U625 :: help needed

[GlennCauley]

In going back to my first U-boat model -- U-625 which I built in 2005/2006 -- I have doubts that I got the details correct.

Attached are some U-625 pictures taken of when she was attacked and sunk. There is limited information on U-625, though I am hoping some have more info than I... and will share.

I would appreciate if people here would analyze available U-625 pics/sites and give me their impressions/interpretations of U-625 (a type VIIC):

1. Is there a deck gun?  (I don't see one)
2. Is there a bow deck cutter?  (I don't see one)
3. Are there 4 watertight contains on the foredeck (liferaft containers)?
4. Is the deck slotted or planked?
5. What kind of tower is it?   (description, please)

• Standard VIIC tower with circular AA rear deck and single 2cm AA gun... or other?

• If tower was anything beyond a standard tower, what would likely be the tower type & armament?

• Were there antenna housings on the tower?  (descriptions, please)

6. Where & how many tower emblem(s) would there likely be?    1 on each side, or 1 front center?
7. Was there a snorkel?
8. What other details are likely about U-625?

Any help is appreciated!

[dougie47]

Hi Glenn,

Here are a few points to answer your queries -

1 - No deck gun

2 - No net cutter at bow

3 - This one is more difficult. I can't see any containers on the foredeck. U 625 was sunk in March 1944 and I think they tended to be added later in 1944. But I would welcome other opinions on this.

4 - U 625 was launched in April 1942. At this time VIICs were being fitted with slotted deck and the change to planked deck came later. They did not change existing slotted deck to planked deck. So I think we can be reasonable sure U 625 had a slotted deck throughout her career including during her loss.

5 - U 625 would have been launched with a Turm 0 tower. The boat would probably have been refitted with a Turm II at the very end of 1942 or in the first few months of 1943. There would have then been a change to Turm IV at some point. Have a look at the top image in this link -

https://ww2aircraft.net/forum/threads/u-625-sinking.35373/

This shows U 625 with a Turm IV. There would have been a pair of 20mm twins on the upper platform of the Turm IV. The image shows a 37mm on the lower platform. This is the same combination as your model.

Your model also has a FuMO 30 box on the port side which is correct.

6 - There is no way of knowing the position of the emblems but quite often there were two - one on either side - in the position on your model. The colours of the emblem on your model are correct as per info in Hoegel's book. So your emblems are as good as the available sources.

7 - No snort

U 625 had the standard bow rather than Atlantic bow. This is good as your model has the standard bow.

Overall I think you can relax. You don't need to make any major modifications that I can see. Your model has a slotted deck, standard bow, Turm IV, twin 20mms on upper platform, 37mm on lower platform, FuMO 30 box, no net cutter, no snort and no deck gun. These are all the features on U 625 at the time of loss that I can see.

The only issue may be the four containers on the foredeck but I would welcome other opinions on this.

Cheers,

Dougie

[GlennCauley]

Thank you, Dougie.


Looking at the blurry photographs, it seemed that the wintergarten deck is much smaller than the one on my model.


The reason this all came up is that I brought my 3 large U-boats to our club's Remembrance Day display at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum on Nov 9-10.


The wooden deck on U-625 had become unglued and was bulged out and disconnected from the hull. 
I will have to repair it, and thought about doing another U-625 (now that my skills have improved) if it was horribly wrong.

[AndrewTSM]

Got pictures of them all together there?

[GlennCauley]

Not right now, but there are pics of them in the build albums
https://gc-scalemodels.ca/Ships/


U-625 (VIIC)
U-673 (VIIC)
U-190 (IXC/40)