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The Lorient U-Boote Base

Discussion in 'Submarines and ASW Technology' started by Skipper, Aug 21, 2009.

  1. Skipper

    Skipper Kommodore

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    Last week I visited the Lorient Keroman U-Boote Base. This place was chosen by Doenitz as early as 1940 to become the largest U-Boote facilitly on the Atlantic coast. It was taken over by the French Navy in 1945 and used until 1997 . Nowadays Keroman 3 is a museum whereas K1 and K2 are used as warehouses.

    from 1941 three huge bunkers shelters were built by the Todt organisation, each new bunker coming with new techniques to counter the allied bombings.

    1) Keroman 1 was built first and could hosted the first generation u-Boote

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    notice the original cammo from 1944

    2) Keroman 2 was built next to K1 and hoted bigger subs with better protection. It was connected to K1 but was separated by a 90meter open track that was still vulnerable.









    3)K3 was built later with better technology (no open space and 7 meters thick concrete protection instead of three to which was added blue granite imported from Norway .

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    4) a K4 was planned in 1943 , but never completed . This one even planned a protected railroad station. see open hall on pic below.

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  2. sniper1946

    sniper1946 Expert

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    great pics skipper,must have been awesome place when fully operational...
     
  3. Skipper

    Skipper Kommodore

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    Just wait till I post what I saw inside!

    achtung Minen!

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    Torpedo los!
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  4. PzJgr

    PzJgr Drill Instructor

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    I see the trip was productive. :salute:
     
  5. LRusso216

    LRusso216 Graybeard Staff Member

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    Great pics, Skipper. Looking forward to more from what seems like an informative trip.
     
  6. Richard

    Richard Expert

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    Torpedo! Shame on you, eels old boy. :D

    Nice pictures there Skipper, you visiting any more?
     
  7. Skipper

    Skipper Kommodore

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    a French Daphne class sub (the Flora) between the K1 and K2 buildings. This 1950s model was left here in 1997 to help you imagine the transfer of the U-Boote at the right scale. It is about 57 meter long and the total vulnerable distance between both buildings was 90 meters. Notice that even the later 70 meter U-Boote would fit in there.

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  8. Skipper

    Skipper Kommodore

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    these 2 ships were deliberately sunk by the Germans and loaded with concrete to make and anti- floating mine dam . As it does not hinder navigation the authorities have chosen to leave it as such up to nowadays.

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  9. PzJgr

    PzJgr Drill Instructor

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    What's with the beached sail boats? Is the tide out?
     
  10. Skipper

    Skipper Kommodore

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    you are correct there is a very strong tide in Britanny and you better sail out when the water is high

    I spotted more wreckage in a part of the harbour that was not touched since WWII. I'm not sure whehter these are WWII relics , but they are certainly surrounded by bunkers and other Flak remains.

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  11. Skipper

    Skipper Kommodore

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    more WWII relics: a Flak socle, a Tobruk (about to fall into the sea) , another socle

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  12. AndyPants

    AndyPants Ace

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    great photos Skipper, i'd say you enjoyed yourself - my kind of holiday


    i love the little Tobruk....there were so many of them in Normandy, it felt great to go inside them and then stick your head up out of the opening
     
  13. Skipper

    Skipper Kommodore

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    Cheers guys, I have many more pics to post but it's 1 am , so you "ll have to wait a few hours before you see the pics I took inside the huge Keroman building. Here is one of the K1 I managed to take through a net.

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  14. Erich

    Erich Alte Hase

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    very atmospheric, is that a long lost U-Boot down in the far end or maybe a derelict Schnellboot ? :D

    great pic this last one
     
  15. Kai-Petri

    Kai-Petri Kenraali

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    Excellent pics, thanx Skipper for sharing those!!!!!
     
  16. Skipper

    Skipper Kommodore

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    It looks like a sunk U-Boot Erich , but it's a French ship sunk by the Germans in 1941 to serve as a rempart against mine attacks. If you want to see sunk U-Boote you will need to visit the Davis Tower Museum , it's in the K1 building . It hosts relics from the KM but also a unique German WWII diving simulator
     
  17. C.Evans

    C.Evans Expert

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    Hi Skipper, great shots and info on these. Thanks for your time and effort to give us such a great photo essay of your time there. I NEED to go there some day ;-)) Too bad that they can't borrow U 995 from Laboe, U 10 from Wilhelmshaven and U 2540 from Bremerhaven. They would help make a great German display ;-))
     
  18. Jan7

    Jan7 Member

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    Thanks, Skipper!

    Seems that you, as french countryman can reach authentic treasures inside Keroman.....



    Jan.
     
  19. Erich

    Erich Alte Hase

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    well pull out the 3 long lost late War U-booten XXI's out of the Hamburg bunkers and put one to scale there in Lorient.........

    nah not worth the effort really.
     
  20. Skipper

    Skipper Kommodore

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    The place is open for ay body and there are even guided tours in English .

    Here are a few pictures of the roof of K-3 . Notice the Flak turrets and the bombing bouncing devices. The roof at this point is 7 meter thick and resisted to a massive bombing on August 1944 which included a direct hit on this very roof by a +-5000 kilo Tall boy bomb.

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