Tores mailbox VIIC and VIIC/41 operation and technical details

[tore]

Tore-
Do you remember if the torpedomen stored the torpedoes with the contact pistols threaded onto the warheads of the unloaded torpedoes or were they kept locked up and put on prior to loading into the tubes? I know that might be outside the duties of a snort officer, but I wonder if that is something you might have known...
Christopher

Christopher.
As you say my duty as chief engineer was a bit far from this question, however I`m almost sure they were kept locked up knowing the norwegian procedures for ammo and warheads.
Tore

[TopherVIIC]

I was an ammunition and EOD tech in the U.S. Marine corps, and I suspected that was the case. I dealt with ground ordnance and explosives, and never with naval explosives, but I believe the handling procedures were similar. When I stow my below-deck torpedoes I will be sure to keep the pistols in their locker! ;-)

[tore]

I was an ammunition and EOD tech in the U.S. Marine corps, and I suspected that was the case. I dealt with ground ordnance and explosives, and never with naval explosives, but I believe the handling procedures were similar. When I stow my below-deck torpedoes I will be sure to keep the pistols in their locker! ;-)

Seems to me the only sensible thing to do. Reloading the tubes was a timeconsuming and noisy job and wouldn`t be done immediately after you have launched your torpedoes. You would rather switch to silent running and sneak away to a safe area where you could reload and hence
the timesaving by having the contact pistols fitted wouldn`t be a point.
Tore

[SnakeDoc]

Hi
I also think, that pistols were removed from warheads of the reserve torpedoes. The pistols - especially contact, whiskers type - were rather fragile and in general mess and crowd of the forward torpedo room could be easily damaged.
Moreover, on the following photo of thet forward torpedo room of U-190 (IXC) I have marked the handles which are described by Kohl Fritz and Niestle Axel as the handles for the torpedo pistols.



--
Regards
Maciek

[TopherVIIC]

Thank you gentlemen - good information!
In the Marine Corps we had similar devices for mortar fuses and large projectiles like 155 mm HE to protect the fuse wells and detonation pistols. I suspect that the devices you circled above were used to manipulate the pistols and protect them while being loaded. A question I would have is where were the pistols stored? On the Type VII there are supposedly water-proof lockers in the aft end of the forward torpedo room. I would guess that they are stored there? Probably there is a similar locker for the aft torpedo room.
Christopher

[tore]

Thank you gentlemen - good information!
In the Marine Corps we had similar devices for mortar fuses and large projectiles like 155 mm HE to protect the fuse wells and detonation pistols. I suspect that the devices you circled above were used to manipulate the pistols and protect them while being loaded. A question I would have is where were the pistols stored? On the Type VII there are supposedly water-proof lockers in the aft end of the forward torpedo room. I would guess that they are stored there? Probably there is a similar locker for the aft torpedo room.
Christopher

Christopher
I cannot remember any pistols stored in bulkheadbrackets like on the type IXC- U 190. I guess we normally (in peace time at least) would have stored everything related to this in ammostorage compartment like the ammostorage below COs quarter. Again reloading the tubes with torpedoes having warheads with pistols fitted was not done very often in peacetime we mostly used dummytorpedoes for training. It migth be we would have done it differently in wartime but as I previously said I believe you would have time to fetch them from the ammocompartment when reloading. But I really don`t know as you know it was not my business.
Tore

[SnakeDoc]

Hi

I cannot remember any pistols stored in bulkheadbrackets like on the type IXC- U 190. I guess we normally (in peace time at least) would have stored everything related to this in ammostorage compartment like the ammostorage below COs quarter. Again reloading the tubes with torpedoes having warheads with pistols fitted was not done very often in peacetime we mostly used dummytorpedoes for training. It migth be we would have done it differently in wartime but as I previously said I believe you would have time to fetch them from the ammocompartment when reloading. But I really don`t know as you know it was not my business.

Tore, I think you are right - on type VIIC boats the pisols were not stored in that way - mainly because of lack of space. They could be stored in the munition room, below quaters, together with demolishion charges and ammo for the guns.
The brackets from the photo above were used to hold the canisters for the Pi-1 and Pi-2 pistols (as on this photo of the U-190 forward torpedo room, at backboard).



Similar canister can be visible on attached photo (U-826 after surrender, while disarming, probably in Loch Lisahally or Loch Ryan). Second photo presents the Pi-2 pistol (combined impact and magnetic type) itself.
--
Regards
Maciek

[tore]

Hi

I cannot remember any pistols stored in bulkheadbrackets like on the type IXC- U 190. I guess we normally (in peace time at least) would have stored everything related to this in ammostorage compartment like the ammostorage below COs quarter. Again reloading the tubes with torpedoes having warheads with pistols fitted was not done very often in peacetime we mostly used dummytorpedoes for training. It migth be we would have done it differently in wartime but as I previously said I believe you would have time to fetch them from the ammocompartment when reloading. But I really don`t know as you know it was not my business.

Tore, I think you are right - on type VIIC boats the pisols were not stored in that way - mainly because of lack of space. They could be stored in the munition room, below quaters, together with demolishion charges and ammo for the guns.
The brackets from the photo above were used to hold the canisters for the Pi-1 and Pi-2 pistols (as on this photo of the U-190 forward torpedo room, at backboard).



Similar canister can be visible on attached photo (U-826 after surrender, while disarming, probably in Loch Lisahally or Loch Ryan). Second photo presents the Pi-2 pistol (combined impact and magnetic type) itself.
--
Regards
Maciek

Well Maciek I think we have reached a conclusion to this question. Interesting pictures you posted.
Tore

[tore]

A few of you guys have in your projects approached the living quarters and the wooden lockers and closets. May be you would take interest in how the private storagesystem worked. The ratings,POs and junior officers had lockers for their personal belongings. The EO and No1 had a wardrobe and the CO both.
The wardrobes and lockers were adjacent to each persons bunk. They were not an ideal place to put your stuff. the humidity was high and all the brass had a tendency to turn green and the textile mouldy. I let the chief-electrician install electric lamps in the lockers, to keep it dry. That helped, but was probably not allowed. But if there are still lamps in the lockers of U 995, please remember that`s not the way it was originally.
Tore
 

[TopherVIIC]

Tore -
I love a good engineer! Well done!

[NZSnowman]

 Q: Engine Room - Assembly Patch

Tore, I was wondering, did you ever used the assembly patch, to remove the diesel engine, to service them? Or have the original diesel engine always stay within U-995?

[NZSnowman]

Q: Engine Room - Handle

Tore, was the handle for the Main Air Inlet valve in the engine room painted red?

[NZSnowman]

Q: Engine Room - Bilges

Tore, on plans for the engine of the Type VIIC

[tore]

Q: Engine Room - Assembly Patch

Tore, I was wondering, did you ever used the assembly patch, to remove the diesel engine, to service them? Or have the original diesel engine always stay within U-995?

Simon
The dieselengines on all VIICs were heavy and never removed from their shocks. The maintenance was done onboard. In case of major dammages at remote places we did the repairs  by the engineroomcrew and had all kind of spares onboard. Conrod big end bearings dammages were fairly common and on one occasion it resulted in crankpin dammages, We had to grind the crankpin by a homemade tool. Don`t think industrial diesels, the VIICs engines were true marine diesels  and I`m pretty sure the ME of U 995 are the originals, if you are in doubt look at crankpin no3 port engine it is about 2/10 th of a mm smaller than the rest.
Tore

[tore]

Q: Engine Room - Handle

Tore, was the handle for the Main Air Inlet valve in the engine room painted red?

It was red like all the important pressurehullvalves. Today U 995 look like having measles.
Tore