Tuesday, January 5, 2016

A Type II Coastal U-Boat

This shows a small Type II coastal submarine. The main conning tower hatch can be seen open behind the periscope support, between the two men who are leaning over and peering down at the upper deck. The sailor is using the galley hatch. Much to the annoyance of the cook, this was the main way in and out of the submarine while in port. In the foreground is a red and white rescue buoy with a light on the top. This was released from a submerged boat in times of an emergency. These conspicuous objects were later accomodated inside containers with almost flush-fitting lids, to be less obstructive for men working on the upper deck. Towards the end of the war they became a superfluous luxury and some boats went to the sea without them.

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