This website and its offers are aimed exclusively at museum visitors in Germany, so that the texts, freely translated into English, serve as an aid.
Section
Technical data of the section
| Volume: | 288 m³ |
| crew: | 10 men |
| Torpedo length: | 8,14 meters |
| Torpedo weight: | about 2 tons |
| Torpedo speed: | approx. 60 kn |
| Torpedo number: | 24 pieces |
| Torpedo tubes: | 6 pieces |
| Torpedo caliber: | 533 mm |
The torpedo armament of the U-Boat 434:
The torpedoes of the U-boat were loaded via an upper deck ramp through the torpedo loading hatch and transported below deck to the laterally movable storage and loading devices using a further ramp witrh a chain drive and a hydraulic cabke winch.
U-boat torpedoes: from loading to firing
With a special loading device inside of the submarine, it was possible to load two torpedoes simultaneously in a time of 6 to 8 minutes and make the U-boat combat-ready. Three men were required for this process, while only one person was needed to fire the torpedoes. Before firing one or a maximum of two torpedoes simultaneously, the torpedo tube of the U-boat had to be evacuated and flooded with water to ensure a bubble-free leakage. The weight loss caused by the torpedo's departure and the evacuation of the torpedo tube had to be compensated for by flooding the ballast tanks accordingly in order to counteract a change of course of the submarine .
Technical data of the section
| Volume: | 267 m³ |
| Crew: | 5 men |
| Officers mess size: | 8 seats |
| Officers mess function: | Dining room for officers (emergency: operating room) |
The U-434 officer's mess:
The commander and officers ate, spent their free time and held meetings in the officers' mess of the submarine. The table was also used for other purposes. It also served as an operating table for the 2 doctors on board.
Medical emergencies: Medical care in the U-boat
Medical care on the U-boat was provided by a doctor on board who was also entrusted with other military duties. He had a small pharmacy for dispensing medication and an isolation room for treating infectious diseases. The officers' mess therefore also served as an emergency medical operations room.
Technical data of the section
| Volume: | 230 m³ |
| Crew: | 32 men |
| Boat draft: | 6,60 meters |
| Max. Depth of the boat: | 400 meters |
| Boat Depth of Destruction: | 600 meters |
The U-434 command center:
The command center is still located inside the submarine's pressure hull. The technology was extremely functional, highly robust and probably state-of-the-art at the time of the “Cold War”. At the front are the steering positions and the seats of the commander and helmsman. They controlled the speed and diving depth. The telephone exchange, which connects the bridge with the entire U-boat in terms of communications and the engine telegraphs, which are connected to the engine room, are located in the control center.
Communication in the U-boat: Commands via telegraph
If, for example, the desired speed of the U-boat was preselected on the bridge, a bell signal sounded. As soon as the engine room had received and confirmed the order, both pointers were aligned again, and the acoustic and visual signal went out. The map room is located at the back of the bridge and the submarine's electrical control and control panel is in the corridor.
Technical data of the section
| Volume: | 170 m³ |
| Crew: | 8 men |
| Electric drive: | 3 x 1740 hp |
| Sneak machine: | 1 x |
| speed: | 16 kn (submerged) |
The U-Boat crew:
The crew of the U-boat consisted of a maximum of 84 men, including 16 officers, 16 NCO's and up to 52 sailors. The Russian navy operated in two watches, i.e. in a two-shift system. The officers and NCO's lived in single and multi-person cabins, which were designed for a maximum of four people.
Working on board: The two-shift systems in the U-boat
Due to the two-shift system in the U-boat, a 4-man cabin was used by a total of 8 men. For reasons of space, the lowest-ranking sailors did not have their own cabin and were accommodated in a kind of cot in the lower deck of the u-boat without any privacy. Three cooks also worked in the galley in a two-shift system and ensured that all crew members received a hot meal twice a day.
Technical data of the section
| Volume: | 211 m³ |
| Crew: | 11 men |
| Diesel engine drive: | 3 x 1733 hp |
| Speed: | 13 kn (surfaced) |
The U-Boat's D-drive
The control room of the chief engineer for the diesel engines is located in Departement V of the u-boat. The “remote station” for the machine telegraphs is also installed here, as well as the three control panels for the three turbo-diesel engines.
