S Boot Restored

U-boot, German Navy, Italian navy.

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Jaws
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S Boot Restored

Post by Jaws »

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-10973859

I'd love to have a go on that!

Regards,

Gary
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Society Against Splinter A Bandoliers

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Hoffman Grink

Re: S Boot Restored

Post by Hoffman Grink »

That's Kevin's (Wheatcroft) and it's nothing near finished.... he is busy assembling all the bits for it - I have an invite to go down to see her - I will certainly be taking the offer up. The last of her kind.....
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Tychsen
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Re: S Boot Restored

Post by Tychsen »

A friend of mine has the torpedo aiming optic for an S Boat , he has spent the past week restoring it.
HG - a trip down to see her would be well worth while .

Last weekend I was talking to an old shipmate of my late father's...they served on MTB's together , "Tex" Basely like my father joined up when under age and both ended up on ML249 .
My father joined ship the year before "Tex" , for his eagerness "Bob" was sent out to intercept the Brest Squadron when they forced the Channel in Feb. 42 , at 18 it was a sharp introduction to the enemy.
( A few weeks later my old man was part of the naval force which lifted Johnny Frost and his men from Bruneval in "Operation Biting" ...along with German POW's and radar parts.)

Their collective memories of the "E" (S) boats - strongly armed , less combustible , faster , better sea keeping qualities and better armoured than their craft.
Tex told me that almost every night they seemed to be at sea trying to ambush S boats returning to base and like my late father had told me what resulted if contact was made was a short vicious intense fire fight fought at close range , the exchange fast becoming a running battle in which the Germans hale d all the cards save that of surprise....but then they expected to be ambushed so they would have been at action stations , armed to the teeth and ready.

Good to see her being returned to running order , Tex - a nick name "Texas" - from a twin gun mounting he manned - like a gun slinger , he had a gun in each pocket.
My old man was a signals man - they called him "Derry" - as he was from "Derry".

Also see this thread for some info on S boats...including that bloody lovely surface sight.

viewtopic.php?f=88&t=8293

Peter has a world class collection , this is but one of rare items he has - as far as I am aware he has been in contact with KW.
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Tychsen
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Re: S Boot Restored

Post by Tychsen »

Image
The surface firing optic unit to put this together in some ways defines the scale of the restoration.
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Tychsen
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Re: S Boot Restored

Post by Tychsen »

And the craft at speed.
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Sturmschar
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Re: S Boot Restored

Post by Sturmschar »

Lovely photos chap - phwoar German optics!!
Always keep the boot of destiny aimed at the arse of anticipation!
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Tychsen
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Re: S Boot Restored

Post by Tychsen »

This one is really at the top end - well beyond my pocket but it is just one part of the boat - imagine getting it back into wartime configuration .... the Tiger and Panther rebuilds actually smaller projects when you consider it.
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Tychsen
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Re: S Boot Restored

Post by Tychsen »

S Boot at speed.

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Jaws
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Re: S Boot Restored

Post by Jaws »

Them were the days!

A beautiful pic, thanks for posting that Tychsen!

Regards,

Gary.
S.A.S.A.B.
Society Against Splinter A Bandoliers

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Tychsen
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Re: S Boot Restored

Post by Tychsen »

Yes Gary you can see the men on the bridge and firing positions are enjoying it .
My "old man" ( he would have hated me for calling him that!) was on RN Coastal Forces in WW2 and even in his 70's he felt there was nothing like the fast boats he was on.... as mentioned earlier his memories of S Boats were less happy, close quarter running battles fought at night frightening and very intense.
He had the nasty experience of being on one of the MTBs sent out to attack the Brest squadron when they forced the Channel in Feb. 1942 he saw more "E Boats" that day than he ever saw in his life "half the German navy was at sea" needless to say they never got further than the outer screen before being fully engaged.
Franz repper
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Re: S Boot Restored

Post by Franz repper »

James thanks for this interesting topic may I ask if the optics were in NATO use as there looks to be the 13 number NATO stock number 1240.12 .143. 5696 on the bar ?
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Tychsen
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Re: S Boot Restored

Post by Tychsen »

Well spotted Joel.
I had sent a friend the ebay sales link for this item and he came back telling me that it was a post war optic , but is almost identical to that which was used in WW2.

Good eyes sir. :)
( And the insight into the numbers !).
Franz repper
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Re: S Boot Restored

Post by Franz repper »

Tychsen wrote:Well spotted Joel.
I had sent a friend the ebay sales link for this item and he came back telling me that it was a post war optic , but is almost identical to that which was used in WW2.

Good eyes sir. :)
( And the insight into the numbers !).
James I think I should get out more :lol:
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Sturmschar
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Re: S Boot Restored

Post by Sturmschar »

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: amen to that Joel!!
Always keep the boot of destiny aimed at the arse of anticipation!
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Tychsen
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Re: S Boot Restored

Post by Tychsen »

My partner would tend to hold the same view of my own situation. :)
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