Carl :

A question for the vets of this boot. What was the last armament fit to the boat.....Flak ?
Two twin 2cm and 1 3.7cm waffen or two twin 2cm and 1 quad 2cm or possibly twin 3.7cm ??
Also what type of ammo used, like HE or a mix of AP and HE for use against aircraft.

Thanks buddie

E

I'll ask Dieter that as he was the Engineering Officer. It will have to be by snailmail though so it might take some several weeks to get a reply.

If im not mistaken, in Otto Giese's book: "Shooting The War" I think he talks about something being added where they had to cup-up part of U 181s decking to fit this piece there.

I do not remember if it was a deckgun or a schnorkel. Im leaning towards it being a schnorkel. I do know that U 181 DID have extra weaponry on board. Its possible it could have been something like a 20mm? or maybe even twin MG-34s or something to that effect.

I wish most of my stuff wasnt in storage so I could actually answer a question with certainty

__________________
Lost are only those, who abandon themselves) Hans-Ulrich Rudel.

I'll ask Dieter that as he was the Engineering Officer and would have been involved at getting his hands greasy. It will have to be by snailmail though so it might take some several weeks to get a reply.

If im not mistaken, in Otto Giese's book: "Shooting The War" I think he talks about something being added where they had to cup-up part of U 181s decking to fit this piece there.

I do not remember if it was a deckgun or a schnorkel. Im leaning towards it being a schnorkel. I do know that U 181 DID have extra weaponry on board. Its possible it could have been something like a 20mm? or maybe even twin MG-34s or something to that effect. I have a photo of Franz-Josef Hawran (somewhere) where he is in Uboat overalls (tropical)and is sporting a beard, hes wearing the winter overseas cap, has on black leather gloves, is standing next to an MG-34 mounted as AA, and has a big grin on his face.

I wish most of my stuff wasnt in storage so I could actually answer a question with certainty

(Light at the end of the tunne)

I might be moving in a few weeks and will keep you informed. Then after I move, it will be just a matter of time before I get all my stuff back, and I can pretend to be knowledgable again.

__________________
Lost are only those, who abandon themselves) Hans-Ulrich Rudel.

Sorry for the Ddoouubbllee ppoossttiinnggss,,II oonnllyy mmeeaanntt oonnee.. [img]smile.gif[/img] [img]smile.gif[/img]

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Lost are only those, who abandon themselves) Hans-Ulrich Rudel.

Way cool.......and I hope you're moving will be soon and not a long drawn out affair. I remember this all too well, moving about 8 times in one year back in the late 70's......what a drag.....
by the way is Giese's book still availble somewhere here in the states ?

E

I hate moving........

You can get Ottos book here in the states. I think Amazon and if not Amazon try www.helion.com they should have it, or you might try Barnes and Nobles or whatever major bookstore chain you have there near the land of the leftists.

How can you stand to be that near Portland Or, and (GASP) Berkley, CA? I'd go nuts

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Lost are only those, who abandon themselves) Hans-Ulrich Rudel.

Carl, Portland isn't so bad, just stay away from the swill in any large city. Can't say what the moron's are thinking at all in that city. Lived there back in the 70's, hippie days. All I can say about those times are.......well I won't just that it was very strange times all over the states. Berkley, thank goodness is far to the south, but I did have a relative attend college there [img]tongue.gif[/img] , that's what I say to that schoolin general.
Will look for Otto's book after the Holidays as we do have a B&N about 25 miles away. I'll have to look for an ISBN but that shouldn't be a problem

E

I think I might listen to too much talk radio. Medved and Savage, hate both places--I only cant stand Berkley.

I have to run, will talk to you later--Carl.

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Lost are only those, who abandon themselves) Hans-Ulrich Rudel.

Carl ;

I was looking through the u-boat.net materials on the XXI boot under Schnee. The only one on ops. Wow, I can only figure what a pain in the side of Allied shipping this would of become if these boats had been available in 1944 and with the likes of the crews of U-181 and others, the amount of shipping they would have racked up on their victory flags.......geez !!

E

Simply stated, they would have kicked out butts and dome much more damage than they had done. They would have eventually lost anyway as there was too much allied air and sea cover.

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Lost are only those, who abandon themselves) Hans-Ulrich Rudel.

Carl :

By chance do you have any info on the one and only operation by this XXI boot ? Guess I should wait to see if anything is said in my Christmas present when it comes. I think it's stuck somewhere on the north pole.

E

Im beginning to wonder where Remys packags to you is? Does the North Pole have Customs Inspectors there now??

__________________
Lost are only those, who abandon themselves) Hans-Ulrich Rudel.

Forgot to mention, that one of the U 181 photocopies I sent to Otto, shows the U 181 crew celebrating Christmas under the waves. My friend Karl Kaiser is to the left side and barely visable in the photo due to some of the decorations hanging near him.

__________________
Lost are only those, who abandon themselves) Hans-Ulrich Rudel.

A spruce from the black forest on the rear deck........eh ?

E

Actually (I know you were joking)they had a tree made of tin cans, and had dogtags for decorations. They were inside the uboat, packed in like sardines.

__________________
Lost are only those, who abandon themselves) Hans-Ulrich Rudel.