U-47 Photograph Album
Section T (Autumn 1940, Lorient)
T01. Autumn 1940, Lorient
This and the series of photos which follow were taken after the refit in which the air trunking was added to both sides of the tower. This refit took place in Kiel between the end of the sixth patrol on 6th July 1940 and the start of the 7th patrol on 26th August 1940. U-47's top colour at this time was a dark grey colour, which may have been Schlickgrau 58 (mud-grey). U-47 remained in this grey thereafter. The snorting bull was also repainted in a different style during this refit, and was repainted twice later in U-47's career.
The three additional bars, arranged in a triangular shape, which were added to the rear of the forward deck railings during the recent refit can be seen, as can the breakwaters. (Int 4 & 6)
View Photograph: T01. Autumn 1940, Lorient
T02. Autumn 1940, Lorient
Crewmembers are sitting on the forward deck railing and the fairing at the front of the tower, which housed the magnetic compass. On this fairing is a panel which has the raised detail of a square with a cross within it. This was a marker to indicate the location of connections to fill air bottles. The thin black stripe between the tower and the deck can also be seen.
The dark area at the base of the barrel (above the recoil tray) was heavily greased to help the barrel slide back when it recoiled. The unpainted bronze ring behind this area acted as a guide for the recoiling barrel. (Trojca Hardback, Trojca Pictorial, Ubootwaffe Part 4)
View Photograph: T02. Autumn 1940, Lorient
T03. Autumn 1940, Lorient
Members of the crew are gathered in the conning tower. A plank is in place on the starboard side of the tower railings to allow access to the tower. The third vertical stanchion behind the starboard air trunking is thicker than the other vertical stanchions.
Note that neither the Pillkoppen pennant nor the commissioning pennant are in place on the commander's flagstaff. As a result, T01, T02 and T03 were taken before the other photographs in the T series. The photos in the T series feature the autumn 1940 (version 1) bull, while the photos in the U series feature the autumn 1940 (version 2) bull. Some of these photos were probably taken in the build up before the departure on the 8th patrol on the 14th October 1940. (Trojca Hardback, Trojca Pictorial, Ubootwaffe Part 4)
View Photograph: T03. Autumn 1940, Lorient
T04. Autumn 1940, Lorient
Someone walks over a plank that is in place between the quayside and the top of the starboard tower railings. The large external trunks that had been built up both sides of the tower, starting under the Flak platform and extending up the after edge of the conning tower, have greatly altered the appearance of U-47's tower. The grills on these large purpose-built air trunks are higher than before, and thus farther from the waves which would hamper the flow of air into the diesel intakes.
As the Pillkoppen pennant is in place, this photo was not taken at the same time as T01, T02 and T03. Neither was it taken at the same moment as T05 and T06 since the attack periscope is raised in this particular image. The head of the attack periscope looks like it has been painted in a lighter grey than the darkish grey paint on the conning tower. Perhaps the periscope had been retracted when the change from Dunkelgrau 51 to Schlickgrau 58 occurred, leading to the periscope head remaining in the older Dunkelgrau 51 paint. (Ebay)
View Photograph: T04. Autumn 1940, Lorient
T05. Autumn 1940, Lorient
The ladder reaching up from the deck to the air trunking is noticeable. Also of note is how the rear of the spray deflector curves around the front of the starboard air trunk. In accordance with the painting regulations (Allgemeinen Baubestimmungen Nr. 31), the spray deflector was painted black because it was a horizontal surface.
Prien is one of the men standing at the rear of the tower; he is wearing his white cap and black jacket. The galley hatch is closed in this photograph; in T01 and T02 the hatch is closed. (Trojca Hardback, Trojca Pictorial, Ubootwaffe Part 4)
View Photograph: T05. Autumn 1940, Lorient
T06. Start of 8th patrol, 14th October 1940, Lorient
This photo shows Prien dressed as in U02, U06 and U07. It also shows that the starboard bull had a curved tail at this time. (Int 4)
View Photograph: T06. Start of 8th patrol, 14th October 1940, Lorient
