Historically Accurate Upgrades

Aktungbby · 12-18-15, 12:55 PM

fixed!

Sailor Steve · 12-18-15, 02:34 PM

Fixed what? I just wanted to know if there's other information out there. I like to see problems solved.

Aktungbby · 12-18-15, 03:20 PM

Slim INFO all 'round

: Well after two hours of relentless (last night) hunting under 'U-boat battery' in German and English sites with a photo of a repairman working on 'it is apparent that the cell is small enough to go through the hatch.

(figure the cell size from the techs fist (Mine is 4"+-) and/or tool length size.) Easily under 21".... An AFA technician repairing a battery cell in a German type IX boat, summer of 1942. http://uboat.net/technical/batteries.htm http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Holocaust/VartaFactory.html

codmander · 12-18-15, 04:33 PM

batts are THEE most important part of any boat and need replacing,,fixing cables n such access to replace vital

without batts any boat goes nowhere

CaptBones · 12-19-15, 06:35 AM

Changing battery cells, that is...

The battery cells for USN “Fleet” boats, and the Guppy conversions, measured approximately 15”x21”x54”. Given the technology of the day, I’d suspect the battery cells for U-boats were about the same size. So, would they fit through a 21” torpedo loading hatch? Probably, given that the torpedo is 21” in diameter and the loading hatch would be somewhat larger…about 26” on our boats, IIRC.

But, that isn’t necessary, or even a good idea. First, battery cells are rather fragile (that’s why they are installed in “jars” in USN subs). You do not want to be handling them in any orientation other than vertically and with special lifting/rigging equipment attached, which makes them a bit bigger all around.

So, even as K-61 alluded to, the engineers who designed the boats (ours and theirs) incorporated battery loading hatches exactly where they were needed. According to David Westwood’s excellent book “The Type VII U-Boats” (Anatomy of the Ship series), there was a battery loading hatch in the Officers Quarters/Wardroom, directly above the forward battery compartment and another one in the Engineers’ and Senior Rates’ Mess, directly above the after battery compartment. In fact, on pg 69, the “Battery service and lifting tray” for the aft compartment is shown, along with the clearances for hoisting the tray up to and through the hull opening. Judging from how the forward battery loading hatch is depicted on pg 79, the loading hatches were fitted into a coaming and bolted down; to be unbolted and removed only when changing cells.

As for the KDB…cutting and welding on the pressure hull of a WWII era sub would not have presented any particularly difficult challenges. The hull plating in the forward sections of a Type VII U-Boat pressure hull was from 12 to 18mm in thickness. The welding and weld QA testing processes of the day would have been up to the task of cutting a hole and welding a packing tube fitting for the KDB. But, as also mentioned, the external KDB apparatus was very vulnerable to damage.

Frankly, it would be tactically more sensible to just maneuver the boat to establish a satisfactory “baseline” for passive triangulation of a hydrophone contact. That’s exactly what we…er…”they” do today. The passive SONARs consist of hydrophone arrays installed all along the length of the sides of the hull, with further “extensions” through the use of towed arrays.

"Press on" mates...good hunting.

Lokisaga · 12-26-15, 03:12 PM

Thank you for all the information. I'll definitely be using it in my game.

12-18-15, 12:55 PM	#1
Aktungbby Gefallen Engel U-666 Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: On a tilted, overheated, overpopulated spinning mudball on Collision course with Andromeda Galaxy Posts: 30,031 Downloads: 24 Uploads: 0	fixed! __________________ "Only two things are infinite; The Universe and human squirrelyness?!!

12-18-15, 02:34 PM	#2
Sailor Steve Eternal Patrol Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: High in the mountains of Utah Posts: 50,369 Downloads: 745 Uploads: 249	Fixed what? I just wanted to know if there's other information out there. I like to see problems solved. __________________ “Never do anything you can't take back.” —Rocky Russo

12-18-15, 03:20 PM	#3
Aktungbby Gefallen Engel U-666 Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: On a tilted, overheated, overpopulated spinning mudball on Collision course with Andromeda Galaxy Posts: 30,031 Downloads: 24 Uploads: 0	Slim INFO all 'round: Well after two hours of relentless (last night) hunting under 'U-boat battery' in German and English sites with a photo of a repairman working on 'it is apparent that the cell is small enough to go through the hatch. (figure the cell size from the techs fist (Mine is 4"+-) and/or tool length size.) Easily under 21".... An AFA technician repairing a battery cell in a German type IX boat, summer of 1942. http://uboat.net/technical/batteries.htm http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Holocaust/VartaFactory.html __________________ "Only two things are infinite; The Universe and human squirrelyness?!! Last edited by Aktungbby; 12-18-15 at 09:07 PM.

12-19-15, 06:35 AM	#5
CaptBones The Old Man Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Rockton, IL Posts: 281 Downloads: 208 Uploads: 0	Been there, done that... Changing battery cells, that is... The battery cells for USN “Fleet” boats, and the Guppy conversions, measured approximately 15”x21”x54”. Given the technology of the day, I’d suspect the battery cells for U-boats were about the same size. So, would they fit through a 21” torpedo loading hatch? Probably, given that the torpedo is 21” in diameter and the loading hatch would be somewhat larger…about 26” on our boats, IIRC. But, that isn’t necessary, or even a good idea. First, battery cells are rather fragile (that’s why they are installed in “jars” in USN subs). You do not want to be handling them in any orientation other than vertically and with special lifting/rigging equipment attached, which makes them a bit bigger all around. So, even as K-61 alluded to, the engineers who designed the boats (ours and theirs) incorporated battery loading hatches exactly where they were needed. According to David Westwood’s excellent book “The Type VII U-Boats” (Anatomy of the Ship series), there was a battery loading hatch in the Officers Quarters/Wardroom, directly above the forward battery compartment and another one in the Engineers’ and Senior Rates’ Mess, directly above the after battery compartment. In fact, on pg 69, the “Battery service and lifting tray” for the aft compartment is shown, along with the clearances for hoisting the tray up to and through the hull opening. Judging from how the forward battery loading hatch is depicted on pg 79, the loading hatches were fitted into a coaming and bolted down; to be unbolted and removed only when changing cells. As for the KDB…cutting and welding on the pressure hull of a WWII era sub would not have presented any particularly difficult challenges. The hull plating in the forward sections of a Type VII U-Boat pressure hull was from 12 to 18mm in thickness. The welding and weld QA testing processes of the day would have been up to the task of cutting a hole and welding a packing tube fitting for the KDB. But, as also mentioned, the external KDB apparatus was very vulnerable to damage. Frankly, it would be tactically more sensible to just maneuver the boat to establish a satisfactory “baseline” for passive triangulation of a hydrophone contact. That’s exactly what we…er…”they” do today. The passive SONARs consist of hydrophone arrays installed all along the length of the sides of the hull, with further “extensions” through the use of towed arrays. "Press on" mates...good hunting.

12-26-15, 03:12 PM	#6
Lokisaga Seaman Join Date: Apr 2013 Posts: 39 Downloads: 23 Uploads: 0	Thanks Thank you for all the information. I'll definitely be using it in my game.

12-18-15, 04:33 PM	#4
codmander Seasoned Skipper Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: cape cod mass. Posts: 678 Downloads: 59 Uploads: 0	batts are THEE most important part of any boat and need replacing,,fixing cables n such access to replace vital without batts any boat goes nowhere