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View Full Version : How did the germans do that?


dimwit
06-24-08, 06:41 PM
On their U-Boats
1. Where were the external reserve torps stored? and
2. How did they retrieve them?

pythos
06-24-08, 07:22 PM
They were stored in waterproof containers mounted to the outside of the pressure hull top, inside the outer hull. The retrieved them by actually setting up a loading hoist, lifting the container out on a tilt, and pulling the torpedo, warehead and all, out of the container, and down the loading hatch. The type IX had rails on which the torpedos could be rolled on for removal and loading, so ones stored in the front of the boat could be sent to the stearn, and vise versa. (Sh3 and Sh4 UBM got this wrong with the type IX, and limit where you can have the reserve torps loaded.) This was done at sea, at very slow speed or hove to. The seas needed to be quite calm as well.

If you think that is something look at a picture of a torpedo being transfered from one boat to another. Quite something.

dimwit
06-25-08, 05:52 PM
Thanks alot.:up:

bigboywooly
06-26-08, 06:06 AM
Like this

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h22/bigboywooly/SH4/loadingscreen7.jpg

HunterICX
06-26-08, 06:11 AM
:huh: On that photo , you start to realize how big those suckers are...damn!

HunterICX

Sailor Steve
06-26-08, 06:31 AM
This is too cool! I was looking for a diagram someone posted years ago (couldn't find it - sorry) and I came across a model company selling add-on stuff for Revell's 1/72-scale U-boat. If you scroll down the list you'll find detail sets for German crew reloading torpedoes! Click on their links and you'll see pictures!:rock:
http://www.michtoy.com/MTSCnewSite/plastic_model_kits_folder/czech_masters_folder/czech_masters.html

bigboywooly
06-26-08, 10:26 AM
Have got a couple more somewhere
Have one of them floating a torp over in a dinghy as well

Will hunt them out

In the meantime some resupply shots
U564

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h22/bigboywooly/external1.jpg
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h22/bigboywooly/external-1.jpg
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h22/bigboywooly/external2.jpg
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h22/bigboywooly/external3.jpg

DavyJonesFootlocker
06-26-08, 11:05 AM
Geez, no wonder they lost the war.:rotfl:

bigboywooly
06-26-08, 02:37 PM
Nope you are quite correct Mikhayl

Only steamers in external stowage for that very reason :up:

Hartmann
06-26-08, 04:35 PM
U.S Fleet boats can have all loaded inside of the sub :hmm: a very big difference in the late years of the war.

Mehring1917
06-26-08, 04:46 PM
Interesting. So is it realistic to partly load an external torpedo, interrupt the loading and then continue from where you left off as you can in sH4 or would it make more sense to lose the torpedo if the process is interrupted?

bigboywooly
06-26-08, 04:47 PM
Definately
A lot of boats sailed with no externals late war as couldnt risk being surfaced to pull them in
Only so much a snorkel could do

I read somewhere yesterday - think it was one of the crew interogations over on http://www.uboatarchive.net/ that the Germans were testing underwater refuelling from milkcows etc

When you can control the skies you can control all underneath

bigboywooly
06-26-08, 04:48 PM
Interesting. So is it realistic to partly load an external torpedo, interrupt the loading and then continue from where you left off as you can in sH4 or would it make more sense to lose the torpedo if the process is interrupted?

Well if you had a torp out of the external container and came under attack the torp would be lost
Safety of the boat came first