Cargo Submarine U-Deutschland Artifacts and Model

[STBaltimore]

I'm in agreement with Steve as to hump frames "that they most likely do not have anything to do with hoisting up the radio masts." because of their positioning. However, I can not count out the possibility that they were safety covers for fill pipes, boom sockets or something else that was installed too close to the decking that they had to be placed with a portion of their bulk protruding to nearly deck-plane height. I'd also say that the graduated holes were made for both strength of the hump support and to lace lines through for additional tie-down purposes.

Then again ---- you want humps? Jensen provided a view of such on the DEUTSCHLAND'S deck... slightly modified, that we ought to take account of:

[IMG][/IMG]

I also feel exonerated to the degree that, when I had earlier mentioned that EVEN sister ships take on their own character EVEN prior to their going down the ways. If you recall, there was a comment or two about cookie-cutter sets of plans that would have had to be complied with. Sister ships are rarely (if ever) identical ships.

As to finding plans, we couldn't hope for better. But here too, and as Steve has pointed out, the cutout hull steps holds, visible just forward of the turret on BREMEN, don't exactly appear to be there during DEUTSCHLAND'S 1st trip to Amerika. Were such details (such as ladders and deck humps) included in DEUTSCHLAND'S ship drawings but some not added until she returned from her first voyage? Perhaps, but to put it frankly, we still don't know.

If you ask me, we are in need of someone on the ground in Germany with the intention to sniff out the whereabouts of the current repository which houses the shipyard archive.

STB

[UBremen]

Hello everyone,

makes you no hope for the original drawings. I did many years ago corresponding with the HDW shipyard in order to ask for plans of the merchand subs. But unfortunately the documents are gone lost in World War 2 .

The only thing I can offer to you is this small cutout of a very lousy old copy:


Regards
Claas

[drmessimer]

Steve: It's possible that the plans still exist, in which case they are probably either at Thyssen-Krupp A.G. in Essen or in the Bundesarchiv. Both are accessible online and either one would be able to answer your query in English. But with regard to the two odd fixtures that Claas spotted, they appear to be add-ons and probably wouldn't be in the original drawings. One possible soultion to the mystery would be to email Thyssen-Krupp and include a photo in the email that shows the gadgets and ask what they are. The Best. Dwight

[drmessimer]

Looks like Claas has already chased that possibilty and came up dry. Between the RAF and the 8th AF a lot of old stuff went into the big history trash bin. Dwight

[STBaltimore]

High and dry? Nevah!

Perhaps "...the RAF and the 8th AF [despatched] a lot of old stuff". However, I'm convinced that there is still a ton in the homes of dockyard workers and folks who may have been on hand when these two freighter subs came and went - during sea trials, open houses and seaward voyages.

Folks, just remember, we haven't identified/located all of the media's film footage or newspaper photo archives yet. Why I'll bet there is even a small cache somewhere at Rohr bei Suhl where, in 1867, der gute Kapitän was born/birthed. After all, there is a street named for him in Rohr.

The TITANIC hit the ice berg -- we're still underway boys!

[STBaltimore]

Do you suppose Paul's two mates didn't get one of those nifty D.O.R. flag insignia or are these post-1916 images placed on either side of Kapitän König's portrait:

[drmessimer]

STBaltimore: Now that's an interesting photograph. The image of Paul König was made during his TDY assignment to DOR. But the images of Paul Eyring and Franz Krapohl were made either before or after they were assigned to the U-Deutschland in April 1916. Those cap badges are Kaiserlichemarine. What is the date and publication that the photo is from? It must be dated after the US entry into the war, because the fact that the U-Deutschland's officers and men were actually members of the German Navy was a well kept secret. Good find. Dwight

[STBaltimore]

I thought you'd especially like the officer sette of the U-DEUTSCHLAND. I'll dig up the publication date of the image.

But I must say that if you are going to refer to periods of administrative leave from the German Navy, terms like TDY (US Army lingo) will never do. The navy - at least the one on this side of the Atlantic would refer to such simply as TAD - or Temporary Assigned Duty.

Ever figured out what the "Y" stood for in TDY? I haven't. >wink<

[drmessimer]

STBaltimore. Thanks for that, I like TAD, has a nice ring to it. TDY is really just two words, temporary duty and the Y is fthe last letter in duty. Army types aren't very imaginative and like to keep it simple. Dwight

[STBaltimore]

Hardy Har Haarrrrh Mate! And now we knows what it be.

By the way, did you know that the Port of Baltimore has a "Talk Like a Pirate Day"? Aye... It doo Laddie.

http://www.csnbaltimore.com/sportsne...e-day-9-20.htm