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Base either solid brass or wooden pedestals

Submarine Pictorial
These images are of a small 25" wood model

The images below are of a 45" wood model delivered to the
Bermuda Maritime Museum in 2007.

When U-505 was captured, the submarine and crew were initially secretly interned at Bermuda to prevent Germany knowing that the sub was captured intact with its Enigma code machine. Hence the Bermuda Maritime Museum always had a special interest in U-505.

Photography by Action Asia Photo
© 2002-2012 Action Asia Photo- All Rights Reserved

 

Related Links
Capture of the U-505: A First Person Account
Bermuda Maritime Museum: U-505 Captured

U-505 is a Type IXc U-boat that was captured during battle in June 1944. Now resting at the Museum of Science in Chicago, the submarine  was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1989 and is a memorial to the over 55,000 American sailors and merchant mariners who lost their lives at sea in two world wars. The ship is the only remaining relic of  the more than 300 Type IX U-boats that were built.

Type IXa

The first Type IX U-boats were large submarines  built for long distance. The 8 boats that were built (U-37 to U-44) operated around the world including the South Atlantic, Indian and even Pacific oceans. They were also used in the North Atlantic, especially during Operation Drumbeat - the U-Boat offensive at the American coast. Their larger size made them less maneuverable than the Type VII which led to their nickname of "Sea Cow". They had a large flat deck casing which completely hid the saddle tanks distinguishing them from the Type VII, but the decking trapped more air and so made them slower to dive, and more vulnerable.

Equipped with six torpedo tubes (4 at the bow and 2 at the stern), they carried six reloads internally and had five external torpedo containers (3 at the stern and 2 at the bow) that each held 2 more torpedoes for a total load of 22 torpedoes. As such, they were equipped to hunt night after night. Alternately they could carry 44 TMA or 66 TMB mines that were released from the torpedo tubes. Type IXa and Type IXb U-boats had three periscopes in the tower, one of which was deleted in the later Type IXc and then onwards.

Secondary armament was provided by a deck mounted 105mm gun. Anti-aircraft armament differed throughout the war but a combination of two twin 20mm on the upper Wintergarten deck and a 37mm single on the lower Wintergarten deck was common.

Type IXb

Built with greater bunkerage to give an increase in range, the Type IXb was the most successful type overall with each of the 14 boats built (see bottom of page for hull numbers) averaging a total of over 100,000 tons sunk. Very famous Type IXb boats included U-123 under the command of Hardegen, which opened up the attack on US home waters in early 1942; and U-107 out of Freetown, Africa under the command of Hessler, which had the most successful single mission of the war with close to 100,000 tons sunk.

Type IXc

Built with a further refinement that eliminated one of the three periscopes, the Type could store an additional 43 tons of fuel to give an even further range. If laying mines they could carry 44 TMA or 66 TMB mines (except U-162 to U-170 and U-505 to U-525 which were not fitted for mine operations. 54 units of this variant were activated between March 1939 and July 1942 (see bottom of page). The Type was visually indistinguishable from the earlier A's and B's.

Type IXc/40

A slight modification of the Type IXc, it had a slightly increased range and somewhat higher surface speed. 87 boats were commissioned  (see bottom of page).

Type IXd-1

Nearly 500 tons heavier and 35 feet longer than the IXc/40, the Type IXd-1 (variously called IXD and IXD/41) had a greatly increased range and carried 2 more torpedoes. In 1943 and 1944 the torpedo tubes removed and the submarines were converted for transport use, thereby being able to carry 252 tons of freight. 30 boats were commissioned (see bottom of page).

Type IXd-2

The IXd-2 was almost identical to the IXd but with more engine power and had torpedo tubes. Several U-boats of this type were contracted but only one (U-883 ) was commissioned (April 1944), but then lost in Operation Deadlight  which was the scuttling of over 100 U-boats by the Allies after the end of WWII. The next IXd-2 U-boat was U-884 which was launched in May 1944 but badly damaged by US bombs in March 1945 while still in the dockyard.  Four others vessels (U-885 to U-888) were laid down but construction halted on September 30, 1943 when all remaining IXd-2 contracts were cancelled.