Interesting U-Boat Equipment

[Macgregor the Hammer]

An observation man-kite that was standard equipment on Type IXD1 & IXD2

https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/picture.php?albumid=1317&pictureid=11581

A F0cke-Achgelis Fa 330 Bachstelze. Essentially an Auto-gyro towed by cable.

That must have been fun duty on the North Atlantic!!

[Jimbuna]

Not if the boat was suddenly pounced on by aircraft.

[Aktungbby]

An observation man-kite that was standard equipment on Type IXD1 & IXD2

https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/picture.php?albumid=1317&pictureid=11581

A F0cke-Achgelis Fa 330 Bachstelze. Essentially an Auto-gyro towed by cable.

That must have been fun duty on the North Atlantic!!

Not if the boat was suddenly pounced on by aircraft.I posted this somewher in the forum in 2015, possibly the Bilge(Armistead had referenced it) or who,what ,where thread, I cannot recall; and it's been one of my desktop screen-saver photos since 2015. The gizmo was only used in the far South Atlantic and indian Oceans due to heavy aircover in the primary North Atlantic theatre. U-177, U-181, and U-852 all carried one; and they were type 1XD2 boats. In case of a crash dive, the cable would be immediately released allowing the aircraft to autorotate gently to the surface...apparently the crewman- lookout was...expendible. :o A serious waste of Reichsmarks imho: only one ship was ever sunk using the rotor-kite!