Embarrassing....

Cybermat47 · 05-07-13, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Otto Fuhrmann

I always thought that maybe they should have transported the boats over land down to the Mediterranean and launched them from Italian Ports. But maybe there was some reason I don't know of that would have made it not an option.

Me and my brother have often wondered about that. Perhaps they didn't have any heavy lifting trucks? Unlikely.

Otto Fuhrmann · 05-07-13, 06:42 PM

I always thought they could put them on a train and move them to Italy. If a German transport train can move dozens of tanks ranging in weight to the front over hundreds of miles, then why not a Type VII. I am sure they could even disassemble it and reassemble it at it's destination. Or maybe I am giving the German transport network to much credit, but if anyone could do it, they could.

gap · 05-07-13, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Otto Fuhrmann

I always thought they could put them on a train and move them to Italy. If a German transport train can move dozens of tanks ranging in weight to the front over hundreds of miles, then why not a Type VII. I am sure they could even disassemble it and reassemble it at it's destination. Or maybe I am giving the German transport network to much credit, but if anyone could do it, they could.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cybermat47

Me and my brother have often wondered about that. Perhaps they didn't have any heavy lifting trucks? Unlikely.

Good remark. If I remember correctly, this is exactly the way Type II boats were transported to the Baltic (by railroad). I have no idea why they didn't do the same with Mediterranean boats though

Otto Fuhrmann · 05-07-13, 07:17 PM

Maybe Hitler didn't like Mussolini's rail network? I don't see why he would though, I mean he made the trains run on time.

Sailor Steve · 05-07-13, 07:21 PM

A Tiger tank weighed about 75 tons. Even a Maus weighed only 190 tons. A heavy lift flatcar can carry about 100 tons. When the 30th Flotilla was created on the Black Sea, six Type IIb boats were shipped by canal and road, using special transporters. Even stripped down, the hulls weighed 140 tons each. The operation took five months.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/30th_U-boat_Flotilla

A Type VII u-boat weighed roughly 750 tons. The super rail guns Gustav and Dora weighed 1300 tons, but special rail lines had to be constructed just to move them.

Quote:

I am sure they could even disassemble it and reassemble it at it's destination.

How? Cut them up and re-weld them at the other end? How structurally sound would they be? If it could be done, how many months would it take? It would probably be faster to construct a u-boat assembly yard in Italy. The only reasonable way to get the boats there was to sail them and hope for the best.

gap · 05-07-13, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

A Tiger tank weighed about 75 tons. Even a Maus weighed only 190 tons. A heavy lift flatcar can carry about 100 tons. When the 30th Flotilla was created on the Black Sea, six Type IIb boats were shipped by canal and road, using special transporters.

You are right. My bad for mentioning a wrong information

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

Even stripped down, the hulls weighed 140 tons each. The operation took five months.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/30th_U-boat_Flotilla

A Type VII u-boat weighed roughly 750 tons. The super rail guns Gustav and Dora weighed 1300 tons, but special rail lines had to be constructed just to move them.

How? Cut them up and re-weld them at the other end? How structurally sound would they be? If it could be done, how many months would it take? It would probably be faster to construct a u-boat assembly yard in Italy. The only reasonable way to get the boats there was to sail them and hope for the best.

Makes sense now

Otto Fuhrmann · 05-07-13, 07:38 PM

Well I meant strip it down to lose some weight, not saw the hull into pieces. But I suppose you are right, if there was a different way they probably would have thought of it, and even if they did the German command was not very keen on listening it seems.

Though now that you mention it, constructing them in Italy doesn't sound like a bad idea. The Germans where/are extremely efficient and fast when it comes to constructing things and it is not like they lacked manpower to build it. They had more than two years to do it too. I am sure Mussolini would not of minded, he needed the help, God knows.

Maybe it is just a pipe dream.

05-07-13, 06:42 PM	#2
Otto Fuhrmann Helmsman Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Ireland Posts: 109 Downloads: 57 Uploads: 0	I always thought they could put them on a train and move them to Italy. If a German transport train can move dozens of tanks ranging in weight to the front over hundreds of miles, then why not a Type VII. I am sure they could even disassemble it and reassemble it at it's destination. Or maybe I am giving the German transport network to much credit, but if anyone could do it, they could.

05-07-13, 07:17 PM	#4
Otto Fuhrmann Helmsman Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Ireland Posts: 109 Downloads: 57 Uploads: 0	Maybe Hitler didn't like Mussolini's rail network? I don't see why he would though, I mean he made the trains run on time.

05-07-13, 07:38 PM	#7
Otto Fuhrmann Helmsman Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Ireland Posts: 109 Downloads: 57 Uploads: 0	Well I meant strip it down to lose some weight, not saw the hull into pieces. But I suppose you are right, if there was a different way they probably would have thought of it, and even if they did the German command was not very keen on listening it seems. Though now that you mention it, constructing them in Italy doesn't sound like a bad idea. The Germans where/are extremely efficient and fast when it comes to constructing things and it is not like they lacked manpower to build it. They had more than two years to do it too. I am sure Mussolini would not of minded, he needed the help, God knows. Maybe it is just a pipe dream.