to the 8th flotilla in late August, then the 4th flotilla in mid-February 1945.

First patrol

The boat's initial foray, which was preceded by a short voyage from Kiel to Egersund (southeast of Stavanger) in Norway, began with her departure from the Nordic port on 1 June 1944 and finished at Bergen on 16 June.

She had been attacked by a Norwegian De Havilland Mosquito of No. 333 Squadron RAF on 14 June. Eight of her crew were wounded.

A series of brief journeys then followed, between Bergen, Kristiansand, Kiel and Gotenhafen (now Gdynia, Poland).

Second patrol

She departed Gotenhafen on 7 September 1944. After patrolling the Baltic, she docked at Danzig (now Gdańsk, Poland) on 5 November.

Third patrol and fate

After sailing to Libau in western Latvia, she departed from there on 1 January 1945, arriving in Kiel on the 29th.

She was scuttled in Kupfermühle Bay, part of Flensburg Fjord, on 5 May 1945.

References

  1. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-290". German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net. Retrieved 9 August 2012.
  2. Helgason, Guðmundur. "War Patrols by German U-boat U-290". German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net. Retrieved 9 August 2012.
  3. ^ Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.
  4. The Times Atlas of the World – Third edition, revised 1995, ISBN 0 7230 0809 4, p. 20

Bibliography

  • Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). German U-boat commanders of World War II : a biographical dictionary. Translated by Brooks, Geoffrey. London, Annapolis, Md: Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-186-6.
  • Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945]. Der U-Boot-Krieg (in German). Vol. IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
  • Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). German Warships 1815–1945, U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.

External links

  • Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-290". German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
  • Hofmann, Markus. "U 290". Deutsche U-Boote 1935–1945 – u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 26 December 2014.
Type VII submarines
Type VIIA
Type VIIB
Type VIIC
Type VIIC/41
Type VIID
Type VIIF
Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in May 1945
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