U-boat deck guns - I need your help

[Wat Tyler]

I notice in that clip that after firing one gunner removes the empty casing and seems to stoop to place it down about halfway between tower and gun. It doesn't quite show where he puts them . I have read that they would be kept rather than just chucked overboard , any idea of exactly where these casing are being put?

[tigre]

Hello Wat Tyler ; take a look.................................

Empty casing!

Of course, depending on the state of the sea, one or another could fall overboard..........

Sources: 7 U boat Fotilla. Dönitz's Atlantic Wolves.

Cheers. Raúl M .

[Wat Tyler]

So just simply piled up and presumably handballed back into the boat assuming it was safe to stay on the surface. Thanks.

[tigre]

assuming it was safe to stay on the surface

Not in this case!! ........

Source: https://uboot-recherche.de/Media/Upload ... r/U558.pdf

[Wat Tyler]

Nice picture , I would think that recycling the empty casings isn't their number one priority in that case.

[tigre]

Hello to all ; a query................................

U-boat Type VII guns in World War II.

8.8cm S.K. C 30 U in Ubts.-L. C 30U
This variant of the 8.8 cm was developed in the mid-1930s for the first Type VII submarines and was mounted on a center pivot mount.

8.8cm S.K. C 35 U in Ubts.-L. C 35 U
The further development of the 8.8 cm S.K. C 30 U in Ubts.-L. C 30 U got the designation 8.8 cm S.K. C 35 in Ubts.-L. C 35. With her, however, the elevation angle was limited to 30 degrees and thus she lacked anti-aircraft capability.

This second variant was used on all Type VIIs, now some of the Type VIIAs once carried an 8.8 cm S.K. C 30 U in Ubts.-L. C30U?

Sources: http://navweaps.com/Weapons/WNGER_88mm-45_skc35.php
http://www.juergenthuro.de/html/geschuetzewkii.html
https://picclick.de/Kriegsmarine-U-Boot ... id=1&pid=3

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more.............................

Type IX C (U 128) deck gun.

105mm gun.

As usual for 750-ton submarines, the 105mm gun was mounted forward of the conning tower on a single-leg base. Its cannon tube was said to be three meters (9 ft, 10 in) long. The maximum range was estimated by the prisoners to be about 14,000 meters (15,300 yd), although it can be assumed that the effective range would be considerably less. The gun mounted on the U 128 could not be used for anti-aircraft purposes.

The weapon did not automatically eject the empty case when the breechblock was opened. The shot was carried out by means of a manual lever. The weapon is equipped with a sight to give range and elevation. An electric rangefinder was not used. However, the gun was usually aimed by eye and a correction was made after each shot. The prisoners said it might take up to four shots to find the right range.

While it was easy to raise the gun, it was more difficult to turn it in the desired direction, as no mechanical equipment was available for this purpose. All barrel parts were lubricated with a pressure grease pistol at various intervals averaging two weeks. The weapon could be disassembled by turning it until the corresponding tabs and slots matched.

The crew required to man the gun is usually 13 men. The Second Watch Officer (IIWO) was in charge of all shipboard artillery. A petty officer was the gun leader and the number one man. Man number two was the gunner; Number three operated the breech mechanism, number four fired the gun. Numbers five and six were called "Ladenummer" and loaded the gun. The rest of the gun crew provided ammunition from the ammunition locker in the control room to the conning tower and onto the deck. There was no ammunition elevator.

A prisoner stated that the U 128 only carried incendiary shells for the 105mm caliber gun; they were said to wear a red stripe. Each shell was estimated to weigh about 110 pounds and be between three and four feet long. It was protected by a watertight metal container in which it was stored in the ammunition locker; it was removed from the container before being brought up on deck. 150 rounds were carried aboard U 128. The emergency ammunition store, which is located just off the conning tower on deck, was claimed to contain only three shells.

Crash dive with gun crew on deck.

If and when the order could be given to stop firing and dive as quickly as possible, the gun crew would immediately just straighten the barrel and then run towards the conning tower. If necessary, several shells could be thrown overboard. Although the prisoners believed that very little time would be needed for the gun crew to reach the conning tower hatch, it is natural that a slight delay of about half a minute was unavoidable (to submerge).

Sources: https://www.uboatarchive.net/U-128A/U-128INT.htm
Hitler's Navy: A Reference Guide to the Kreigsmarine 1935-1945. Written by Jak Mallmann Showell

Greetings. Raúl M :carapoker:.
Cheers. Raúl M .