VIIC "On the Ways"

[SnakeDoc]

Hi Christopher


I like the hull valve drawing very much.


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Regards
Maciek

[Greif]

Thank you for a lot of great information Chris.  Your drawing is excellent.  When I continue working on my Type VIIc interior build, sometime this decade hopefully, the next section will be the Zentrale and this information will be invaluable.  Thank you again!
 
Ernest

[tore]

Christopher.
Your drawings are of professional quality, together with Simon you two guys are providing a lot of documentation of the VIICs. I`m probably interfering on a subject I should`t because I don`t know anything about the torpedoes but I noticed a few details on your sea board valve drawing. To me I got the impression that the pipeplan shows an ordinary boardvalve with air connection for weedblowing. Se standard sketch below. As far as I can see(it may be wrong) there are only two valves connected to the valvehousing as usual the correctly marked ( with a ball) handwheel for the boardvalve and the smaller correctly marked handwheel for the seaweedblowing. This arrangement is on all vital board valves. Again sorry for interfering.

[SnakeDoc]

Hi Tore

To me I got the impression that the pipeplan shows an ordinary boardvalve with air connection for weedblowing. Se standard sketch below. As far as I can see(it may be wrong) there are only two valves connected to the valvehousing as usual the correctly marked ( with a ball) handwheel for the boardvalve and the smaller correctly marked handwheel for the seaweedblowing. This arrangement is on all vital board valves.

Tore, of course you are right - the hull valve in the forward torpedo room is fitted with the connection for seaweedblowing, but it is left unconnected (in contrast to the similar valve in the aft torpedo room). Some time ago I have been wondering about it, and I suppose, that Germans left it unconnected to simplify the low pressure installation (although near is a low pressure line to flooding and draining torpedo tubes) and this valve was not as "vital" as the other valves (in control room - for drain pumps, in diesel engine room - for engine cooling, in aft torpedo room - for electric motor cooling).
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Regards
Maciek

[tore]

Christopher/ Maciek.
Maciek thanks for the answer. I having studied the drawings and photos a bit more and I guess the only right in my previous post is that I do not know anything about torpedoes . Anyhow me being puzzled about seaweed blowing is probably due to the fact that I didn`t recognize the icon for the seavalve properly, it is not a suction seavalve (as for pumps) but a flooding seavalve normally not equipped with weedblowing (low suction). Normally the seavalve housing do not have any direct connection to other pipes, branch off is done after the valve ( except HP air for weedblowing) however this valve has indeed a connection for fineflooding instead of weedblowing. Below I have made a picture trying to explain my thoughts.
I`m not sure about the 2nd. extra connection you made on the valvehousing Christopher, as I cannot see it on the photo and it is unusual to have so many connections directly on the seaboardvalves. Again I am in deep water when I come to torpedo questions you guys know better than me.
Tore

[TopherVIIC]

Christopher/ Maciek.
Maciek thanks for the answer. I having studied the drawings and photos a bit more and I guess the only right in my previous post is that I do not know anything about torpedoes . Anyhow me being puzzled about seaweed blowing is probably due to the fact that I didn`t recognize the icon for the seavalve properly, it is not a suction seavalve (as for pumps) but a flooding seavalve normally not equipped with weedblowing (low suction). Normally the seavalve housing do not have any direct connection to other pipes, branch off is done after the valve ( except HP air for weedblowing) however this valve has indeed a connection for fineflooding instead of weedblowing. Below I have made a picture trying to explain my thoughts.
I`m not sure about the 2nd. extra connection you made on the valvehousing Christopher, as I cannot see it on the photo and it is unusual to have so many connections directly on the seaboardvalves. Again I am in deep water when I come to torpedo questions you guys know better than me.
Tore

Tore -
I will be the first person to admit if my drawing is not right. I submit it to all involved so we can learn more, and I will change the drawing should we gain more understanding.
I swear I see a second valve in several pictures as shown below. Admittedly, the green paint and lighting do not make it easy to see, but it looks like a valve with a small "L" shaped actuator that has a ball on the end of it, like the larger one only smaller. I do not know what it leads to. I also have to put the airline on the forward section that leads to the Ausgleicharmatur. I am not exactly sure how that fixes to the Bordventil housing, but it should not be terribly difficult to figure out. I do have one pic showing the air line coming out forward at a 90 degree angle. To me it looks as if there are a total of three fixtures tapped into the bordventil casting, and the large pipe connecting to the compensating and trim tanks.

