Historians fight to save deadly Nazi warship

[Random_Task]

Historians fight to save deadly Nazi warship
Times Online Link

PLYMOUTH She started life under the Nazis and later played a crucial role in the Cold War. Now naval historians have come to the rescue of the last surviving German Schnellboot, which is languishing in a dockyard in Plymouth, left.

In her day the S130, right, was the fastest craft on the sea, and neither the Americans nor the Royal Navy had anything that could match her 55 knot top speed. After the war S130 was surrendered to the Royal Navy and used to drop agents on the Baltic coast. The cost of restoring her is more than £4 million but a group of enthusiasts are hoping to persuade the Heritage Lottery Fund she is worth saving. Wyn Davies, a naval architect, said: “She is the last survivor of a hugely important class of warship that gave our coastal forces quite a headache.”

 

[armchair_jihad]

Random old love any chance of piccy - the PRC firewall seems to regard this article as a potential menace and denies access, in light of which prehaps Taiwan will stump up for the refit.

 

[LineDoggie]

Random old love any chance of piccy - the PRC firewall seems to regard this article as a potential menace and denies access, in light of which prehaps Taiwan will stump up for the refit.

-Hope this works;

 

[armchair_jihad]

Cheers Doggie - so this is an E Boat?

 

[DrStealth]

S-130, The Old Soldier
By Maurice Laarman.

http://www.prinzeugen.com/S130.htm

When one looks at the list of S-boote and their fates as documented in Dr. Hümmelchen's book, one notes a large number saw service after the war, and not all of them were sunk or scrapped. The thought naturally arises: where are they now? Recently documented on this website are 2 survivors, S-97 and S-130. Perhaps the near future will confirm another rumour, that yet another S-boat in California survives...
S-130, (Hull No. 1030) was built at the Johann Schlichting boatyard in Travemuende, and commissioned on October 21st 1943. Her Kommandant was Oberleutnant zur See Gunter Rabe. In November, S-130 was assigned to the 9th S-Boot Flotilla (von Mirbach) to reinforce their presence in the English Channel. From november 1943 until mid-february 1944 the flottilla was stationed in Rotterdam, then their home-base would be Cherbourg. A interogation of survivors report mentioned that her covername was Rabe, and that she carried a coat of arms incorporating a raven.
Following much routine action, S-130 took part in one of the most tragic defeats suffered by the US Navy. On the afternoon of 27 April 1944, a Luftwaffe reconaissance aircraft reported a convoy of 7 merchant ships off Start Point, England. At 22:00, S-130 left Cherbourg, one of nine boats from the 5th and 9th S-boot flotillas sent to attack.
Upon entering Lyme Bay, the German lookouts sighted eight American LST type landing craft escorted by a single British corvette, HMS Azaelia. The Schnellboote began their assault at 02.00, immediately striking LST 507 with a torpedo and setting her ablaze. Moments later LST 531 was struck by two torpedoes and sank rapidly. At 02:28 LST 289 opened fire on a prowling S-boat, which struck the LST with a torpedo, killing several men but failing to sink her. The short, savage action cost the lives of 197 American seamen and 441 soldiers, more than died on Utah beach in the invasion for which the men had been practicing that night.

 

[PartTimePongo]

Don't know why they say the last. Bags of them on the floor of the Baltic. Ok, they may be a bit damaged in places, courtesy of Coastal Command, but they are there, and the Baltic is very kind to wrecks.

 

[armchair_jihad]

Don't know why they say the last. Bags of them on the floor of the Baltic. Ok, they may be a bit damaged in places, courtesy of Coastal Command......

 

[DAGGER]

They`ll be lucky to get any money from that source. At the submarine museum at Gosport is HMS Alliance, a British WW2 vintage Sub. It`s in good nick but needs some work to the tune of £2Million. Their appeal for lottery/heritage funds was turned down.

I went to visit it this Summer and you get a conducted tour from an ex submariner inside the suband it was cracking.

 

[Praetorian]

They`ll be lucky to get any money from that source. At the submarine museum at Gosport is HMS Alliance, a British WW2 vintage Sub. It`s in good nick but needs some work to the tune of £2Million. Their appeal for lottery/heritage funds was turned down.

I went to visit it this Summer and you get a conducted tour from an ex submariner inside the suband it was cracking.

I let a fucking awesome fart go inside that submarine when we had a tour once. Always a giggle when they close the hatches.

 

[Gundulph]

They`ll be lucky to get any money from that source. At the submarine museum at Gosport is HMS Alliance, a British WW2 vintage Sub. It`s in good nick but needs some work to the tune of £2Million. Their appeal for lottery/heritage funds was turned down.

I went to visit it this Summer and you get a conducted tour from an ex submariner inside the suband it was cracking.

They don't stand a chance.... much more important works of art to procure with the lottery money than putting it into good causes like this! I think there are a lot of former train drivers/ticket collectors and spotters in the Heritage committee as they seem to put a lot of money into refurbishing old trains and railway stations!






Each to their own...





Gundulph

 

[The-Jack]

Link to some more information and photos of S 130. Believe the British Military Powerboat Trust own S 130.

http://www.bmpt.org.uk/boats/S130/index1.htm

Latest information on their webite “S130 remains in Mashfords, and EISCA advise that she will be floated and housed at a local berth, as the shipyard is undergoing extensive refurbishment. Engines, gearboxes, propshafts and props have been sourced in Southampton, from the other ex German Navy boat, the blue hulled boat which used to lie at the quay at Marchwood, and her restoration is being vigorously pursued by EISCA”

If anyone has some spare cash there are a few British vessels that they are trying to restore as well

 

[PartTimePongo]

My favourites are still the Vosper 60' MTB , or the classic Elco 80's , which can trace their lineage back to the Vospers.

"They were expendable" what a good film.

 

[Random_Task]

Wasn't there a U-Boat in Birkenhead for a while? (I believe it was on bricks too, typical!)

I hope they get the Schnellboot running, cross the English Channel in style and at speed! Beats the Hovercraft anyday.