Japanese submarine I-502

I-502 was a Type IXD2 submarine in service with the Kriegsmarine. DeSchiMAG AG Weser, Bremen laid her keel on 15 August 1942. She entered service on 7 October 1943, having been launched on 8 June 1943.

Her class ran to 33 ships. The class followed the Type I and was succeeded by the Type XXI.

The boat displaced 1,585 long tons surfaced and 1,771 long tons submerged. She measured 87.6 m (287 ft) long with a beam of 7.5 m (25 ft). Her designed speed was 20.8 knots, and she carried a complement of 55.

Her main battery was one 105 mm (4.1 in) guns.

She served with the Kriegsmarine as U-862 until 5 May 1945. She then passed to the Imperial Japanese Navy, serving as I-502 from 15 July 1945. She was in commission for 620 days of the Second World War.

She was scuttled in August 1945, at 3°05′N 100°38′E. The wreck survives.

Written from the harvested record. Every figure above is sourced; the wording is this site's own.