Rear Torpedo Tube -VIIA

Can someone enlighten me, I'm just curious- the VIIA boat you start off with has the one rear torpedo tube, right?

I'm presuming that when in port the fish would be block and tackled and manhandled down a loading hatch?
Or was it inserted directly into the tube? Only I'm asking as in the game I can't see any rear tube at all.

I know from accounts that torpedos were complicated and temperamental and required frequent attention and maintenance. I am reading 'Das Boot' at the moment and it describes the routine cycle of a team of men, shirts off, and hours of physical labour to remove the bow torpedos from their tubes using block and tackle and overhead winches to grapple with 1.5 tons (Imp?) of torpedos where, on it's loading carriage, (I'm quoting directly from the book now) it can easily be moved forward, backward, or to either side.
Each man has his own special assignment. One tests the motor, another the bearings and axles. Special pipes are attached and the compressed-air tanks filled, rudder and hydroplane controls tested, the lubrication points filled with oil. Then, after much shouting and shoving, the fish is finally pushed back into the tube. (end quote).

So how was this achieved at the stern tube -



Those are e-motors in the screenie right? and I can't see any overhead loading carriage? or is this simply not dipicted in game?

Or, more likely, have I missed the point completely?

Regards to all!

[hawk2495]

The stern tube on the VIIA was loaded externally in port.. So no reloads, or maintenance were possible until you returned to port.

Ah! Makes sense as there are no reserves available. Cheers

[Takao]

The rear tube on the Type VIIA was an "external Tube", i.e., it was located outside of the pressure hull. That is why you don't see it in your screen shot.

[JU_88]

British Submarines had alot of external tubes
The T-Class (type IX equivilent) had 4 to 5 of them.
The down side is that they cannot be reloaded or maintained while at sea.(and they werent all that reliable either)

And yes, As Takao says, you can't see them from inside the pressure hull because the're mounted outside

Ok, thanks.
It would make more sense to have a steam fish in that rear tube then, and the electrics up front, or a mix.

[kylania]

Originally Posted by rededge

Ok, thanks.
It would make more sense to have a steam fish in that rear tube then, and the electrics up front, or a mix.

Yup, you wouldn't have an elec in an external tube, nor in external reserves due to the continual maintenance they needed.

[Krauter]

The only problem I have with the rear electrical room is that, once your out of the Type VIIA, all of the Type VII derivatives had their stern tubes moved inside the pressure hull with one reload.

What do we have? A tube stuck haphazardly at the back of the room with the hatch left half open. What the hell happens when I flood my tubes huh? It stays half open. Where is the onrush of water!?

Aside from that one minor point .. did Type VII's(B variant onwards) have an additional section of hull for an aft torpedo room? Or is it like ingame where it was just shoved into the e-room. Where did the reload go :s?

[msxyz]

Electric torpedoes couldn't be carried on the outside of the Uboot as reserve. Unfortunately SH3-4-5 don't seem to consider this point.

The reason was the type of batteries employed. They were compact and able to withstand the high currents necessary to feed the 100HP electric motor. But they had a very high self-discharge rate, thus they needed to be periodically recharged every few days.

The torpedo tube could be moved inside the pressure hull once the single rudder of type VIIA was replaced by a pair of twin rudders for improved underwater maneuvrability. The tube passed right between the two rudders control rods.

The spare torpedo rested below the floor, between the electrical engines. The electric machinery compartment was long enough to accomodate it without stretching the boat.

[Krauter]

Ahh ok thanks alot for that info