U-534

[Red Devil]

I am unsure where to place this.

Visited the U534 in Birkenhead (Woodside Ferry Terminal) this morning and the sub has been cut into 4 sections. I was gobsmacked as to how the hell 40+ crewmen can live and work in such a cramped environment. It looks so much bigger in das boot!!!

Couple of images to show what I mean. For those not in the know, she was moved from her home in Birkenhead Docks to the Ferry Terminal and cut into 4 sections to safely allow public to view her innards. Not yet ready for public. Raised off the Denmark coast in 1993.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v660/elbmek/u534-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v660/elbmek/u534-2.jpg

[jamon51]

Nice find there. A sub back then was mostly machinery with crew accommodations as an afterthought.

[Lagger123987]

What a disgrace that the boat have been cut in 4...but nice pics.

[Red Devil]

She was sitting on a dockside, untreated and unadorned for ages. Bits were beginning to fall off her. But now, after months of deliberation, she is safe for us to see for the foreseeable future. More pics to follow.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v660/elbmek/u534-3.jpg

This is what sank her, a depth charge under the stern. Dropped from a Liberator.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v660/elbmek/u534-4.jpg

Stern Tubes. I suspect that the starboard one was "popped" by the detonation

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v660/elbmek/u534-5.jpg

[Red Devil]

This is the U534 before she was cut up and moved

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v660/elbmek/u534-6.jpg

[Ducimus]

For being on the bottom of the sea for 48 years, its not a bad looking wreck.

[Syxx_Killer]

The new coat of paint looks nice. I don't really see the big deal with cutting it up into four pieces. I think some of the views are pretty unique. Being able to see between hulls is interesting. The cuts look clean, too. At least the sub can still be viewed. It could still be sitting on the bottom for none to see.

[Red Devil]

I agree syxx, it would be easier for me just to give you a link to my U534 page(s) on my site as it contains images from 2000 to date, taken by me and others emailled to me, over that period of time, including yesterday.

It shows quite graphically, the apparent lack of progress over those years. I also received a large selection of images taken inside the sub by an engineer who mailed them to me. 2 pages of images.

U 534 (http://www.mikekemble.com/ww2/uboat534.html)

[Syxx_Killer]

Thanks for the link to your site! That is quite a collection of photos. After looking through them all, I think U-534 looks better than it ever did before. Before it was just a rusting hulk of metal (still is for the most part). At least the new paint makes it look better. I don't know why anyone would want to go inside the thing. Just looking at it makes me feel I should get a tetnis shot. :88) Don't get me wrong, either. I love maritime history of all sorts. It was a shame it even had to be cut into 4 pieces, but given the alternatives (scrapped altogether or left on the bottom of the sea) it's not a bad deal.