I have outlined and slightly enhanced the questionable valve in red. I do thank all of you gentlemen, and look forward to figuring this out.
Christopher

[TopherVIIC]

Also working on various subsystems of the torpedo tubes. Here are drawings (that are subject to change of course) Please let me know what you think...








Investigating the tubes, i have come to the realization that while nominally mirrored they cannot be exactly mirrored, as the torpedos are the controlling factor.
There are no port or starboard torpedos - so certain fixtures must be in the same place on each tube.
There are, however, port-side fixtures and starboard fixtures for the tubes. You cannot use all of the parts from one side to fix the other side.
This no doubt, increased the logistical load for the warehousing and mechanical people.
The pistons have keys/ears the go diagonally depending on the side of the ship they are on.
The aft torpedo tube on the U-995 seems to be closest to the portside model.
I will be adjusting and investigating more - feel free to add observations.
Christopher

[SnakeDoc]

Hi Christopher


Good work - really nice drawings.

For me, it looks like tube walls were to thin. It seems, that your drawing is based on the Vesikko's torpedo tube, which in my opinion is not the same as tubes on German U-Boats. There are no place for recesses for piston ears.

Investigating the tubes, i have come to the realization that while nominally mirrored they cannot be exactly mirrored, as the torpedos are the controlling factor.
There are no port or starboard torpedos - so certain fixtures must be in the same place on each tube.
There are, however, port-side fixtures and starboard fixtures for the tubes. You cannot use all of the parts from one side to fix the other side.
This no doubt, increased the logistical load for the warehousing and mechanical people.
The pistons have keys/ears the go diagonally depending on the side of the ship they are on.
The aft torpedo tube on the U-995 seems to be closest to the portside model.

Right, the gyro angle gear is always on the stb side of the tube, while depth and speed setting gear - on the port (for forward tubes). The pistons were not exchangeable between the tubes.


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Regards
Maciek

[tore]

Christopher.
I fully agree the proof is on you photo, no doubt it is a third valve connection, I failed to see that. Again I don`t know the torpedoside of the system, but if somebody has not messed around with the T-handle this valveconnection with a handleball should be in direct connection ( shortcutting the mainvalve) with the sea. The 90 degrees T-handlebend should indicate the type of the connection, fuel, air or steam. I don`t see fuel as an alternative, air could of course be weedblowing, but that was usually not a T-handle but a small wheel. The valve is placed in the bow area, in bad weather the bow was frequently above the
surface, U 995 was operating in the Arctic, Barents sea, theoretically it could be a steam deicing connection, although I never heard of it and I cannot remember any icing problems in this area. Below I have indicated the two handle alternatives if you are able to identify the type on you photo. You drawings are absolutely of professional standard and a pleasure to look at.
Tore

[tore]

Christopher.
Looking at the available system sketches there are no indications of these connections on the standard sketches, that might be because it is a later modification based on experience.
According to the standard for the handledesign, both  smaller valves should be connected to  the seaside of the mainvalve ( low on the valvehousing), they should be able to be opened with the mainvalve shut. I believe a  possible equalizing pipeconnection would according to the handle code have a T handle valve and that could leave the wheel handlevalve to a possible weedblowing airconnection which is really not standard for the flowvalve.  I have of course nothing to contribute on the need for torpedosystem piping.
Tore

[SnakeDoc]

Here is one more shot of this valve


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Regards
Maciek

[NZSnowman]

Hi Christopher

Fantastic drawing!

It made me recheck my drawings, which was great as I found a few small mistakes which I was able to fix

Simon

[tore]

Maciek
Unbelievable a third extra connection on a seaboard valve. This look more than a seaweed blow valve, leaving the other two in the dark. Could we guess equalizing line and steam? I really not sure.
Tore

[SnakeDoc]

Unbelievable a third extra connection on a seaboard valve. This look more than a seaweed blow valve, leaving the other two in the dark. Could we guess equalizing line and steam? I really not sure.

Well, the visible line going right is pressure equalizing line. The other two, top located small valves seem to be unconnected. I bet, that one (with wheel handle) would be for seaweed blowing, while the other - with "L" handle - for example - connection for the depth meter (as far as I know, in forward torpedo room there isn't separate pressure hull opening for this gauge).


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Regards
Maciek

[tore]

Maciek.
I guess you could be right.
Tore