|
|
| Career |
 |
| Name: |
U-778 |
| Ordered: |
20 January 1941 |
| Builder: |
Kriegsmarinewerft Wilhelmshaven |
| Yard number: |
161 |
| Laid down: |
3 July 1943 |
| Launched: |
6 May 1944 |
| Commissioned: |
7 July 1944 |
| Out of service: |
8 May 1945 |
| Fate: |
Sank while under tow 4 December 1945. |
| General characteristics |
| Type: |
Type VIIC submarine |
| Displacement: |
769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced
871 t (857 long tons) submerged |
| Length: |
67.1 m (220 ft 2 in) o/a
50.5 m (165 ft 8 in) pressure hull |
| Beam: |
6.2 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a
4.7 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull |
| Draft: |
4.74 m (15 ft 7 in) |
| Propulsion: |
2 × supercharged Germaniawerft 6-cylinder 4-stroke M6V 40/46 diesel engines, totalling 2,800–3,200 bhp (2,100–2,400 kW). Max rpm: 470-490
2 × electric motors, totalling 750 shp (560 kW) and max rpm: 296 |
| Speed: |
17.7 knots (20.4 mph; 32.8 km/h) surfaced
7.6 knots (8.7 mph; 14.1 km/h) submerged |
| Range: |
15,170 km (8,190 nmi) at 10 kn (19 km/h) surfaced
150 km (81 nmi) at 4 kn (7.4 km/h) submerged |
| Test depth: |
230 m (750 ft)
Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft) |
| Complement: |
44–52 officers & ratings |
| Armament: |
• 5 × 533 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes (4 bow, 1 stern)
• 14 × torpedoes or 26 TMA mines
• 1 × C35 88mm gun/L45 deck gun (220 rounds)
• Various AA guns |
German submarine U-778 was a German Type VIIC U-boat built in World War II. She only completed one combat patrol and sank no Allied ships. She was surrendered to the Allies at Bergen on the 8 May 1945.[1]
On 4 December 1945, she was being towed offshore, to be scuttled as part of Operation Deadlight, but foundered and sank before reaching the scuttling ground, at a point 55°32′N 7°7′W / 55.533°N 7.117°W / 55.533; -7.117, 16 miles (26 km) North East of Malin Head[1] in around 70 metres (230 ft) of water. The wreck was rediscovered by marine archaeologist Innes McCartney in 2001.[2]
In 2007, Derry City Council announced plans to raise the boat to be the main exhibit of a new maritime museum.[3] Many of the other Operation Deadlight U-boats were used for target practice and sunk by gunfire, torpedoes, rockets or bombs. U-778, by contrast, is remarkably intact and lies in relatively shallow water.
On 3 October 2007, an Irish diver, Michael Hanrahan, died whilst filming the wreck as part of the salvage project.[4] In November 2009, a spokesman from the council's heritage museum service announced the salvage project had been cancelled for cost reasons.[5]
See also
References
Coordinates: 55°32′N 7°7′W / 55.533°N 7.117°W / 55.533; -7.117
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