Are these photos of U-boats under construction

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R Michael
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Are these photos of U-boats under construction

#1

Post by R Michael » 09 Oct 2006, 04:13

Hello all I have had these photos for a while and they come from one soldier. I feel these are French as they are amoungst his photos of the western campaign. Any help are thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! Mike
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R Michael
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#2

Post by R Michael » 09 Oct 2006, 04:16

This looks like a conning tower. At least to me. Am I reading way to much into these?
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crolick
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#3

Post by crolick » 09 Oct 2006, 21:07

Do you know the year when those pix were taken?!
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R Michael
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#4

Post by R Michael » 10 Oct 2006, 01:25

Hello and thanks for the reply! I am guessing by the rest of the pics in the grouping. 250+ that it is may-june of 40. Though it could be earlier say Poland in 39. The only reason I say this is I haven't enough Poland campaign pics in the collection to compare locals and the owner appears to be an established officer so my guess is he was in the Wehrmacht for a good while before the war.

Thanks. Mike
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crolick
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#5

Post by crolick » 10 Oct 2006, 19:36

Hello Mike,

do you have more of these?! It is certainly not Poland 1939 since no sub was building in Gdynia [major Polish naval base]. Maybe it is France?!

Cheers,
Andrzej
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R Michael
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#6

Post by R Michael » 11 Oct 2006, 05:26

crolick wrote:Hello Mike,

do you have more of these?! It is certainly not Poland 1939 since no sub was building in Gdynia [major Polish naval base]. Maybe it is France?!

Cheers,
Andrzej
Andrzej, Thank you once again. Yes in looking at the buildings in the backgrounds it does appear to be France. I have two more photos so hopefully will shed insight.

all the best, Mike
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R Michael
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#7

Post by R Michael » 11 Oct 2006, 12:04

And the last.
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stril
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#8

Post by stril » 11 Oct 2006, 15:12

Hello
Yes in looking at the buildings in the backgrounds it does appear to be France.
It might be interesting to compare those hulls with pictures from German wharfs building uboats.
If you look at the quizz section i posted a part of a french submarine Le Favourite, later to be the the german UF-2.
This uboat was finished before the war, but L'Africaine/UF-1 and L'Astrée/UF-3 was taken as prize at the dockyards in may 1940. (http://www.uboat.net/boats/uf2.htm)
I wouldnt be surprized if its some french submarines pictured.
regards
stril
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crolick
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#9

Post by crolick » 13 Oct 2006, 11:41

Hello Mike,

thanks for additional pictures. I'm now more convinced that it is France. Why?! Because on the last pix we have destroyed crane lying on the hull. This indicate that there were made some damages. Hence we have 6 possibilities:

Arsenal de Toulon
Aurore [launched on 26.VI.1939]
Emeraude [39% completed, destroyed on slip]

Arsenal de Cherbourg
Roland Morillot [76% completed, scuttled on 18.VI.1940]
La Praya [43% completed, scuttled on 18.VI.1940]
La Martinique [20% completed, destroyed on slip]

Ateliers et Chantiers Augustin-Normand - La Havre
La Créole [86% completed, launched on 8.VI.1939]
La Bayadère [62% completed, destroyed on slip]
L'Artémis [11% completed, destroyed on slip]
L'Hermione [8% completed, destroyed on slip]
La Gorgone [5% completed, destroyed on slip]
Polish submarine I [work suspended on 22.IV.1940, hull destroyed by Germans in VI.1942?]
Polish submarine II [work suspended on 22.IV.1940, hull destroyed by Germans in VI.1942?]

Ateliers et Chantiers de la Seine-Maritime - Worms
La Favorite
L'Africaine
L'Andromaque [destroyed on slip?]

Ateliers et Chantiers Dubigeon - Nantes
L'Astrée
L'Andromède

Schneider et Cie - Chalons-Sur-Saone
L'Antigone

I hope we have here some French collegues whom might help us in solving this puzzle!

Regards from sunny Warsaw,
Andrzej

PS. http://site.voila.fr/warshipsdesign/Hom ... 7817756492
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R Michael
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#10

Post by R Michael » 14 Oct 2006, 04:00

Thanks guys for the helpfull information!
Andrzej, I am going to say it probalby is Cherbourg, Why? Well I have some photos that were taken in Caen that are in the same group, so unless any other shipyard was closer that will be my guess! Thanks again for the help and vindicating my thoughts on these photos! Mike
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crolick
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#11

Post by crolick » 14 Oct 2006, 11:57

R Michael wrote:Andrzej, I am going to say it probalby is Cherbourg
If so I would say that you are wrong :P

Cean - Cherbourg = 105 km
Cean - Le Havre = 50 km

It would be nice to see any pre-WW II plan of town and shipyard. Maybe we would be able to confirm that it is Le Havre.

Cheers,
A
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R Michael
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#12

Post by R Michael » 14 Oct 2006, 14:21

Andrzej, That is one of the "douhhh" moments.. lol.. I don't mind being shown I was wrong. and it was late for me and I didn't get the map out and check. Too much word association and too much "band of brothers".. lol
I will search for the plan and see. Thanks again. Mike
crolick wrote:
R Michael wrote:Andrzej, I am going to say it probalby is Cherbourg
If so I would say that you are wrong :P

Cean - Cherbourg = 105 km
Cean - Le Havre = 50 km

It would be nice to see any pre-WW II plan of town and shipyard. Maybe we would be able to confirm that it is Le Havre.

Cheers,
A
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KLeinst
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french uboots

#13

Post by KLeinst » 24 Oct 2006, 20:09

Thanks for your beautiful unknown pictures! :D

The third last pictures show the Bayadère in june 1940 just after her scuttling.

Best regards.


http://forummarine.forumactif.com/portal.forum
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crolick
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#14

Post by crolick » 25 Oct 2006, 22:04

Hello KLeinst!

Do you have any other pictures or information regarding builiding submarines in Le Havre?!

Chers,
crolick
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KLeinst
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#15

Post by KLeinst » 26 Oct 2006, 19:10

Hello,

In 1940, there were 5 submarines in construction in le Havre.

La Créole (launched may 8th and towed to Great Britain)
La Bayadère 68%
L'Artémis 11.2 %
Hermione 8.3 %
Gorgone 6.2% (not yet laid down)

I have no more informations about these submarines. The pictures are here:

http://site.voila.fr/warshipsdesign/Hom ... 7817756492
(I'm the man who created this page! :P )

For the fist picture, i think there are Artémis and Hermione. :wink:

The Andromaque was destroyed on slip (french Admiralty order).

PS: Crolik, have you informations or pictures about the polish submarines in construction in Le Havre? Thanks
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