[derstosstrupp]

Yessir they could.

In the case of the hydroplanes, behind the BBC unit and wheel at each plane station was an air lever. Pulling it sent a burst of low-pressure air to the respective motor unit in the respective torpedo rooms (where the hydroplane motors are) that pushed a piston that disconnected the respective motor from the shaft - remote disengaging in other words. The air only worked one way on the piston so reengaging had to be done at the motor itself. So pull air lever, then unlock the wheel and then the planesman had manual control of his set of planes.

Similar situation with the rudder, although that disengaging was done only by a lever on the motor itself with no remote option. In that case, pull the lever, and then pull out the manual helm from its stowed position (it is in the stowed position in Wolfpack currently).

The hydroplane and rudder electric motors and associated relay boxes were almost identical, as was the mechanism itself to disengage or engage the motor drive, it’s just that the hydroplanes had the additional air piston option to be able to quickly disengage from the control room.