Had she been completed, U-492 would have been a Type XIV supply and replenishment U-boat ("Milchkuh") of the German Kriegsmarine during World War II. Her keel was laid down on 21 August 1943, by Deutsche Werke of Kiel. However, extreme losses amongst the existing fleet of Milchkuh submarines led Karl Dönitz to conclude further production of these boats was not a viable plan. All fourteen outstanding orders for type XIV submarines were cancelled. Plans for a type XX Milchkuh were dropped and the thirty planned boats of that class were cancelled.