German submarine U-630

German submarine U-630 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 23 August 1941 by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg as yard number 606, launched on 12 May 1942 and commissioned on 9 July 1942 under Oberleutnant zur See Werner Winkler.

Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-630 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 Brown, Boveri & Cie GG UB 720/8 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-630 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, and one twin 2 cm C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.

Service history
The boat's career began with training at 5th U-boat Flotilla on 9 July 1942, followed by active service on 1 April 1943 as part of the 3rd Flotilla for the remainder of her service.

In one patrol she sank two merchant ships, for a total of.

Convoy HX 231
Convoy HX 231 set out across the Atlantic on 30 March 1943, only one U-tanker, GS U-463 was at sea, and she had sixteen U-boats queuing up to be topped up. These boats formed the wolfpack Löwenherz.

On 5 April, U-630 sunk the British motor vessel Shillong (with 5,529 tons) and  steamer Waroonga, both hit by GS U-635 the previous day.

Fate
U-630 was sunk with all hands lost on 6 May 1943 in the North Atlantic in position 52.51667°N, -44.83333°W, by depth charges from HMS Vidette (D48).

Wolfpacks
U-630 took part in four wolfpacks, namely:
 * Löwenherz (1 – 10 April 1943)
 * Lerche (10 – 15 April 1943)
 * Specht (22 April – 4 May 1943)
 * Fink (4 – 6 May 1943)