Hi Simon
I am afraid there going to be lots more questions for you, as I have just started to drawing the piping to the tubes
Go ahead, I'm still learning al lot - especially while researching the things, you asked about
Your post made me wondering a lot.
Below there are things, I have been able to research for last few days.
Part One
In Drawing 1 "Torpedo tube flooding and drainage installation" where is drain valve (i)? Is it the valve next (right) of the piston in Photo 3 "Aft torpedo tube on U-995"?
Do you mean the valve marked with red arrow?
(source:
http://www.ubootwaffe.pl/component/option,com_flexicontent/Itemid,76/cid,66/id,337/view,items)
I think that this is valve marked as (f) (look at the part related to aft tube) on the drawing:
(source:
http://uboatarchive.net/U-570DesignBook.htm)
With blue arrow I have marked flood line, with green - vent/blow line and yellow - port part of torpedo compensating tank 1.
(source:
http://uboatarchive.net/U-570DesignBook.htm)
Here is how I imagine myself this arrangement (sorry for hand drawing).
And one more view:
(source: U-995 DVD
http://www.uboataces.com/u995.shtml)
red arrow - flood line
yellow arrow - branch to hull valve and cooling pump
green arrow - vent/blow line
blue arrow - valve (f)
I think that pipe part between red and blue arrows is blanked place after flow meter.
Part two
So this makes me believe this valve is on the starboard size of the aft tube, somewhere behind the open hatch door of Photo 3. Aft torpedo tube on U-995
Do you mean the valve marked with red arrow on the following photo?
I think that it can not be the drain valve because of two reasons:
If you look on the following photos you will see the the drain valve handle of the bottom tube in the same location
as for top tubes.
(source:
http://www.ubootwaffe.pl/galeria/okrety/u-995/)
(courtesy of Britta Fischotter)
Also, drain valve located in place you pointed would make difficult to implement interlock between drain valve and opening doors gear.
I think that this is valve marked as (v) o the diagram
(source:
http://uboatarchive.net/U-570DesignBook.htm)
This is valve used to select which torpedo compensating tank 2 or 3 is to be used to flood/drain the tubes.
--
Regards
Maciek