KM U-Boat Question

sylvieK4 · #1

In an average German submarine during the Third Reich/ Second World War period, how long did it typically take to reload a torpedo into a tube that had just been fired?

Thanks.

varjag · #2

Sylvie I cannot answer your question well. But in the case of U 47 in Scapa Flow Capt. Prien had fired all his 4 bow-tubes shortly after midnight. (One torpedo stuck in the tube... so that makes three running eels) No hits - he makes a 180 degree turn - and fires his single stern tube- still no result.....He then cooly - circles on the surface while the crew are RELOADING THE FRONT TUBES. U 47's log tells us that only two of the available three bow tubes are reloaded before Priens nerves, fingernails or patience expired - and he regains a firing position, fires the two available bow tubes - both torpedoes hit and detonate against the ROYAL OAK about 01.22 am. Given his first salvo around 00.05, 180 degree turn for a single shot from stern tube, at a guess 00.15 and the detonation of his successful 'double' at 01.22 leaves us with roughly a lapse of 60 minutes. Deduct fifteen for maneuvering into firing position and his superstressed supercrew, in the middle of the R.N. main base - reloaded two tubes in around 15 minutes per tube. A superb effort! I have been in a submarine of that vintage - but never seen a tube reloaded, only verballed about how it's done. I tip my hat to Prien's crew.

sylvieK4 · #3

Thanks for that information, varjag. That is amazing.

I always heard it took a considerable amount of time to reload torpedos, but never a specific time period for the task to be done. I imagine that 15 minutes per tube was a remarkable time, in any event. As you wrote, Prien's crew was surely "super stressed". Under all of that pressure, they must have taken minutes off the normal - regulation - time expected for an average reloading.

Thanks, again.