Hello Mr. Tore,
I was thinking about the external canisters that held the spare torpedoes below the deck... The G7a torpedo weighed about 3,369 lbs and the G7e weighed about 3,534 lbs; a torpedo canister would displace about 4,032 lbs of water. So, I figure with the weight of the canister and the air space at the end-points of the torpedo in the canister; there was about neutral buoyancy on the loaded tubes below the deck. The G7a (T1) torpedo had a negative buoyancy of about 605 lbs and the G7e (T2 and T3) was about 597 lbs negative buoyancy.
However, my first thought would be when the torpedoes were moved inside the pressure hull, then the torpedoes weight is still on the U-Boat, only now inside the pressure hull. When the torpedo is fired, then the water from the torpedo tube is drained into a torpedo trim tank. Therefore, there is no weight change on the U-Boat. You now have the water in the torpedo trim tank countering the emptied torpedo canister below the deck weight loss.
Did they seal the canisters after removing the torpedoes?
Then the weight has not changed on the U-Boat; the torpedo was just moved inside the pressure hull. When the torpedo is fired, then water from the torpedo tube is pumped into the torpedo trim tank to maintain the balance and the U-Boat's trim line.
However, I would think if they closed the canisters, then there would be two (2) sealed canisters containing an air bubble creating a diving issue.
I believe this would be a lesser issue with the Type VII U-Boats with just two (2) external torpedo canisters, but on a Type IX U-Boat with ten (10) torpedo canisters where this could create a serious diving problem...
What do you think...
Regards,
Don_