Uboat U995, Laboe

[SkinnyPete]

Something that's been on my bucket list for a while, which I'd quite like to tick off is going onboard U995 in Laboe.

Interested in hearing peoples opinions who have been before. Is it worth making a trip specifically for it?

Would probably fly to Hamburg Friday night and get a rental car, tag on a few other bits and then come home Sunday evening.

[tr7v8]

I've visited HMS Ocelot which is just down the road from me in Chatham. The tour is interesting! Amazingly cramped and I'm a tad claustrophobic. Luckily it didn't kick in whilst I was onboard.
One funny moment was when a lady doing the tour said "I haven't seen any shower" She was beyond shocked when told there was only enough water to shave & wash & cook.

[TVR Sagaris]

Sorry off topic but what happens to those guns on top when it submerges? Did they never go fully underwater?

[SkinnyPete]

tr7v8 said:

I've visited HMS Ocelot which is just down the road from me in Chatham. The tour is interesting! Amazingly cramped and I'm a tad claustrophobic. Luckily it didn't kick in whilst I was onboard.
One funny moment was when a lady doing the tour said "I haven't seen any shower" She was beyond shocked when told there was only enough water to shave & wash & cook.

Good suggestion, thanks!

[SkinnyPete]

TVR Sagaris said:

Sorry off topic but what happens to those guns on top when it submerges? Did they never go fully underwater?

Like all guns, no issue going in water.

They may need maintenance from the salt, mind.

[Panamax]

tr7v8 said:

I visited HMS Ocelot which is just down the road from me in Chatham.

I hope you've also been able to see the Russian Foxtrot sub moored at Strood/Rochester for many years, just up the road from Chatham.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Submarine_U-475_Blac...

The only sub I've been in was USS Clamagore. Very cramped inside!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Clamagore

[tr7v8]

Panamax said:

tr7v8 said:

I visited HMS Ocelot which is just down the road from me in Chatham.

I hope you've also been able to see the Russian Foxtrot sub moored at Strood/Rochester for many years, just up the road from Chatham.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Submarine_U-475_Blac...

See it every time I am on the train. They do trips out to it occasionally. It's in better condition than it appears.

[dr_gn]

If you’re going to Hamburg, it would be worth visiting the submarines there too:

https://www.u-434.de/en/u-boat-museum.html

Been a couple of times - it’s good in a scary way.

Also, the Maritime museum is fantastic, with a massive collection of high quality model ships (and other related stuff) over about 6 floors of a converted warehouse. The Prototyp car museum is nearby too (small, but perfectly formed), and also the Miniature Wonderland model railway.

Well worth doing the whole lot if you’ve time.

[gruffgriff]

I found touring the U-434 really quite horrific; imagining being trapped in fetid air, ruly horrendous conditions...there are pull-down metal bunks in the engine room!!
Really glad I did. Made the US ww2 sub in SF seem really, erm, nice.
And Miniatur Wonderland is worth a day on it's own.

[SkinnyPete]

dr_gn said:

If you’re going to Hamburg, it would be worth visiting the submarines there too:

https://www.u-434.de/en/u-boat-museum.html

Been a couple of times - it’s good in a scary way.

Also, the Maritime museum is fantastic, with a massive collection of high quality model ships (and other related stuff) over about 6 floors of a converted warehouse. The Prototyp car museum is nearby too (small, but perfectly formed), and also the Miniature Wonderland model railway.

Well worth doing the whole lot if you’ve time.

Appreciate the suggestion, cheers.

[Panamax]

tr7v8 said:

See it every time I am on the train. They do trips out to it occasionally. It's in better condition than it appears.

That's good to hear! A very pleasing oddity.

[Simpo Two]

TVR Sagaris said:

Sorry off topic but what happens to those guns on top when it submerges? Did they never go fully underwater?

That would be possibly the biggest design fail of the 20th century!

[Rider007]

HMS Alliance at Portsmouth Royal Navy Sub museum is good. The whole dockyard is amazing actually.

[Cold]

For any submarine enthusiast venturing to the south of the UK don't forget that HMS Alliance is on display at Gosport Submarine Museum along with HMS Holland 1 (the first commissioned RN submarine) and the teeny tiny X24 submarine.

[dr_gn]

gruffgriff said:

I found touring the U-434 really quite horrific; imagining being trapped in fetid air, ruly horrendous conditions...there are pull-down metal bunks in the engine room!!.

Indeed - and the cut marks on the dining table…from when it doubled as an operating table.

Or the room for the on-board psychiatrist…

[Tindersticks]

tr7v8 said:

I've visited HMS Ocelot which is just down the road from me in Chatham. The tour is interesting! Amazingly cramped and I'm a tad claustrophobic. Luckily it didn't kick in whilst I was onboard.
One funny moment was when a lady doing the tour said "I haven't seen any shower" She was beyond shocked when told there was only enough water to shave & wash & cook.

My dad was on two O-boats (Onyx and Oberon) and I spent some time on them at Dolphin as a kid. My God those things were cramped.

[fly by wire]

TVR Sagaris said:

Sorry off topic but what happens to those guns on top when it submerges? Did they never go fully underwater?

Pretty sure the barrels were capped when not in use.

[tr7v8]

fly by wire said:

TVR Sagaris said:

Sorry off topic but what happens to those guns on top when it submerges? Did they never go fully underwater?

Pretty sure the barrels were capped when not in use.

And a canvas cover, although I don't think that was used every time.

[Simpo Two]

dr_gn said:

gruffgriff said:

I found touring the U-434 really quite horrific; imagining being trapped in fetid air, ruly horrendous conditions...there are pull-down metal bunks in the engine room!!.

Indeed - and the cut marks on the dining table…from when it doubled as an operating table.

More likely from cutting food or playing a game. If you were operating on someone you wouldn't be cutting the table.

[hidetheelephants]

fly by wire said:

TVR Sagaris said:

Sorry off topic but what happens to those guns on top when it submerges? Did they never go fully underwater?

Pretty sure the barrels were capped when not in use.

It depends; when the gun is a conversion from other use it was addressed with muzzle caps/tapions, purpose-built guns like those fitted to some US subs in world war two had stainless steel barrels and were left open to the sea.