Type VII used for transporting the Ark

UnterseeBoogeyMan · 04-11-09, 08:28 PM

Watched Raiders of the Lost Ark today. Noticed they used a Type VII to offload the Ark of the Convenant from the cargo ship to the Nazi's secret island Uboat base in the Indian Ocean. It brought to mind several complications and questions.

The Ark is pretty big,estimating 8 feet long by four feet wide and five feet tall. I can't see how they could get that inside a Type VII. What probably didn't make it into the movie, is a custom hatch had to be cut into the topside of the hull. At that, the VII probably didnt carry a full compliment of torpedoes to allow room for it. I mean,how can you squeeze the Lost Ark down one of their default hatches?

Also, did that VII have a full crew compliment? I'd say not. I saw at least several squads, maybe a platoon of infantry disembark onto the cargo ship. Any Uboat barely had enough room for a normal crew compliment much less a platoon of infantry and highly placed SS.

The movie leads you to think the boat got there quickly over hundreds of miles of ocean. We all know that Uboats are snails below water and can only cover distance above water. If they are above water, there is at least a lookout crew on the conning tower and in those lattitudes,the sailors are sunning themselves on deck. Assuming Dr. Jones hid out in the tower during dive, how could he escape detection when they were surfaced?

I wonder what strings Hitler pulled to get a VII out there anyway. Doenitz would surely have to be pulled into at least some specifics of the Lost Ark, if a boat from one of his flotillas is to be used in transporting matrial from Egypt. ALso, the plane blew up, so this was last minute notice. Good thing the Kriegsmarine just happened to have a boat in the area.Also a good thing the Kriegsmarine happened to have a island clpse by too.

Too bad the spirits from the Lost Ark spooked the Kriegsmarine from using that base in wartime. It would have eliminated the need for Milkcows and surface ships braving harrassment from the Royal Navy and Allied air forces.

04-11-09, 08:28 PM	#1
UnterseeBoogeyMan Ensign Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: The Land of Cholla Cactus and Red Chile Posts: 224 Downloads: 6 Uploads: 0	Type VII used for transporting the Ark Watched Raiders of the Lost Ark today. Noticed they used a Type VII to offload the Ark of the Convenant from the cargo ship to the Nazi's secret island Uboat base in the Indian Ocean. It brought to mind several complications and questions. The Ark is pretty big,estimating 8 feet long by four feet wide and five feet tall. I can't see how they could get that inside a Type VII. What probably didn't make it into the movie, is a custom hatch had to be cut into the topside of the hull. At that, the VII probably didnt carry a full compliment of torpedoes to allow room for it. I mean,how can you squeeze the Lost Ark down one of their default hatches? Also, did that VII have a full crew compliment? I'd say not. I saw at least several squads, maybe a platoon of infantry disembark onto the cargo ship. Any Uboat barely had enough room for a normal crew compliment much less a platoon of infantry and highly placed SS. The movie leads you to think the boat got there quickly over hundreds of miles of ocean. We all know that Uboats are snails below water and can only cover distance above water. If they are above water, there is at least a lookout crew on the conning tower and in those lattitudes,the sailors are sunning themselves on deck. Assuming Dr. Jones hid out in the tower during dive, how could he escape detection when they were surfaced? I wonder what strings Hitler pulled to get a VII out there anyway. Doenitz would surely have to be pulled into at least some specifics of the Lost Ark, if a boat from one of his flotillas is to be used in transporting matrial from Egypt. ALso, the plane blew up, so this was last minute notice. Good thing the Kriegsmarine just happened to have a boat in the area.Also a good thing the Kriegsmarine happened to have a island clpse by too. Too bad the spirits from the Lost Ark spooked the Kriegsmarine from using that base in wartime. It would have eliminated the need for Milkcows and surface ships braving harrassment from the Royal Navy and Allied air forces.