U-45 WIP - Completed October 2019

[Mr. Bill]

Thanks Siara,

You are right.  I went back and looked more carefully at the U-45 photos and the braces were in the stowed position and the optical gun sights were not attached on commissioning day.  It is more difficult to determine how the gun was painted.  In some photos it is possible to see a dark grey on the top parts and a lighter grey (same as hull/tower) on the bottom parts.  In other photos, the entire gun looks to be painted in the lighter grey.  My best guess at this point is the dark / light colour scheme as that photo is of better quality.

Cheers,

Bill

[Mr. Bill]

Hello Everyone,

In reviewing some photos of U-45, I noticed something I have not seen before.  There seems to be a small hatch on the side of the hull just below the deck with two hinges on the bottom.  Perhaps some kind of access panel?  I have not seen this hatch on any other VIIB or VIIC.




Anyone know what this is?  Is it found on other VIIB's?

Thank you for your help.

Bill

[dougie47]

Hi Bill,

It is an access panel of some sort. I've seen it on U 47 but can't recall offhand if this panel was on VIICs. A similar panel would have been on the starboard side of U 45 also.

Regarding colours, remember that the 20mm mount was black around the base (same procedure as on the tower).

On commissioning day the paint would be pristine Dunkelgrau 51 (D51). We know it is the medium grey D51 because there is a photo of U 45 on commissioning day in front of a tender. The tender hull is painted D51, as per regualations. The upper colour of U 45 is very similar to the D51 on the tender.

Cheers,

Dougie

[NZSnowman]

Hello Everyone,

In reviewing some photos of U-45, I noticed something I have not seen before.  There seems to be a small hatch on the side of the hull just below the deck with two hinges on the bottom.  Perhaps some kind of access panel?  I have not seen this hatch on any other VIIB or VIIC.




Anyone know what this is?  Is it found on other VIIB's?

Thank you for your help.

Bill

Hi Bill

I was going to ask the same question yesterday about this hatch I started doing a little research on it over the last few days. Here what I found so far.

• I believe it is on all Type VII's.
• I believe its on both Port and Starboard.
• I believe the hatch enable cables to provide electricity into the boat (See picture below).
• There very little space inside the hatch as it right next to Group 2 of the high pressure air bottles.
• There must be a small catch inside the hatch to keep it closed, as you can see it laying down in the picture below. I initial consideration there was a small spring keeping it closed.
• I believe it is approximately 400-450mm wide and 200-250mm high.

Hope this helps, Simon

[Mr. Bill]

Hi Dougie,

Thanks for the information.  I have reviewed your excellent piece on U-boat colours and will use Testors Model Master enamels - #1721 (Medium Gray) for the upper hull & conning tower and #2101 (Anthrachitgrau) for the lower hull.  I want to use a slightly faded black with a hint of brown for the deck, how about an undercoat of brown with a light spray of Anthracitgrau - or would this be to light?  Smaller details, such as the black stripe on the 20mm pedestal and conning tower, will be guided your article.  Following colour coats, I will apply a gloss clear coat of Future and then some very light wash to bring out some shadows and details.  I might try a brown wash on the deck.  No weathering or rust as I want to show U-45 on commissioning day as per the photos. Finally, everything will be sprayed with flat clear.  

Thanks Again!

Bill

[Mr. Bill]

Hello Simon,

Many thanks for the detailed information on that access panel, very helpful!  I am sure you are correct about it being a standard feature on all Type VII boats.  I went back and looked more closely at my books and that access panel does appear in photos and diagrams of VIIB and VIIC boats, I never really noticed it before. The photo you posted clearly shows it being some kind of attachment point for dockside umbilical, probably electric as you mentioned.  I doubt it would be for water/sewage, but maybe.

Thanks!

Bill

[Bad Karma]

Hi guys,

This is for charching the batteries when the boat is in port.
without running the boats own diesels engines.
(source;U-boats in camera,page 24)

I believe this is the hatch too



(source;zu tode gesiegt,page 131)


regards,

Ron.


 

[NZSnowman]

Hi Ron

Great picture!!!! It nice and clear... Your right about the two screws holding the hatch closed, you can see them clearly in this picture. I will add this detail to my drawing.

Also from the photo the hatch look nearer to 450mm wide.

If you are wondering about the attachment point (in pink), I believe it an attachment plate for the legs support of the torpedo loading cradle.

[wildspear]

The quality of the picture is really great. very good detail.

[dougie47]

Hi Bill,

Regarding deck colours Anthracitgrau might work well over a brown undercoat...I think there must be various ways of achieving a desired finish. Given that it is a commissioning ceremony perhaps the deck may have received a coat of black preservative? If so then the deck would be darker and less brown.   

Cheers,

Dougie

[NZSnowman]

Here a similar photograph of this hatch on a Type IX.

[NZSnowman]

Also a Type VII U-609

[UrpoK]

Hi guys,

I

[NZSnowman]

Timo, good spotting!!! I do not see that. But is it not always cold in Germamy 

There was some text with the picture (see below). I can not remember where I got the picture or know that book it found. However, the idea about the hot water is very good!! You do not need two cable for power plus the diesel engine would love the hot water before starting it in cold weather.   

[Pat]

I'm not convinced about the connection being forhot water for several reasons.

1 You don't need two hoses for hot water.  If hot water was circulated in the engines to warm them up for starting, it would just be discharched into the ocean through the usual engine cooling system.

2 It would be very difficult to keep the water hot enough in winter while going through a hose.  I've never seen indications of any sort of boilers either portable or fixed along the quaysides meaning that such hoses would have to be several hundred feet long.

3 The picture of the Type IX from Snowman seems to be out on the water, with the hoses originating under the deck and going and going to the hatch.  An unusual arrangement for power, but even stranger if it was for hot water on a boat that should have the heater and all the water pipes inside the PH.

4 While in port, it makes sense to have shore power to run ship systems so that the engines can be shut down for servicing and to give the crew a respite from the constant noise.

5 Some of the larger boats at my YC have more than one power cable attached while they're in port because one cable can't carry enough electricity to keep everthing running like refrigeration, A/C, fans, lights, radios, etc.  And shore power connections even 30 years ago when I started boating weren't very good.  15 AMP power was common back then, while now 30 AMP is standard.  I'd think in the 40's, the cables might have been even more primitive requiring two for a boat as big as a U-boat.

6 Diesel engines that I'm familiar with have "glow plugs" to heat them up before starting.  These plugs would require electricity, not water.

7 If a boat needed hot water to keep the engines warm enough to start in Germany, how would the boats on the Murmansk Convoy Route have started their engines after surfacing in the middle of the winter during a patrol?  Again, a glow plug, if required, would take power from the batteries.