German submarine U-673
German submarine U-673 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 20 January 1942 at the Howaldtswerke yard at Hamburg, launched on 27 February 1943, and commissioned on 8 May 1943 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Gerhard Haelbich.
Attached to 5th U-boat Flotilla based at Kiel, U-673 completed her training period on 31 May 1944 and was assigned to front-line service.
Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-673 had a displacement of when at the surface and while submerged. She had a total length of, a pressure hull length of, a beam of, a height of, and a draught of. The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of for use while surfaced, two Siemens-Schuckert GU 343/38–8 double-acting electric motors producing a total of for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to.The submarine had a maximum surface speed of and a maximum submerged speed of. When submerged, the boat could operate for at ; when surfaced, she could travel at. U-673 was fitted with five torpedo tubes, fourteen torpedoes, one SK C/35 naval gun,, one Flak M42 and two twin C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.