German submarine U-776

German submarine U-776 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 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 t when at the surface and 871 t while submerged. She had a total length of 67.10 m, a pressure hull length of 50.50 m, a beam of 6.20 m, a height of 9.60 m, and a draught of 4.74 m. The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2800 to 3200 PS for use while surfaced, two Garbe, Lahmeyer & Co. RP 137/c double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 PS for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 m.

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 kn and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 kn. When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nmi at 4 kn; when surfaced, she could travel 8500 nmi at 10 kn. U-776 was fitted with five 53.3 cm torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes or 26 TMA mines, one 8.8 cm SK C/35 naval gun, (220 rounds), one 3.7 cm Flak M42 and two twin 2 cm 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 wreck now lies at 55.13333°N, -5.5°W.