Railings

[mark harrison]

I am compiling a database in order to more easily recognise and ID U-boats.
While working on the mark 7 series I started to look more closely at the railings and to classify them. I found that the front rails on the right hand side of the boat near the 88mm gun ended in three different types and on the left five.

Moving between the 88mm gun and conning tower I counted no less that eleven different styles of railings in this area.
It has been mentioned before by Pikap that the early 400 boats had two styles of railing in this area.
Which I think was then probably discontinued in later series as it is rarely seen.

Except in 1165 and 749 if that boat is 749.


So in conclusion it is difficult to ID by using just one or two points of ID. The best example of this is go on the web and type u432
and up comes a boat with the flood holes of a 551-650 series a set of rails that early 400 boats did not have and an emblem of a man holding a thumb or finger to his eye or nose and a word above him starting with H and ending in E.

Somtimes its hard to ID U-boats.

regardf M H

[Thomas Craig]

Hello...I have been trying to identify this boat by the railings. Only a few boats had those stanchions attached to the side of the hull as you see here. I believe it to be perhaps 1165. Not sure.

[mark harrison]

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthr ... 950&page=9
U306 is the nearest i have seen has same flooders and supports are in same place.
U995 in trondheim is close also perhaps U378.

[mark harrison]

http://www.mille-sabords.com/forum/inde ... 300&st=100
this thread includes pictures of u95 with two styles of railings.

MH.