Attack periscope!

[JAndrew]

I don't think Topp spent any prison time. In saying that I am talking about prison for war crimes. Whether he spent a short time right after the war in a POW stockade I am not sure but I think they all did for the time that was needed to process them by the allies.

With a periscope fully retracted into the housing it would be difficult to tell it was there unless you had a view from directly above and a light shining down into the housing opening so you should not be frustrated if the photos can't give you a definite answer.

Which ever boat this came off of this is a very, very cool piece of history and a great item for a collection.

JAndrew

[amiklic1]

Thanks. That's just what I thought.

I am still waiting for more details, photos and documents from the guy who sold me the periscope, and the last time he hasn't got any time to speak about what has his father told him about this scope.

It's extraordinary piece around which I'm building my whole collection.

I am more oriented to some really rare items, even if that means paying premium price for just few items instead of getting the room full of different things (nothing to complain, my war room is getting more filled every day :-) ).

I thought that attack periscope couldn't go into the housing much lower than it's visible on 2nd photo in the post #21. Not much references about this item, really.

[amiklic1]

After the message I got from Harry Cooper, president of Sharkhunters, no doubt that this relic is NOT from U-552, as E.Topp really had one from it. In fact, it seems that I was right saying that periscope head on the photos was removed, but it wasn't by the guy who took mine but Eric Topp's friend. Here is the message:

Yes, my friend Erich did have the head of his attack periscope from
U-552 in his possession - I held it in my hand. After he transferred off the boat, it went into the training command under Kplt Popp - very similar name. At the end of the war, the crew scuttled U-552 but in shallow water.
A friend of Erich went to the boat and removed the head of this 'scope. I do not think there are very many of these periscope heads in existence at all - very few.

So, my study went into half-right direction, and based on my previous finds and statements, this could be from U-777, I believe.

Of course, no way to say 100%, as even the towers that were missing from some u-boats, which could be air-bombed or completely destroyed could still have periscope inside, or one could also be separated from the tower in an explosion (less possible as it went really deep through u-boat), so without the help of the guy whose father took it, I'm afraid there is no way to know 100%.

Anyway, as Harry Cooper said, there are just few of these around the globe, so I am extremely happy with it, and I'm still excited about it, just as the first day i got it ;-).

[ROBB]

Wow ! One of the coolest things ever posted on this forum . Rob

[John R.]

Here is a cap with the training boat 777 insignia--part of my collection.

German submarine U-777 was a German Type VIIC U-boat built in World War II, launched on 25 March 1944, and commissioned on 9 May, by its sole commander, Oberleutnant Günter Ruperti. It underwent training with the 31st U-boat Flotilla, but did not participate in any patrols during its five-month career of active service. It was destroyed at 20:02 hours on the night of 15/16 October 1944, during a British air raid on Wilhelmshaven, Germany, at position 53°51′N 08°10′ECoordinates: 53°51′N 08°10′E. One crewman was killed.

John

[JAndrew]

John,
Very nice items.

Here is a link to some more photos of the scuttled boats. The second page offers a map of the boats and locations.

Sorry that it did not turn out to be 552's scope but it is still a wonderful piece. How do these detach anyway? From the bottom it almost looks like an interrupted thread that one would push down and give a partial turn.

JAndrew

[amiklic1]

In fact they used the saw :-(... I'm sure there was a thread connection somewhere near that, at least based on the picture below.

No matter it's not from Uboot 552, it's still one of the just few out there, and it will always be the central part of my collection. True relic.


Btw., JAndrew, can you repost the link? I can't see it...

[JAndrew]

That's because this dummy forgot to paste it. Try this:

http://news.webshots.com/album/49322474rtUdbT

Sorry about that.

JAndrew