Questions about "Hannover", "Lola" and "Biber"

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bertamingo
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Questions about "Hannover", "Lola" and "Biber"

#1

Post by bertamingo » 28 Mar 2015, 13:02

Hello friends, I have accumulated some questions about these three ships, can you help me with them, thanks :D

Q1: Hannover
the former pre-dreadnaught was decommissioned in 1931 and then converted to a target hulk. Did she serve in this function in WW2 years as well, or was she laid up in the habor doing nothing, or was she converted to a test ship for new type ammo as per one source?

Q2: Lola
The aux. s-boat tender served in the Black sea, but later it was scuttled in Greek waters. Given that Turkey was neutral, no belligerent warships should be allowed to pass the straits. How did Lola enter Aegean, under disguss of merchant? Another thing regarding Lola, was tender Lola the same ship as UJ 117 Lola?

Q3: Biber
The ex-Italian TM194 'Faa di Bruno' was captured in Genoa and served in German naval coastal artillery as monitor Biber. Navypedia says the ship was extensively extended during modifications, including false bow and aft. But on the only available photo of her career in German navy (the turret still bore Italian camouflage but the tower above had German camou), no such modification can be seen, Biber was of roughly the same lenghth as Faa di Brunno. Was the modification/extension occurred half-way during her service as German Biber?

thaddeus_c
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Re: Questions about "Hannover", "Lola" and "Biber"

#2

Post by thaddeus_c » 31 Mar 2015, 12:47

where was information on Hannover and new type of ammo (and what type of ammo?)

not much info after it was removed from active service

cannot find any pictures of converted Biber, was interested as the stated size of ship with modifications would be over 300 ft.


igorr
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Re: Questions about "Hannover", "Lola" and "Biber"

#3

Post by igorr » 31 Mar 2015, 18:48

LOLA was ordinary steamship and pass through Bosphorus after being disarmed. There is uncertainity about nature of UJ.117. Groener say this was ship named RILA, not LOLA.

bertamingo
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Re: Questions about "Hannover", "Lola" and "Biber"

#4

Post by bertamingo » 01 Apr 2015, 08:36

Thank you for the information. I can not find the website on Hannover anymore. It said the ship served as target in ww2 for new aircraft-dropped ammo. I agree with that no converted biber shows up in photo, the only photo available shows her being roughly the same as italian faa di bruno, no lengthening, no masts.

Hopefully there will be more clarification on UJ117 :D

kgvm
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Re: Questions about "Hannover", "Lola" and "Biber"

#5

Post by kgvm » 02 Apr 2015, 10:08

IIRC the "Faa di Bruno"/"Biber" wasn't rebuilt, but with the help of barges camouflaged to look like a longer merchant ship (somewhat simliar like the "Scheinprinz" at Brest).

thaddeus_c
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Re: Questions about "Hannover", "Lola" and "Biber"

#6

Post by thaddeus_c » 02 Apr 2015, 10:50

Navypedia.org has Biber rebuilt by Germans http://www.navypedia.org/ships/germany/ger_bb_biber.htm

my interest was in concrete use, ever attempted on other ships? (German or other Axis ships)

bertamingo
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Re: Questions about "Hannover", "Lola" and "Biber"

#7

Post by bertamingo » 02 Apr 2015, 11:57

Image
Here is the Biber photo, the only I know to have been taken when serving the KM. Mostly the same as when Italian, but camouflage in the tower was German, and different from the old italian camou when it was faa di bruno. No masts and/or lengthening existed. So I guess the fact was more likely as kgvm suggested, rather than lengthening, it was other barges putting closely to Biber to make her like a harmless merchant. :lol:

photo is found on this forum, posted by jopaerya


BTW, can someone pls help ID the ships I posted in the 'Warship ID' stick thread? Thanks :D
Last edited by bertamingo on 02 Apr 2015, 12:10, edited 3 times in total.

bertamingo
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Re: Questions about "Hannover", "Lola" and "Biber"

#8

Post by bertamingo » 02 Apr 2015, 12:00

thaddeus_c wrote:Navypedia.org has Biber rebuilt by Germans http://www.navypedia.org/ships/germany/ger_bb_biber.htm

my interest was in concrete use, ever attempted on other ships? (German or other Axis ships)
There was a concrete ship(or boat?) called Engineer One, built in Greece by local shipyard for KM. Not sure what type of ship she was, might be a concrete version of the engineer landing boat?

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