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Photo Album

German Submarines

Pictures of submarines of the German Kriegsmarine of 1935 to 1945 on display. U 505 is in Chicago, U 995 is located in Laboe near Kiel and U 2540 in Bremerhaven. More information about these and another boat in the article German Submarines.

2010 April 7 15 / 2014 March 11

Bremerhaven (161) Chicago (155) Germany (318) Illinois (155) Laboe (157) Museum of Science and Industry (155) Rabea (1) Type IX (155) Type VII (157) Type XXI (161) U 2540 (161) U 505 (155) U 995 (157)

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View of U-505 from the stern.
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View of U-505 from the tail with screws, diving planes and rudder.
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Conning tower of the U-505 with the two 20mm anti-air guns and the 37mm anti-air gun.
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Conning tower with emblem.
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One of the screws.
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Screws and rudder at the stern of U-505.
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Rear torpedo tubes.
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Tail of U-505.
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A 20mm anti-air gun.
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The 20mm anti-air gun.
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Twin 2cm Anti-Aircraft Gun (2cm Flugabwehrkanone c/30 Flak 38) One of the biggest threats to a U-boat came from Allied aircraft dropping bombs. As the war progressed, Allied aircraft gained more and more air superiority until there were no longer any safe areas of the ocean for a U-boat to maneuver or hide. In response to the increasing Allied air threat, U-boats were equipped with more antiaircraft weapons to protect themselves. U-505's Anti-Aircraft Guns On November 11, 1942, the U-505 was bombed and heavily damaged by a British seaplane. The boat was repaired over the next six months and her new, enlarged conning tower was outfitted with one 3.7-centimeter and two, twin 2-centimeter antiaircraft guns so the U-505 could better protect herself. In the end, her crew never had the opportunity to fire the anti-aircraft guns in combat.
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Piston of U-505.
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Model of the galley.
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Food Supply Approximately 12 tons of food were loaded onto the U-505 before she departed for a 100 day patrol. The crew ate the fresh food on board first, and then relied on canned foods once the fresh foods had been consumed or had spoiled. A typical U-boat food supply included: 494 pounds fresh and cooked meats 238 pounds sausages 4,808 pounds preserved / tinned meats 334 pounds preserved fish 3,858 pounds potatoes 397 pounds dried potatoes 3,428 pounds other vegetables 1,226 pounds bread dough 2,058 pounds preserved breads 463 pounds rice and noodles 595 pounds fresh eggs 917 pounds fresh lemons 2,365 pounds other fruits 551 pounds butter and margarine 611 pounds soup ingredients 408 pounds marmelade and honey 309 pounds fresh and preserved cheese 1,728 pounds powdered milk 441 pounds fruit juices 154 pounds coffee 205 pounds other drinks (inluding beer) 441 pounds sugar 132 pounds salt 108 pounds chocolate
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Buoyancy Station Unlike other types of boats, a submarine can adjust its buoyancy (or tendency to float) by increasing or decreasing its weight at sea. To reach a desired depth, the crew of the U-505 manipulated a series of controls that changed the weight of the sub and, in turn, forced her to either dive or surface as needed. Submerging & Surfacing in U-505 The U-505 floated on the surface when she had positive buoyancy, meaning that she weighed less than the water she was displacing. To submerge, the crew opened a vent valve that allowed air to rush out of the top of the ballast tanks located between the sub's inner and outer hulls. As the air left, water rushed in through a floot valve at the bottom of the tanks. The water made the sub heavier, creating negative buoyancy, which caused her to submerge. To surface, the crew closed the vent valve, allowing compressed air to blow into the tanks and expel the water. Dive Planes & Trim Tanks The U-505's planemen adjusted the boat's movable dive planes to control the angle of the boat when she was diving and surfacing. When the sub reached her desired depth, the planes were leveled to help keep the sub level. Fine adjustments to the boat's balance were made by transferring water in or out of the trim tranks, or regulating tanks.
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