Yeah I agree with you Chris. If they hadn't done something with her soon she would have been scrapped & that would have been even worse!!!. Cheers Terry.
Yeah I agree with you Chris. If they hadn't done something with her soon she would have been scrapped & that would have been even worse!!!. Cheers Terry.
Sorry guys but you wouldnt cut up an intact Lancaster Bomber or Tiger Tank why on earth did they do this to one of only 3 surviving U Boats, it beggars belief!
The money spent on butchering it and humilatingly displaying it could have been spent on refurbishing it and making it display worthy in the form it terrorised the northern seas
Nick
"In all my years as a soldier, I have never seen men fight so hard." - SS Obergruppenfuhrer Wilhelm Bittrich - Arnhem
Can only agree with the above. Nick is correct, the costs to establish the current exhibit should have been used in a different manner - one of only several U-Boats still viewable and the ONLY boat to have been raised. A great shame indeed.by Woolgar
But let's not have this thread descend into an argument regarding the use of the relic - the damage is already done. Instead, we can appreciate the images shared above and be thankful if we were among those fortunate enough to take part in the limited number tours that were organised earlier, or enjoy what is presently on show at the "U-Boar Story" exhibition today.
As is evidenced from my comments on page one, I of course agree with the above two comments.
How ever, I must also hasten to add, that although my comments may have seemed harsh, they of course in NO way reflect on Tango, who is a forum good guy in my book. As Tango seems well balanced(-ish) and an adult, I would expect him to perceive my comments as just a forum members opinion. His replies/comments in the thred leads me to believe, tht it is so. None the less, I must emphasize, that it was nothing personal. The cutting up of the boat is just a sore subject IMO. As Carl correctly stated, enough about that and back to the regular scheduled programming.
My, thatis an awfully nice hue, that they painted the sub in - anybody got the RALnumber for that!?
ScoutAs is evidenced from my comments on page one, I of course agree with the above two comments.
How ever, I must also hasten to add, that although my comments may have seemed harsh, they of course in NO way reflect on Tango, who is a forum good guy in my book. As Tango seems well balanced(-ish
My, thatis an awfully nice hue, that they painted the sub in - anybody got the RALnumber for that!?
Why would anyone think your comments were personal ?
Nick
Poor choice of words then. Just wanted to stress, that my comments were directed at the butchering of the U-534 and not at Tango. Any U-boat thread is an interesting thread
I was thinking about a few memories I have from some of my visits to the boat...
One guide told me of a former crew member, aged around 80 at the time, with a larger frame than the one he had during his KM service, who when standing inside the boat looking at the cramped conditions and down at his belly said "You know, all these years down in the water have possibly shrunk the boat...it doesn't seem quite as easy to get through these doors nowadays!"
And the resident pigeons that built their nests within the various gaps on the outside of the hull...including where the depth charge went off...never a good sight as I often thought how the boat was being neglected but it still made people smile...
And the other stories...
The guide tried to question one former engineer about who the unknown passenger was that was headed to South America on the boat's final journey, his reply "I swore an oath of secrecy and will take that information to the grave"
Then there was the gold of course...or was there...?
Nice stories Carl
Nick
No gold, no diamonds much to the chagrin of those who initially re-discovered and funded the raising of the boat.
By a coincidence, I met the diver resonsible for re-discovering the sub just this last weeekend in passing.
He is a friend of a friend. Didnt exchange any words or anything, I just noticed him at an event.
Nick, there are more surviving boats than you think... There is of course U505 and U 534. And then there is the Type V11/C41 at Laboe (U995) Then there is the type XX1 which was scuttled in May 1945, and raised in the 1950's, refitted and used by the federal German navy under the name 'Wilhelm Bauer.' She was restored to her wartime configuration in the 1980's and is now a tourist attraction at Bremen. My daughter (lucky sod) and her husband are going to visit her in a few weeks time. I will ask her to photograph it. There is one more U Boat which is on display in Finland - a Type 11 which was used by the Finnish navy. I cannot remember the name of it, but it should come up in a google search. I took several photographs of U 534 before she was cut up, I will have a root for them. I even took a picture of my daughter and her shopping bag when she took up the No 2 position on the Bofors 40mm gun they also had on display - she had her shopping bag hanging on the traverse handle!
Cheers, Steve.
Last edited by HARRY THE MOLE; 04-10-2014 at 06:58 PM.
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