General Discussions
This is the place to discuss general issues related to the U-boat war or the war at sea in WWII.
Re: Anyone else heard this tale?
Posted by:
ROBERT M.
()
Date: January 04, 2006 06:42PM
Vince:
I've contacted "michel" who is from France (I think?) and he sent me B&W photos of the two rotatable torpedo mounts that SURCOUF had installed centerline, aft of the aircraft hangar.
The info he provided with these photos put an end to the incorrerct information about her torpedo armament. He states that (and the photos show) each triple torpedo mount consisted of one 21.7" tube
(550mm) in the center and two 17.5" tubes (400mm) on each side, with high-pressure air impulse "bottles" mounted between them. A
storage space for four 17.5" (400mm) torpedoes was located within the pressure hull below them. These tubes had muzzle doors also. Photos were taken during SURCOUF'S construction on 7/3/1929.
Four fixed 21.7" (550mm) torpedo tubes were installed at the bow in the same configuration as most subs (U-boats) and she carried 8
spares in the torpedo room racks. These were used to fire torpedoes from periscope depth, and the rotatable mounts were used on the surface, but I haven't confirmed that yet.
Any comments will be appreciated,
ROBERT M.
I've contacted "michel" who is from France (I think?) and he sent me B&W photos of the two rotatable torpedo mounts that SURCOUF had installed centerline, aft of the aircraft hangar.
The info he provided with these photos put an end to the incorrerct information about her torpedo armament. He states that (and the photos show) each triple torpedo mount consisted of one 21.7" tube
(550mm) in the center and two 17.5" tubes (400mm) on each side, with high-pressure air impulse "bottles" mounted between them. A
storage space for four 17.5" (400mm) torpedoes was located within the pressure hull below them. These tubes had muzzle doors also. Photos were taken during SURCOUF'S construction on 7/3/1929.
Four fixed 21.7" (550mm) torpedo tubes were installed at the bow in the same configuration as most subs (U-boats) and she carried 8
spares in the torpedo room racks. These were used to fire torpedoes from periscope depth, and the rotatable mounts were used on the surface, but I haven't confirmed that yet.
Any comments will be appreciated,
ROBERT M.
