SCHNORCHEL PISTONMaciek, recently provided me some additional information about the Schnorchel, so I have updated my drawing. The new Schnorchel piston drawings are significantly more detail and correct compare to my old drawing.
Fig. 1. Top view.
Fig. 2. Side view, red box is the Schnorchel mast at 0°.
Fig. 3. Side view, red box is the Schnorchel mast at 45°.
Fig. 3. Side view, red box is the Schnorchel mast at 90°.
There is some suggestion that there are two styles of Schnorchel piston found on the Type VIIC's, a 'Loop' design as seen in most photographs and a 'streamline' design as see on some plans and drawings. My research indicates that there is only one schnorchel piston design, the 'Loop' design. It is believed that incorrect plans, poor quality photographs, the current configuration of U-995 and the Type VIIC Revell models have all led to suggest of a second 'streamline' schnorchel piston and pipe design. Schnorchel mast is raised and lowered by the Schnorchel piston that is controlled by two hand wheels in the control room which activate a hydraulic mechanism. One hand-wheel is turned to "Open" for rising, when the Schnorchel is to be lowered, this wheel must be in the "Closed" position and the other wheel turned to "Open".