There are three 6-cylinder “turbo-diesel direct injection” engines, each with an output of 1,733 HP. Each engine has its own shaft with drive screw. These diesel engines are still state-of-the-art today. They are regarded as ultra-modern, as they have a very compact, powerful and fuel-efficient design. Each individual cylinder of the engines is equipped with the so-called “pump nozzle injection technology”, which is also used in modern trucks. Thanks to an air supply snorkel, it was possible to operate the diesel engines even when submerged at so-called periscope depth.
Technical data of the section
| Volume: | 170 m³ |
| Crew: | 8 men |
| Electric machine drive: | 3 x 1740 hp |
| Sneak machine: | 1 x |
| Speed: | 16 kn (submerged) |
The U-Boat's electric drive:
The control cabinets for the three electric motors, each with 1,740 hp, are located in section VI. In full-load operation, a maximum travel time of 90 minutes was possible. The three powerful electric motors and an additional crawl speed motor, which is particularly quiet, made it possible to travel at underwater speed. The electric motors were powered by accumulators with a total capacity of 16,000 ampere hours (for comparison: a car battery has approx. 60 Ah). The accumulators were housed in four battery rooms, two each in compartment II and compartment IV. While the diesel engines were running, the three propulsion electric motors were used as generators to charge the batteries. There is also a switch cabinet for the creeping machine. This is an electric motor with 180 HP, which only drives the central propeller and runs extremely quietly, so that it was possible to enter the espionage areas unnoticed.
Technical data of the section
| Volume: | 104 m³ |
| Crew: | 4 men |
| Displacement (emerged): | 2800t |
| Displacement (submerged): | 3630t |
| Number of drive screws: | 3 pieces |
| Drive screw weight: | 650 kg each |
The aft oft the U-Boat:
The last compartment of the U-boat contains no torpedo outlet pipes aft, i.e. in the stern. Instead, the rudder hydraulic system for the rudder and depth rudder as well as a manual emergency control station for the rudder system are installed here. This U-boat compartment also houses a fire extinguishing system with a special fire extinguishing system that works with chemical foam, as salt water could not be used due to its electrical conductivity. The drinking water tanks are also located here, and a special noise-insulated heating system, which is atypical on hunting U-boats.
The propeller of the U-Boat:
The U-boat was propelled by a 5-blade propeller. The more blades propellers have, the less noise they make.
U-Boat 434 cross-section
The Tango class: a legendary submarine of the Soviet Navy
The Tango class is the successor to the Foxtrot class, the first Soviet diesel-electric boat with antisonar coating. As a conventional counterpart to the Victor II-class nuclear submarines, this submarine class was originally designed and built for anti-submarine combat. Well-known U-boats of this class, such as U-434, were deployed on long patrols and submarine hunts by the Soviet Navy from 1976 onwards.
Innovative technology on board the U-boat:
The following innovations were used for the first time on this type of Soviet submarine: a sonar complex instead of individual systems, a connection between the sonar complex and a battle management system, automatic data input into the torpedoes before firing, an automatic ballast control system and automatic depth control, including an autopilot. In contrast to the Foxtrot class, these U-boats had an improved streamlined shape, which made them even more suitable for underwater operations. Due to the streamlined shape, which extended over the entire U-boat hull, the battery capacity could be increased and a more advanced electrical system, such as a bow sonar and a fire control system, could be installed. Thanks to the special rubber coating, it was almost impossible for the sonar equipment of Western intelligence services to locate this spy submarine, like U-434. For this reason, the Tango class, to which U-434 also belonged, would not have been an easy target for anti-submarine forces in shallow water.
Mysterious missions: U-434 and the defence of the Soviet ‘Bastion’
Due to the lack of concrete information about this U-boat, hardly any photos or reports reached the public. U-434 was armed exclusively for the defence of the Soviet ‘bastion’. The term ‘bastion’ refers to areas in which Russian submarines patrolled with SSBN nuclear missiles or waited to launch them at America. Due to the long range of these missiles, it was not necessary to cross the open ocean or transport them to the American coast.
