[{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/wiki.edu.vn\/en\/wiki43\/german-submarine-u-473-wikipedia\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/wiki.edu.vn\/en\/wiki43\/german-submarine-u-473-wikipedia\/","headline":"German submarine U-473 – Wikipedia","name":"German submarine U-473 – Wikipedia","description":"From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia German World War II submarine History Nazi Germany Name U-473 Ordered 20 January 1941 Builder","datePublished":"2021-05-25","dateModified":"2021-05-25","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/wiki.edu.vn\/en\/wiki43\/author\/lordneo\/#Person","name":"lordneo","url":"https:\/\/wiki.edu.vn\/en\/wiki43\/author\/lordneo\/","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/c9645c498c9701c88b89b8537773dd7c?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/c9645c498c9701c88b89b8537773dd7c?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Enzyklop\u00e4die","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/wiki.edu.vn\/wiki4\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/download.jpg","url":"https:\/\/wiki.edu.vn\/wiki4\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/download.jpg","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/d\/d0\/War_Ensign_of_Germany_%281938%E2%80%931945%29.svg\/47px-War_Ensign_of_Germany_%281938%E2%80%931945%29.svg.png","url":"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/d\/d0\/War_Ensign_of_Germany_%281938%E2%80%931945%29.svg\/47px-War_Ensign_of_Germany_%281938%E2%80%931945%29.svg.png","height":"28","width":"47"},"url":"https:\/\/wiki.edu.vn\/en\/wiki43\/german-submarine-u-473-wikipedia\/","wordCount":3108,"articleBody":"From Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaGerman World War II submarineHistoryNazi GermanyNameU-473Ordered20 January 1941BuilderDeutsche Werke, KielYard number304Laid down1 December 1941Launched17 April 1943Commissioned16 June 1943FateSunk by British warships west southwest of Ireland on 6 May 1944General characteristicsClass and typeType VIIC submarineDisplacement769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced871\u00a0t (857 long tons) submergedLengthBeam6.20\u00a0m (20\u00a0ft 4\u00a0in) o\/a4.70\u00a0m (15\u00a0ft 5\u00a0in) pressure hullHeight9.60\u00a0m (31\u00a0ft 6\u00a0in)Draught4.74\u00a0m (15\u00a0ft 7\u00a0in)Installed power2,800\u20133,200\u00a0PS (2,100\u20132,400\u00a0kW; 2,800\u20133,200\u00a0bhp) (diesels)750\u00a0PS (550\u00a0kW; 740\u00a0shp) (electric)PropulsionSpeed17.7 knots (32.8\u00a0km\/h; 20.4\u00a0mph) surfaced7.6 knots (14.1\u00a0km\/h; 8.7\u00a0mph) submergedRange8,500\u00a0nmi (15,700\u00a0km; 9,800\u00a0mi) at 10 knots (19\u00a0km\/h; 12\u00a0mph) surfaced80\u00a0nmi (150\u00a0km; 92\u00a0mi) at 4 knots (7.4\u00a0km\/h; 4.6\u00a0mph) submergedTest depth230\u00a0m (750\u00a0ft)Crush depth: 250\u2013295\u00a0m (820\u2013968\u00a0ft)Complement4 officers, 40\u201356 enlistedArmamentService record[2]Part of:Commanders:Kptlt. Heinz Sternberg16 June 1943 \u2013 6 May 1944Operations:2 patrols:1st patrol:27 March \u2013 18 April 19442nd patrol:24 April \u2013 6 May 1944Victories:1 warship total loss (1,400 tons)German submarine U-473 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany’s Kriegsmarine during World War II.She carried out two patrols. She caused a warship to be declared a total loss.She was sunk by British warships west southwest of Ireland on 6 May 1944.German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-473 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\u00a0m (220\u00a0ft 2\u00a0in), a pressure hull length of 50.50\u00a0m (165\u00a0ft 8\u00a0in), a beam of 6.20\u00a0m (20\u00a0ft 4\u00a0in), a height of 9.60\u00a0m (31\u00a0ft 6\u00a0in), and a draught of 4.74\u00a0m (15\u00a0ft 7\u00a0in). 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\u00a0kW; 2,760 to 3,160\u00a0shp) for use while surfaced, two Siemens-Schuckert GU 343\/38\u20138 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 metric horsepower (550\u00a0kW; 740\u00a0shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23\u00a0m (4\u00a0ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750\u00a0ft).The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 knots (32.8\u00a0km\/h; 20.4\u00a0mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 knots (14.1\u00a0km\/h; 8.7\u00a0mph). When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nautical miles (150\u00a0km; 92\u00a0mi) at 4 knots (7.4\u00a0km\/h; 4.6\u00a0mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,500 nautical miles (15,700\u00a0km; 9,800\u00a0mi) at 10 knots (19\u00a0km\/h; 12\u00a0mph). U-473 was fitted with five 53.3\u00a0cm (21\u00a0in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8\u00a0cm (3.46\u00a0in) SK C\/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and one twin 2\u00a0cm (0.79\u00a0in) C\/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.Table of ContentsService history[edit]1st patrol[edit]2nd patrol and loss[edit]Summary of raiding history[edit]References[edit]Notes[edit]Citations[edit]Bibliography[edit]External links[edit]Service history[edit]The submarine was laid down on 1 December 1941 at the Deutsche Werke in Kiel as yard number 304, launched on 17 April 1943 and commissioned on 16 June under the command of Kapit\u00e4nleutnant Heinz Sternberg.She served with the 5th U-boat Flotilla from 16 June 1943 for training and the 9th U-boat Flotilla from 1 January 1944 for operations.1st patrol[edit]U-473‘s first patrol was preceded by a short journey from Kiel in Germany to Bergen in Norway. The patrol itself began when the boat departed Bergen on 27 March 1944. She passed through the gap separating Iceland and the Faroe Islands and out into the Atlantic Ocean. She docked at Lorient in occupied France on 18 April.2nd patrol and loss[edit]The U-boat departed Lorient on 24 April 1944 for her second foray. On the 28th, she was attacked by a Handley Page Halifax of No. 58 Squadron RAF. No damage was inflicted on U-473 but the aircraft was hit five times before only just returning to base.She was attacked again by a Polish-manned Vickers Wellington of 304 Squadron a day later. The boat was not damaged in this inconclusive encounter, but kept the aircraft at a respectful distance for an hour.U-473 torpedoed the American destroyer USS\u00a0Donnell on 3 May 1944. The warship did not sink; the U-boat dived deep to evade other convoy escorts and sustained slight damage from their depth charges.On 6 May U-473 was detected by units of Britain’s 2nd Support Group, and subjected to a prolonged “hunt to exhaustion”. The three sloops, HMS\u00a0Starling, Wren and Wild Goose, expended some 345 depth charges over a period of 15 hours, finally forcing U-473 to surface. The U-boat attempted to flee on the surface, but was brought under heavy gunfire from the three warships. Her captain and members of her crew were killed, and the survivors abandoned ship. The deserted U-boat, still running at high speed, headed straight for Starling which was obliged to take evasive action. Continuous gunfire from the three ships caused the U-boat to sink stern-first, at position 49\u00b029\u2032N 21\u00b022\u2032W\ufeff \/ \ufeff49.483\u00b0N 21.367\u00b0W\ufeff \/ 49.483; -21.367Coordinates: 49\u00b029\u2032N 21\u00b022\u2032W\ufeff \/ \ufeff49.483\u00b0N 21.367\u00b0W\ufeff \/ 49.483; -21.367.[2] Two explosions, possibly scuttling charges, finished the submarine off.Twenty-three men went down with U-473; there were thirty survivors.[2]Summary of raiding history[edit]References[edit]Notes[edit]Citations[edit]Bibliography[edit]Busch, Rainer; R\u00f6ll, Hans-Joachim (1999). German U-boat commanders of World War II\u00a0: a biographical dictionary. Translated by Brooks, Geoffrey. London, Annapolis, Md: Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press. ISBN\u00a01-55750-186-6.Busch, Rainer; R\u00f6ll, Hans-Joachim (1999). Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945]. Der U-Boot-Krieg (in German). Vol.\u00a0IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN\u00a03-8132-0514-2.Gr\u00f6ner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815\u20131945. Vol.\u00a02. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN\u00a00-85177-593-4.Kemp, Paul (1999). U-Boats Destroyed \u2013 German Submarine Losses in the World Wars. London: Arms & Armour. ISBN\u00a01-85409-515-3.External links[edit]Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in May 1944Shipwrecks1 May: U-2772 May: U-674, U-9593 May: USS\u00a0Donnell, U-8524 May: U-371, U-8465 May: USS\u00a0Fechteler6 May: U-66, U-473, U-7657 May: HMCS\u00a0Valleyfield9 May: USS\u00a0PC-55810 May: Karukaya, Totila11 May: USS\u00a0YF-41513 May: Ro-50114 May: America Maru, Inazuma, U-123415 May: U-73116 May: I-17617 May: U-61619 May: I-16, U-960, U-101521 May: USS\u00a0LST-353, USS\u00a0LST-480, U-45322 May: Asanagi, Hashidate, Ro-10623 May: Ro-10424 May: Ro-116, U-67525 May: U-476, U-99026 May: Ro-10827 May: U-29228 May: UJ 221029 May: USS\u00a0Block Island, U-54931 May: Ishigaki, Kotaka, Ro-105, U-289Unknown date: U-240Other incidents"},{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https:\/\/wiki.edu.vn\/en\/wiki43\/#breadcrumbitem","name":"Enzyklop\u00e4die"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https:\/\/wiki.edu.vn\/en\/wiki43\/german-submarine-u-473-wikipedia\/#breadcrumbitem","name":"German submarine U-473 – Wikipedia"}}]}]