Tores mailbox VIIC and VIIC/41 operation and technical details

[Don Prince]

Hello Mr. Tore and Maciek,


I updated Skizzenbuch with the FAT hardware photos provided by Maciek in the torpedo section.  I uploaded the latest version of Skizzenbuch to dropbox...


Mr. Tore, your navigator must have had good maps and much better than the following navigator and captain in the US Nuclear submarine that hit a mountain....


The commander of the USS San Francisco, Kevin Mooney, has not been relieved of duty while the investigation of the accident continues.
Mooney could be relieved of duty if officials determine there is enough evidence that the accident could have been averted.
The investigation will look at the sub's speed, its location and whether the undersea formation was on navigational charts, officials said.
The submarine was traveling in excess of 33 knots -- about 35 mph --when its nose hit the undersea formation head-on, officials said.
The nuclear submarine docked Monday at a U.S. naval base in Guam, a spokesman with the U.S. Pacific Fleet said.
The San Francisco was escorted to port by U.S. Navy and Coast Guard vessels, according to Lt. j.g. Adam Clampitt. The submarine suffered "some external damage," he said.
"The injured sailors are being treated at a U.S. military medical facility on Guam and will be transferred to other facilities -- possibly Pearl Harbor in Hawaii or Okinawa in Japan -- as necessary," Clampitt said.
According to a military statement, the injuries included "broken bones, lacerations, bruises and a back injury."
The accident occurred about 350 miles (560 kilometers) south of Guam, the U.S. Navy said. There were 137 crew on board at the time of the accident.
Machinist Mate 2nd Class Joseph Allen Ashley, 24, of Akron, Ohio, died Sunday from injuries suffered in the accident, Clampitt said. "The Navy continues to offer its sincerest condolences and prayers to the family and friends of Petty Officer Ashley," he said.
Navy sources said the submarine was en route to Brisbane, Australia, for a port visit at the time of the accident. There was no damage to the sub's nuclear reactor, according to Clampitt.

Regards,
Don_

[tore]

Don
Yes, the charts were excellent don`t forget the area had been used since the viking times by Norwegian sailors and fishingmen for centuries, particularly the various heavy currents was known. You story of USS San Francisco raise an interesting question how much damage would a neutral buoyancy submarine suffer from a collision with a rock? I guess as the size of the impact would depend of the inertia massforces the speed would be the ruling factor and at to days submerged speeds in excess of 30 knots the massforces would be considerable. However the VIIC had a very modest submerged speed and in fact on one of the last WW2 missions, U-995 hit a rock. The story is: in the latter part of 1944, the German army retracted from Finland and into the northern Norwegian county of Finmark burning every town and house on their way. The Soviet troops followed and occupied the county. The Norwegian exile government in London decided to send freigthers with food supply to the population in the area and the cargo was unloaded in the incinerated town of Kirkenes. In February 1945, U-995 with Hess as the last German CO was in the area having orders to go after the allied convoys to Murmansk. Hess however decided  to attack a Norwegian freighter m/s Iddefjord laying in the harbour of the Kirkenes. Hess`idea was to approach the freighter semi submerged only the tower above the surface. Before they got in to position they hit an underwater rock shelf and got stuck at an big awkward angle, bow up. U-995 was not damaged but as she was in a fairly steep angle the was a risk of sliding astern and damage the propellers and rudders. She could not blow her tanks and surface as she would the be discovered. They waited in this position till dark and surfaced without being discovered and fired 3 torpedoes. Hess heard the detonations and recorded a sinking. However the torpedoes hit the rocks and m/s Iddefjord was undamaged as well as U 995.
Tore

[VIC20]

…how much damage would a neutral buoyancy submarine suffer from a collision with a rock?

[tore]

Lucky they did`t have the Kursk type torpedoer
Tore

[SG]

hydrogen peroxide "fat girls"..

[tore]

Wooden dinghy/ containers.
Storage space under the casingdeck was cramped and one of the most suitable space for a non inflatable boat/raft was port side between the fwd. torpedoloading hatch and the capstan. As the torpedo loading hatch was placed off center to stb. and the pressurehull tapered, the height to the casingdeck was increased. As far as I can see this space was used for a wooden dinghy until 1943. As from 1944 there are no sign of the dinghy and the space is taken by four pressurecontainers of which the fwd. is the deepest. I assume this container was used for an inflatable dinghy which possibly substituted the wooden dinghy. U 995 did not have containers during WW2 but got 2 under Norwegian flag. She had 4 when she was restored in Germany 1970. Today the museum U 995 does not have containers. It is strange that the the Haynes workshop manual on their front page has a sketch showing a late war VIIc with 4 containers misplaced too far to the bow.
Tore

[Don Prince]

Hello Mr. Tore and Maciek,


Upon Maciek's suggestion, I have added 8 pages (426 - 434) covering the Echolot, Radio Equipment, the Listening Room, and the Radio Room. I placed the latest version of Skizzenbuck in dropbox. 


If there are any issues with the latest version, then please let me know...


Regards,
Don_

[tore]

Don. Echolot.
As you see from my answer to Maciek question on the echolot the equipment, it was an important instrument to be used for navigation. Today with satelite navigation and previously Decca and Loran, it is easy to forget the old important navigation system as sounding. In the age of the sailingship,  navigation in difficult water was carried out by lead and line by a man in the bow reporting to the captain. In the Northsea Channel as well as other difficult areas they covered the lead with grease or wax which made it possible to take samples of the sea bottom  to the surface.  They were able, by looking at the gravel,sand, clay or mud, to determine the position of the ship . As mentioned we had very good charts with depth contoure lines which made the echolot the most important navigation aid for submerged navigation.
Tore

[Don Prince]

Hello Mr. Tore and Maciek,


I added some information on S-Gerät and 2 photos on page 430 and uploaded the latest version of Skizzenbuch to dropbox...


Regards,
Don_

[tore]

Don.
Looking into your last Skizzenbuch I accidentally discovered a wrong detail on page 416. On the Schnorchelmast you have used one of Simons old drawings which shows the raising arm operated by the hydraulic cylinder in a wrong position when the mast is upright. This has been discussed earlier on this thread and corrected by Simon as per the sketch below.
I don`t think we should let Simon take the blame for a wrong drawing.
Tore

[Don Prince]

Hello Mr. Tore and Maciek,


Great catch on the schnorchel ram arm wrong positing Mr. Tore.  Since Simon is our good buddy we'll give him a "Mulligan" on this one.  In the game of golf a Mulligan is a do-over!  I used part of your drawing and modified it.  I needed space for the combination drawing you previously did for me.


I modified the S-Gerät section per Maciek's suggestions with the info he provided.   I uploaded the latest version of Skizzenbuch to drop box, and please let me know if I got something wrong...


Regards,
Don_

[tore]

Happy easter!

[Capt Kremin]

Hi all,
That sums up the Royal  Navy K Class
Regards
Jon

[tore]

Don.
Your last update on the schnorchel seems OK.
Tore

[Don Prince]

Hello Mr. Tore.


I modified the drawing of the schnorchel ram arm because it didn't look right to me...  I believe it may be closer to correct.  Your opinion?


Regards,
Don_