KRIEGSMARINE (GERMANY)

Ship project history: Transport submersibles intended for supply battle boats by all necessary at sea not to endanger them once again on approaches to own bases. Usage of transport submarines allowed to increase action radius of medium submarines of the most widespread VII series and use them in far ocean regions. Originally in the given role usual boats were used, and since 1941 purpose built transport submarines entered service. There were two such series: submarine tankers of XIV series and a submarines - torpedo suppliers of VIIF series.

Submarine tankers intended for supply "the wolf packs" by fuel. They received in Kriegsmarine nickname "milk cows" (Milchkuh). First series of submarines designed and built in days of war. Double-hulled; inter-hull tanks carried 423t of diesel oil for transfer to other submarines, also and containers with four spare torpedoes were placed in superstructure. Own armament under the project consisted from 2 single 37mm guns and 1 single 20mm MG, but since 1943 they had only two twin 20mm MGs.

Submarines were built in three groups, the order on U491-497 has been cancelled during building though availability of some boats reached 75%, and on U498-500 and U2201-2204 before laying down. In battle conditions these boats have appeared rather vulnerable as did not possess sufficient speed and manoeuvrability, and also differed a considerable diving time (40-50sec). All were destroyed by Allied anti-submarine forces.

Modernizations: 1943 - 1944, most survived were rearmed with artillery consisted of 1 x 1 - 37/69 FlaK M/42, 2 x 2 - 20/65 C/38

Naval service: U459 was hard damaged 24/7/1943 by Wellington of 172nd RAF sqn and scuttled by crew NW off Cape Ortegal. U460 was sunk 4/10/1943 by Avengers and Wildcats of USN VC-9 sqn from escort carrier Card N off Azores. U461 was sunk 30/7/1943 by Sunderland of 461st RAAF sqn NW off Cape Ortegal. U462 was sunk 30/7/1943 by British sloops Kite, Wren, Woodcock, Woodpecker and Wild Goose and Halifax of 502nd RAF sqn NW off Cape Ortegal. U463 was sunk 16/5/1943 by Halifax of 58th RAF sqn NW off Cape Ortegal. U464 was hard damaged 20/8/1942 by Catalina of USN VP-73 sqn and scuttled by crew SE off Iceland. U487 was sunk 13/7/1943 by Avengers and Wildcats of USN VC-13 sqn from escort carrier Core in Central Atlantic. U488 was sunk 26/4/1944 by American escort destroyers Frost, Huse, Barber and Snowden in Central Atlantic W off Cape Verde. U489 was sunk 4/8/1943 by Sunderland of 423rd RCAF sqn SE off Iceland. U490 was sunk 12/6/1944 by American escort destroyers Frost, Huse and Inch NW off Azores.