German submarine U-773

German submarine U-773 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
She was ordered on 21 November 1940, and was laid down on 13 October 1942, at Kriegsmarinewerft, Wilhelmshaven, as yard number 156. She was launched on 8 December 1943, and commissioned under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Richard Lange on 20 January 1944.

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-773 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 Garbe, Lahmeyer & Co. RP 137/c 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-773 was fitted with five torpedo tubes, fourteen torpedoes or 26 TMA mines, one SK C/35 naval gun,, one Flak M42 and two twin C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between 44 — 52 men.

Service history

U-773 participated in three war patrols that yielded no ships sunk or damaged.
On 9 May 1945, U-773 surrendered at Lofjord, near Trondheim, Norway. She was later transferred to Loch Ryan, Scotland on 29 May 1945. Of the 156 U-boats that eventually surrendered to the Allied forces at the end of the war, U-773 was one of 116 selected to take part in Operation Deadlight. U-773 was towed out and sank on 8 December 1945, by unknown causes.
The wreck now lies at.