German submarine U-776

German submarine U-776 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

U-570 Type VIIC submarine that was captured by the British in 1941. This U-boat is almost identical to U-776.
History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-776
Ordered	21 November 1940
Builder	Kriegsmarinewerft, Wilhelmshaven
Yard number	159
Laid down	4 March 1943
Launched	4 March 1944
Commissioned	13 April 1944
Fate	Surrendered on 16 May 1945 Foundered and sank on 3 December 1945
General characteristics
Class and type	Type VIIC submarine
Displacement	769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced 871 t (857 long tons) submerged
Length	67.10 m (220 ft 2 in) o/a 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in) pressure hull
Beam	6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height	9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught	4.74 m (15 ft 7 in)
Installed power	2,800–3,200 PS (2,100–2,400 kW; 2,800–3,200 bhp) (diesels) 750 PS (550 kW; 740 shp) (electric)
Propulsion	2 shafts 2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors
Speed	17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged
Range	8,500 nmi (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth	220 m (720 ft) Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft)
Complement	4 officers, 44–52 enlisted
Armament	5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern) 14 × torpedoes or 26 TMA mines 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds) 1 × 3.7 cm (1.5 in) Flak M42 AA gun 2 × twin 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns
Service record
Part of:	31st U-boat Flotilla 13 April 1944 – 8 May 1945
Identification codes:	M 15 421
Commanders:	Kptlt. Lothar Martin 13 April 1944 – 16 May 1945
Operations:	1 patrol: 22 March – 16 May 1945
Victories:	None

She was ordered on 21 November 1940, and was laid down on 4 March 1943, at Kriegsmarinewerft, Wilhelmshaven, as yard number 159. She was launched on 4 March 1944, and commissioned under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Lothar Martin on 13 April 1944.

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-776 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged. She had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2,800 to 3,200 metric horsepower (2,060 to 2,350 kW; 2,760 to 3,160 shp) for use while surfaced, two Garbe, Lahmeyer & Co. RP 137/c double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 metric horsepower (550 kW; 740 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m (4 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph). When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nautical miles (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-776 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes or 26 TMA mines, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, (220 rounds), one 3.7 cm (1.5 in) Flak M42 and two twin 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between 44 — 52 men.

Service history

U-776 participated in one war patrol that yielded no ships sunk or damaged.

On 16 May 1945, U-776 surrendered at Portland, UK. For a brief time she was designated N-65, a British N-class submarine, and toured the British coast and used for tests. She was later transferred to Loch Ryan, Scotland. Of the 156 U-boats that eventually surrendered to the Allied forces at the end of the war, U-776 was one of 116 selected to take part in Operation Deadlight. U-776 was towed out on 3 December 1945, but sank after foundering on the way to the designated area. She was one of 56 U-boats that sank before reaching the scuttling areas.

The U-776, one of the German submarines which were surrendered at Weymouth is now moored to Westminster Pier, close by the Houses of Parliament, and will open to public inspection tomorrow. Our pictures show the submarine on her arrival at Westminster and a view of the engine room.
— Wednesday 23 May 1945 - London, "Surrendered U-BOAT at Westminster Pier", The Times

The wreck now lies at 55°08′N 05°30′W.

Bibliography

• Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). German U-boat commanders of World War II : a biographical dictionary. Translated by Brooks, Geoffrey. London, Annapolis, Md: Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-186-6.
• Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). Der U-Boot-Krieg, 1939-1945: Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945] (in German). Vol. IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
• Gröner, Eric; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). German Warships 1815-1945: U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.

External links

• Helgason, Guðmundur. "Patrols by U-776". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net.