Torpedo Stowage

[Leoz]

Originally Posted by Mittelwaechter

Afair - they were able to heat the electrics in the tubes - all forward and backward VII/IX. In a VII the 2 eels internal reserve stored on the floor forward and the two outmost eels of the four torpedos under the floor plates forward could be heated and maintained (i.e. charged).
The two torpedos stored under the floor plates, directly under the two internal reserve had to be steamers, because they were unaccessable as long as the two above were not removed (into the tubes).
The torpedos were heated in pairs - in a VII 4 heaters for 8 torpedos forward. All were constantly heated as it took some time to get them to temperature.
The backward internal reserve was under the floor but accessable and the tube and the reserve made a pair to be heated (afair!)
You mentioned the backward internal was not accessable/insufficiently accessable? Where did you get that information?

A type VII had to load at least four steamers - two internal forward and two in the deck containers. All other torpedos could be electrics in all variants.

I don't know much about type IX, but they had probably similar problems/conditions.

The ordered standard loadout was more than often subject to the availability of torpedos at the base.
An electric was way cheaper than a steamer and they prefered to use the steamers for surface units (fast/bubbles no problem, as the attacker was visible anyway).

The general storage layout of a VII didn't change over the war, but with the allied air superiority they didn't use the deck containers any longer. A late VII may have carried only 12 torpedos - dependent on the area of operation.

I donated all my sources in the 90's to the local library, but maybe you've got some inspiration for further research.

Brilliant sir. Thank you.

[Mittelwaechter]

The logic is flawless as long as the facts are true. The equippment may have changed over times - or the heating was considered necessary only for 8 eels forward constantly.

Topp/U552 must have had a fifth heater forward - or the access to the two center reserve under the floor plates was sufficient, to charge the eels - contradicting the conclusion to have at least two Atos internal.

Things may have changed over times...