Technology and Operations
This forum is for discussing technological & operational matters pertaining to U-boats.
U-190 or U-889 Data Plate Identification
Posted by:
Chris Osborne
()
Date: July 12, 2020 07:20PM
I am looking for assistance to help to confirm Identification of this Artifact. It is NOT for sale. I can be reached at scharnhorst1943@yahoo.ca
I believe it to be from a Second World War or "WWII" German U-Boat. Quite possibly from the U-190, a type IX-C/40 U-Boot, which was the U-Boat that served in the Royal Canadian Navy post war for training purposes until 1947 when it was then used for target practice and sunk. This would mean of course it was from the boat that sunk the HMCS Esquimalt.
[en.wikipedia.org]
[uboat.net]
I am not certain of course, as I am not able to yet translate all the text, and many words have been abbreviated. So this could belong to another piece of equipment, but it is definitely German and of the correct era.
The piece measures 14cm wide (5.5") by 23.5cm long (~9.25"). Approximately 1.5mm to 2mm thick or about 1/16" of an inch. Made of non-ferrous (non-magnetic) metal(s).
Written at the top is "Schott 66 B.B.". On the left hand side is "Buch.No." and there are two columns below this. The Column on the left hand side is numerical from 1 through 25, with some lines containing more than one number, perhaps referencing a page or a section of a service or operations manual?? On the right hand side are words in German, the top line is "Antennen-Motor K.b.d.v. 1,5" on the final line is "Zentr u.E. Masch.Raum K.b.d. 240"
My best guess is that this is a plate from one of the torpedo control computers, or a fuse panel or other electrical control system, but I do not know who manufactured them for the German Navy. "Schott 60 B.B." is at the top of the piece and I (as yet) have not found any photos of a plate matching this particular one, though I have seen a couple very similar in other areas of the U-Boats from photos posted online. I have found references that Schott could be a German surname or mean "bulkhead". If bulkhead, then perhaps this was attached to bulkhead number 66 ??
Does anyone know who manufactured the internal equipment and in particular the electrical and fire control systems for Second World War German U-Boats?
I say this is likely from U-190 for a few reasons;
1. The translated German words (using Google translate) indicate that this was something to do with controlling and firing torpedoes. Example: #2 translates from "befehls-anlage" to "Command System" and #7 "torpedo-abfeuerkt" seems to translate to "Torpedo Fired". Three lines of text reference Torpedo and the others all seem to be regarding propulsion of navigation of said Torpedo. All of the lines seem to have settings on the right that correspond to each line of text, and numbers on the left column likely are for the particular switches which would need to be set or lights that would be lit on a panel.
2. As this was found in a yard sale in New Brunswick, not far from the Nova Scotia border, it was likely scavenged by someone in the Navy as a souvenir. The seller unfortunately knew nothing about it, or even where it came from.
3. As likely all German language signage inside the boat would have been replaced with English ones after commissioning into the Royal Canadian Navy for the crews to operate.
4. It has the remains of some old white paint on the edges, indicating whatever it was attached to was painted or repainted white or a similar light colour, and inside U-Boats during the Second World War this was a common colour.
5. Material, made of brass or bronze, typical of things made for marine service. The patina and material matches with an artifact of similar material (bronze or brass) from a Second World War Landing Craft that I also own.
6. On the reverse near the top of the artifact are a few letters lightly scratched into the surface. I only noticed them when looking with a magnifying glass under bright light. It is very difficult to make out, and written in cursive form, but appears to be "CO L L", those the "L's" may be another letter, the CO is grouped together and rather clear and simple compared to the "L's". The "L's" are given greater spacing apart. Also the "CO" I thought might be a reference to a Commanding Officer and his two initials?? Does anyone know the name(s) of the commanding officer(s) of the U-190 while it served in the Canadian Navy from 1945-1947?
7. The stamped/engraved text matches with German Second World War font and layouts, and black paint remains in the depressions of the text on the piece.
8. Only a handful of German U-Boats made it to North America, and only two were surrendered in Canadian Waters on the East Coast at the end of the war, one of which U-889 was sent on a victory tour of the Great Lakes and shortly thereafter turned over to the United States Navy for testing, leaving only the U-190 in Canadian hands.
Any assistance would be very much appreciated. Feel free to comment, but I ask that you please send me a personal message, as I find sometimes making comments does not trigger a notification to be sent to me, so I may not see your comment to respond to it. I am posting this elsewhere as well.