The air supply on board the U-434: a technical masterpiece
A particular problem with submarines is the air supply during dives lasting several days. For this reason, a closed system was installed in the accommodation and battle stations of the U-434, which regulated the air supply and air regeneration in a separate circuit.
The bastions: Haven for the Soviet submarine fleet
The bastions were located in the heavily defended areas of the Barents Sea and the Sea of Okhotsk, where surface ships and submarines, such as the Tango class, provided protection and the home harbours were not far away. When building the submarine, care was taken to ensure that it could be used for a long time at sea due to its versatile tasks. On the surface, it was capable of firing portable air defence missiles, while 24 torpedoes were available under water, which were controlled via a torpedo fire control system installed in the bow. Depending on the mission, the torpedo tubes could be equipped with submarine-hunting torpedoes, sea-target torpedoes, SS-N-15 submarine-hunting missiles or mines.
Tango class: A further development of project 641b
Overall, this new class was merely a further development of Project 641b and not a completely new type of submarine. The Tango class was first observed by the Western powers in July 1973 at the naval base in Sevastopol. At the end of the 1980s, the Russian Northern Fleet had 15 Tango-class submarines, while the Baltic Fleet had at least three. The Northern Fleet also had one or two submarines permanently on patrol in the Mediterranean.
The end of an era: the Kilo class replaces the Tango class
After 1995 most of the boats were taken out of service. The Kilo class was used as the successor to the Tango-class.
The cost of the U-434 submarine:
The construction costs of the submarine amounted to 110 million US dollars. The submarine “U-434” was in the Russian Navy's reserve until 2001.
History
After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, over 150 submarines were decommissioned, most of them in 1995. Only very rarely are they handed over to museum operations by the Russian government in consultation with the secret services.
Secret operations under water: U-434 a spy submarine
As a spy submarine, the U-434 (Russian designation B-515) was used for special purposes, including secret espionage missions off the east coast of the USA and long patrols in the territorial waters of the Soviet Union.
The U-434 in service with the Soviet Navy:
The U-434 was in service with the Russian Navy for 25 years. After contract negotiations which was short by Russian standards, it was purchased by U-Bootmuseum Hamburg GmbH in 2002. The U-434 is one of the last Tango-class submarines in the world. Presumably 20 submarines were built, of which 3 submarines belonged to a special series, including the U-434.
After the Second World War, the NATO states initially had very weak naval forces in the Baltic Sea. The Soviet Navy assumed that it could quickly gain free access to the world's oceans from its traditional main base in the Baltic Sea. It was only after German rearmament from 1956 that the situation changed: NATO forces, above all the German Federal Navy in cooperation with the Danish Navy, were now able to defend the Baltic Sea exists. This meant that the Soviet Navy would no longer be able to disrupt NATO reinforcements in the North Atlantic with submarines and other units.
The expansion of the Russian submarine fleet:
With the expansion of the bases in the North Sea, Murmansk and several nearby harbours provided ice-free bases from which the U-boat's could advance into the North Atlantic. At around the same time, from the end of the 1950s, the Soviet Navy began building up its nuclear submarine fleet. These submarines, which were mainly built in Severodvinsk, required secure access to the open oceans and were stationed in large numbers with the Northern Fleet.
The Russian Arctic Fleet:
The Northern Fleet became the most important of the four Soviet fleets. The strategic nuclear submarines formed part of the Soviet Union's nuclear power. The nuclear fighter submarines were capable of penetrating the Atlantic and attacking US carrier groups. Their surface forces, in particular the numerous cruisers and destroyers and later also individual aircraft carriers, were primarily used to protect the base region in order to safeguard the aforementioned forces.
The relocation of the navy: a strategic success
With the help of the amphibious forces (submarines), attacks on NATO territories, especially in northern Norway, would have been possible. The transfer of the main forces of the Soviet Navy to the North Sea was a significant strategic success.
Securing the sea routes:
NATO was forced to establish strong naval forces to secure its sea routes in order not to be cut off from reinforcements and supplies from North America in the event of war. On the other hand, building and maintaining the base for the largest Soviet fleet under extreme weather conditions and at a great distance from its own industry was associated with considerable costs.
