Type VII U-boats - reference photos

[JWLaRue]

Over time, I'll upload various photos of Type VII U-boats.

To start with, here's one of the stern torpedo tube area....something that rarely shows up in the photo collections.



-Jeff

[JWLaRue]

Another area that is always

Another area that is always getting questions is, "what does the forward, dashboard area of the conning tower look like?"

Here's shot of that area on the U-86, a Type VIIB....it's not the best....but...



-Jeff

[JWLaRue]

Type VII Prop Specs

....in response to a request....here are the details on the props for the Type VII.....



-enjoy!

Jeff

[JWLaRue]

Some more interesting photos:

Some more interesting photos:

[mylo]

JWL,

That diagram of the

JWL,

That diagram of the props, is that from the Fritz Kohl type VIIc plan set ? .....it looks familiar. Great reference, for anyone attempting to build one.

Mylo

[JWLaRue]

That is correct. One of

That is correct. One of his better drawings!

I would say that having a set of the Köhl drawings is practically a must for any serious builder of a Type VII model.

-Jeff

[rick]

Jeff....what is the deal with

Jeff....what is the deal with that huge anchor in the last photo..? Do you know??

[JWLaRue]

I believe that's a drag

I believe that's a drag anchor used when launching the sub so that once it is off the ways and freely floating in the water it will come to a stop.

-Jeff

[anonymous]

Yes Jeff it is so

Yes Jeff it is so and she is an type VII F U 1060.

Gantu

[rick]

I see.......thanx.....Rick

I see.......thanx.....Rick

[don prince]

Hi Jeff,

I got this photo

Hi Jeff,

I got this photo from Rainer Burns... It shows the Saddle tank ballast vent on one side of the Type VIIc with a view from under the deck. The forward and rear tanks both feed into the one central air exhaust control valve between the two saddle tanks. They vent through the deck slots.

I put my foot in my mouth when I was communicating with Douggie and Rainer corrected me. The structures on the outter top surface on the saddle tanks are inspection plates (nothing more). the German drawings in the dive phases completely threw me off.

Oh well, live and learn.....

[steveuk]

Nice pics, thanks for sharing.

Nice pics, thanks for sharing.

On those drydock pics above, What are those things attatched at the very front of the bow (at torpedo doors level) .. one shows a metal ring and the other shows like a metal box ?? Sometimes I've seen these details drawn in on the plans too. Any idea's what they are .

[JWLaRue]

Steve,I think you re referring

Steve,

I think you re referring to the mount for the Gërat device.....the forward looking sonar that some references state was never installed.

-Jeff

[steveuk]

Thanks Jeff.
So it's a

Thanks Jeff.
So it's a mount! I couldn't figure out its purpose as a device of itself but a mount for something makes perfect sense.

I just discovered that the S-Gerat devices were essentially active sonar, which were unpopular with crews as they also gave away the U-boats positon, and hence they were removed by request. I imagine such a device would also impair the submarines top speed.
Presumably U-boat builders stopped fitting these mounts as they became unneccessary (These appendages only seem to appear on early type VII's)

Am I barking up the right tree

[JWLaRue]

Hi Steve,These mounts (and guards)

Hi Steve,

These mounts (and guards) were installed on some Type VII boats in anticipation of the deployment of the Gërat. Once it became apparent that the active sonar was not going to be deployed, the yards stopped adding them to the hulls.

Part of the reason for the evolution from the VIIB to the VIIC was intended to include active sonar and the Gërat in particular. There were two reasons that it was never deployed (other than on one Type IXC). The first was that minefields didn't come to play as much of a role (i.e. hazard) as originally thought, and the second was as you noted...the reluctance of the Ubootsmann to do anything that might give away their position to the enemy.

-Jeff