XXIII Question

[bigdave]

Jeff,
I am at it again.
I have a color question.
You know me and my affection with antifoul red lowed hulls.
Have you seen any photos of the 23 with the red below the water line?
I am trying to picture if I would like it or not.
I do like to buck tradition.
Thanks. BD.

[JWLaRue]

Re: XXIII Question

Hi BD,

In his best Topol voice, "Tradition! Tradition!"

I have never seen any Type XXIII photo that even hints at having red below the waterline...not that there are a lot of photos in existence of this boat. Given how late in the war these boats were produced and the then state of the German war economy, I would be surprised that anything beyond the standard light/dark grey combination was used. It's a basic given that during hostilities none of the VII's or IX's were other than shades of grey.

...sorry, BD!

-Jeff

p.s. but it would make a good looking color scheme along with a black boot topping.

[bigdave]

Re: XXIII Question

OK here is a sinario for you.
Lets say the Germans used anti foul red.
A captured US cargo ship.
As they were running out of paint.
They painted the boat all red and finished the top gray color and then the orders came down from Donitz to get a 23 ready as a training boat.
So they painted the yellow stripe and sent it off to train young skippers.
Hey! It could happen. BD.

[JWLaRue]

Re: XXIII Question

...how about a post-war XXIII? Several navies made use of them....

-Jeff

[bigdave]

Re: XXIII Question

I did not know that.
I thought they were all destroyed.
Hhmmmmmmmmm. BD.

[JWLaRue]

Re: XXIII Question

I'd have to go look for details for which navies.....but I do remember that the reconstituted German Federal Navy had two of them, named Hecht and Hai.

-Jeff

[salmon]

Re: XXIII Question

Jeff,
You are correct. Those two were raised up in the early 50's and cleaned up, modified, and commissioned in the mid to late 50's. They were also lengthened by 15' to accommodate new power systems (if I remember correctly). Alas, they were gray/black or dark gray.

[warpatroller]

Re: XXIII Question

HAI and HECHT history:

U2365 laid down on December 6th, 1944 and launched on January 26th, 1945 (Deutsche Werft Hamburg). It was scuttled on May 4th or 8th (have seen conflicting dates), 1945. It was raised in June 1956. Then commissioned into the Bundesmarine, as HAI, on August 15th, 1957. HAI was lost during a storm with all hands on September 14th, 1966. Raised on September 19th, 1966, from 47 meter depth, and broken up.

U2367 laid down on December 11th, 1944 and launched on February 23rd, 1945 (Deutsche Werft Hamburg). It was sank on May 5th, 1945 after a collision with an unidentified UBoat. It was raised in August 1956. Then commissioned into the Bundesmarine, as HECHT, on October 1st, 1957. After HAI was lost, HECHT remained in service until September 30th, 1968. HECHT was stricken and scrapped in the summer of 1969.

Both boats had the M-1 Active Sonar added to upper bow sometime between 1957 and 1958. Their sails were modified, around 1960 - 1961, filling in the area between the rear of the tower and the diesel muffler fairing. It appears both boats may have been lengthened, by 1.2 meters, around 1963..