German submarine U-290

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 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-290 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), one 3.7 cm Flak M42 and two twin 2 cm 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.