I believe it to be from a Second World War or "WWII" German U-Boat. Quite possibly from the U-190, a type IX-C/40 U-Boot, which was the U-Boat that served in the Royal Canadian Navy post war for training purposes until 1947 when it was then used for target practice and sunk. This would mean of course it was from the boat that sunk the HMCS Esquimalt.
[en.wikipedia.org]
[uboat.net]
I am not certain of course, as I am not able to yet translate all the text, and many words have been abbreviated. So this could belong to another piece of equipment, but it is definitely German and of the correct era.
The piece measures 14cm wide (5.5") by 23.5cm long (~9.25"). Approximately 1.5mm to 2mm thick or about 1/16" of an inch. Made of non-ferrous (non-magnetic) metal(s).
Written at the top is "Schott 66 B.B.". On the left hand side is "Buch.No." and there are two columns below this. The Column on the left hand side is numerical from 1 through 25, with some lines containing more than one number, perhaps referencing a page or a section of a service or operations manual?? On the right hand side are words in German, the top line is "Antennen-Motor K.b.d.v. 1,5" on the final line is "Zentr u.E. Masch.Raum K.b.d. 240"
My best guess is that this is a plate from one of the torpedo control computers, or a fuse panel or other electrical control system, but I do not know who manufactured them for the German Navy. "Schott 60 B.B." is at the top of the piece and I (as yet) have not found any photos of a plate matching this particular one, though I have seen a couple very similar in other areas of the U-Boats from photos posted online. I have found references that Schott could be a German surname or mean "bulkhead". If bulkhead, then perhaps this was attached to bulkhead number 66 ??
Does anyone know who manufactured the internal equipment and in particular the electrical and fire control systems for Second World War German U-Boats?
I say this is likely from U-190 for a few reasons;
1. The translated German words (using Google translate) indicate that this was something to do with controlling and firing torpedoes. Example: #2 translates from "befehls-anlage" to "Command System" and #7 "torpedo-abfeuerkt" seems to translate to "Torpedo Fired". Three lines of text reference Torpedo and the others all seem to be regarding propulsion of navigation of said Torpedo. All of the lines seem to have settings on the right that correspond to each line of text, and numbers on the left column likely are for the particular switches which would need to be set or lights that would be lit on a panel.
2. As this was found in a yard sale in New Brunswick, not far from the Nova Scotia border, it was likely scavenged by someone in the Navy as a souvenir. The seller unfortunately knew nothing about it, or even where it came from.
3. As likely all German language signage inside the boat would have been replaced with English ones after commissioning into the Royal Canadian Navy for the crews to operate.
4. It has the remains of some old white paint on the edges, indicating whatever it was attached to was painted or repainted white or a similar light colour, and inside U-Boats during the Second World War this was a common colour.
5. Material, made of brass or bronze, typical of things made for marine service. The patina and material matches with an artifact of similar material (bronze or brass) from a Second World War Landing Craft that I also own.
6. On the reverse near the top of the artifact are a few letters lightly scratched into the surface. I only noticed them when looking with a magnifying glass under bright light. It is very difficult to make out, and written in cursive form, but appears to be "CO L L", those the "L's" may be another letter, the CO is grouped together and rather clear and simple compared to the "L's". The "L's" are given greater spacing apart. Also the "CO" I thought might be a reference to a Commanding Officer and his two initials?? Does anyone know the name(s) of the commanding officer(s) of the U-190 while it served in the Canadian Navy from 1945-1947?
7. The stamped/engraved text matches with German Second World War font and layouts, and black paint remains in the depressions of the text on the piece.
8. Only a handful of German U-Boats made it to North America, and only two were surrendered in Canadian Waters on the East Coast at the end of the war, one of which U-889 was sent on a victory tour of the Great Lakes and shortly thereafter turned over to the United States Navy for testing, leaving only the U-190 in Canadian hands.
Any assistance would be very much appreciated. Feel free to comment, but I ask that you please send me a personal message, as I find sometimes making comments does not trigger a notification to be sent to me, so I may not see your comment to respond to it. I am posting this elsewhere as well.
| Subject | Written By | Posted |
|---|---|---|
U-190 or U-889 Data Plate Identification
|
Chris Osborne | 07/12/2020 07:20PM |