Hi Don,
The only thing that bothers me is that the Wilhelm Bauer Type XXI has that device in place of the original Bold. It does not in any way look like the SSE Mark 2 or the SSE Mark 4.
In my opinion, in case of Wilhelm Bauer the matter is clear: the war-time bold ejector was replaced with post-war SSE. Where could they put the new ejector? In the place of the old one.
I didn't say that it looks like SSE MK 2 or MK 4, I said it looks slightly similar to the MK 4.
At first, in my opinion, the ejector on Wilhelm Bauer is the same type (or maybe not of the same type but the same design) as ejector installed in place of the Junkers exhaust valve on U 995.
Here is the comparison:
1. shaft (for opening the external flap)
2. gear for driving interlock (to prevent opening the internal flap when external flap is opened and vice-versa)
3. shaft for driving interlock
4. blanked connection
5. line connection for flooding/draining the ejector
6. the hinge
7. the shaft for opening internal flap
I'm not sure if you agree that these are the same devices or not?
The device in U-995 does not look to have the ability to swing open like the Mark 2, nor does it have the ability to hinge open like the Mark 4 because of the pipe and the segment shaft to the interlock.
OK, this is how it supposed to work (according to me, at least):
The shaft (1) driven by hand-lever is for opening the external flap. The flap is opening against the sea pressure.
The flap is interlocked (by means of the gear 2 and shaft 3) with internal flap, to prevent opening both flaps at the same time (similarly as in case of the torpedo tubes).
To open the external flap (with charge loaded into the ejector), the pressure inside the ejector has to be equalized with external sea pressure. Otherwise, the sea pressure forces the external flap (opening outwards) to be closed. The equalization is done by means of the line (5), which makes possible to flood the ejector with external sea water (similarly as in case of torpedo tubes).
When charge was ejected, the external flap is closed and the ejector can be drained by the same line (5).
The piping on U 995 is missing, however on Wilhelm Bauer the piping seems to be complete: there is visible line branching to small hull valve and the branch to drain/vent the ejector.
And the most important thing: how the internal flap was opened (to load anything into ejector)?
I think that internal flap (or breech) was opened similar to the S.S.E. MK 2, the breech was moved/slid aside
horizontal (unlike the MK 4, where the breech is opening downward).
The hand-wheel can drive some kind of dog-catches (as in case of the normal hatches).
Mr. Tore cold resolve the question about the junkers compressor...
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Mr. Tore - do you remember if the Junkers air compressor was ever used on U-995?
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If the Junkers compressor was used by the Norwegians, then changes were made during the Museum renovation; But what changes?
The brief history of
KMN Kaura:
01.12.1952 - commissioning in Royal Norwegian Navy
1957 - overhauling and modernization
12.1962 - putting into reserve
Removing of the Junkers exhaust could be done by Norwegians in 1957. They could use it before 1957 and could abandon using it after 1957. During the renovation/restoration to the state from May 1945 (in 1971) there would be no sense to install new ejector in place of the Junkers compressor exhaust valve.
In the book
U 995 by Eckard Wetzel, on page 144 there is a small photo of the aft torpedo room, taken on 1965, when U 995 was moved to Kiel, before any restoration work. I think that on the photo the present arrangement is visible. I mean that the device in place of Junkers exhaust valve (I assume that it is S.S.E) was present there in 1965.
It supports the assumption that it was installed there during overhaul in 1957.
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Regards
Maciek
