Technology and Operations
This forum is for discussing technological & operational matters pertaining to U-boats.
Re: Torpedo tube rollers in U-boats
Posted by:
Natter
()
Date: August 28, 2011 03:26PM
My experience is limited to the german surfacetubes, although I would think a similar principle was applied to the submarinetubes:
The tube is made of steel, with brass rail "inlays" at bottom and sides to guide and support the torpedo (giving a couple of cm's clearance between the torpedo and the steelwall of the tube). At certain intervals, there's also a similar brass ring, covering the full diametre of the tube, to ensure proper seal around the torpedohull. All these "inlays" are removeable, thus offering the possibility to replace the parts due to damage or wear, without scrapping the complete tube-assembly (a possibility that would be of much more benefit in a submarine of course).
I don't know what the germans actually used for lubrication and corrosion-protection during WW2 (post-war practice was applying Tectyl externally and a water displacing agent inside, ie the tanks and pipelines, when in storage though). However, I can assure you that the steel use in the G7 torpedoes did rust, and it did so very easy - also from exposure to fresh water (breath on it, and the surface-rust would appear).
The surface rust would of course be easy to remove, but keeping them clean and shiny would be a constant effort, so some kind of protection would surely be applied, to avoid the rust-attacks to evolve and grow deeper into the steel.
Post-war routines would require weekly inspection, and removal of rust by use of fine sandpaper, cleaning with kerosene and applying a new coast of Tectyl.
I don't buy the idea of grease beeing used for corrosion-protection though, as this would be very easy to remove by handling/ touching the torpedo, and generally make a huge mess. A material like Tectyl applied properly, would keep in place though. It would also be dry and leave little residue even if you sat on the torpedo. The few colour-photos I have seen of german torpedoes suggest some material like Tectyl being applied, rather than grease.
I noticed somewhere in here a suggestion that butter or margarine was used for lubrication. That would certainly not be a good idea (anyone familiar with battle damage control on a ship, knows that margarine is an excellent resource for repairing leaks in the ship's hull, as it hardenes when it gets in contact with seawater...).
The tube is made of steel, with brass rail "inlays" at bottom and sides to guide and support the torpedo (giving a couple of cm's clearance between the torpedo and the steelwall of the tube). At certain intervals, there's also a similar brass ring, covering the full diametre of the tube, to ensure proper seal around the torpedohull. All these "inlays" are removeable, thus offering the possibility to replace the parts due to damage or wear, without scrapping the complete tube-assembly (a possibility that would be of much more benefit in a submarine of course).
I don't know what the germans actually used for lubrication and corrosion-protection during WW2 (post-war practice was applying Tectyl externally and a water displacing agent inside, ie the tanks and pipelines, when in storage though). However, I can assure you that the steel use in the G7 torpedoes did rust, and it did so very easy - also from exposure to fresh water (breath on it, and the surface-rust would appear).
The surface rust would of course be easy to remove, but keeping them clean and shiny would be a constant effort, so some kind of protection would surely be applied, to avoid the rust-attacks to evolve and grow deeper into the steel.
Post-war routines would require weekly inspection, and removal of rust by use of fine sandpaper, cleaning with kerosene and applying a new coast of Tectyl.
I don't buy the idea of grease beeing used for corrosion-protection though, as this would be very easy to remove by handling/ touching the torpedo, and generally make a huge mess. A material like Tectyl applied properly, would keep in place though. It would also be dry and leave little residue even if you sat on the torpedo. The few colour-photos I have seen of german torpedoes suggest some material like Tectyl being applied, rather than grease.
I noticed somewhere in here a suggestion that butter or margarine was used for lubrication. That would certainly not be a good idea (anyone familiar with battle damage control on a ship, knows that margarine is an excellent resource for repairing leaks in the ship's hull, as it hardenes when it gets in contact with seawater...).
Subject | Written By | Posted |
---|---|---|
Torpedo tube rollers in U-boats | ROBERT M. | 11/23/2003 07:26PM |
Re: Torpedo tube rollers in U-boats | Ken Dunn | 11/23/2003 11:52PM |
Re: The Grease | Rodney | 11/24/2003 02:11PM |
Re: The Grease | Ken Dunn | 11/24/2003 08:03PM |
Re: The Grease clarification | Rodney | 11/24/2003 11:14PM |
Re: The Grease clarification | ROBERT M. | 11/26/2003 12:59AM |
Re: The Grease clarification | joe brandt | 11/26/2003 02:55AM |
Re: The "Vaseline" auf Deutsch?? | Rodney | 11/26/2003 03:29PM |
Re: The Grease clarification | ROBERT M. | 12/04/2003 06:21AM |
Re: The Grease clarification | ROBERT M. | 12/04/2003 07:06AM |
Re: The Grease clarification | ROBERT M. | 12/04/2003 07:28AM |
Re: The Grease clarification | u-boatnut | 10/22/2011 03:24AM |
Re: Torpedo tube rollers in U-boats | Natter | 08/28/2011 03:26PM |