MYPMAHCK - MURMANSK
Construction of the Russian submarine, the U-434, began in the Russian submarine shipyard KRASNOE SORMOVO in Gorki (now Nizhny Novgorod), about 400 kilometers east of Moscow, in September 1975 and took only 8 months to complete Construction period started on April 29, 1976, fully operational.
U-boat type designation: |
|
| U515 (Buki) | |
| Tango class | |
| Serial number: | 105 |
| Project: | 641B |
| Board number: | 434 |
It was the tragic sinking of the Russian nuclear submarine ‘Kursk’ on 12 August 2000, during a manoeuvre of the Russian Northern Fleet in the Barents Sea. Offers of help came from all sides to rescue any surviving crew members of the submarine. Russian rescue teams, including Pris-class rescue submarines, made several attempts to rescue the crew. When Norwegian divers dived down to the wreck over a week later, they were unable to find any survivors.
Christian Angermann asked himself:
‘Who has ever seen a Russian submarine up close enough to be able to comprehend such a disaster?’ The idea of a museum submarine in Germany was born.
A Museum Experience: A Cold War Testimony
An U-boat museum in Germany with an experiential character that serves as a contemporary witness to the Cold War. It allows visitors to ‘immerse themselves’, gather their own impressions, absorb smells of oil and sweat and put themselves in the shoes of the people who served and lived on board. The aim is to promote a deeper understanding of science, technology and responsibility, as well as to answer questions about how Russian submarine technology works, what torpedoes are and how they are shot down ?
The journey to the U-boat:
Chr. Angermann contacted his friend J. Wagner, Managing Director of a helicopter company and partner at the Russian company Bald-Impex, based in Kaliningrad, to discuss the next steps. A meeting organised by Bald-Impex took place at the Admiralty Shipyard in St. Petersburg in November 2000. There, Angermann and Wagner were able to sign a Russian decleration of intent to deliver. The contact with the Russians was very friendly, but distanced.
Negotiations with obstacles:
Chr. Angermann submitted numerous documents and confirmations, but the negotiations for an U-boat came to a standstill. During talks in Moscow, the Russians noticed that the two were serious - they did not want to buy junk, but wanted to present something with respect and dignity. Only then did Russian foreign trade intervene and they were offered two submarines that were still in service.
Contract negotiations in the restricted area:
Mr Angermann, Mr Wagner and the Russian mediator, Mr Metzger, who acted as negotiator between the Russian state and the Hamburg U-Boat Museum, travelled to Murmansk, which was still a restricted military area at the time, to sign the contract. Security officers escorted them and monitored their entire stay.
The start of the U-boat inspection: the initial Russian scepticism
Despite the friendly reception, the scepticism generated by the general media coverage prevailed. The tension was palpable and they had little of the cultural programme that is customary in Russia, even on business occasions. They only wanted one thing: to see the submarines!
Poljarny submarine base: Touring the U-boats
They drove along the Murmansk coast towards the Barents Sea to the Poljarny submarine base. Finally, they would see the submarines! Deeply moved, they finally stood in front of U-434. After the long and successful negotiations, the contract was signed, followed by a festive meal.
From an U-boat to a german U-boat museum: the conversion of the U-Boat
The conversion of the submarine into a german u-boat museum was particularly important to them, because U-434, a unique example of the Tango-class, had to be preserved in its authenticity, as it is an irretrievable unique museum piece.
The demilitarization of the U-Boat 434:
Just two days later, the submarine U-434 was decommissioned. The submarine was demilitarised, which involved dismantling the weapon systems and removing the batteries and pollutants. However, the engines and all the technology on board were fully preserved, meaning that U-434 is theoretically still operational.
The completion of the U-Boat project:
After the U-boat was demilitarized which involved the removal of batteries and pollutants, it was released for ‘museum purposes’. Chr. Angermann had successfully realised his idea with negotiating skills, fairness and a tangible sense of public spirit.
Clear air, cool water, lush green trees, cliffs over 300 metres high - Kola Bay near Murmansk. Here was U-434, ready for its last great journey through the Barents Sea and the European North Sea to Hamburg. In August 2002, the time had come: a Finnish deep-sea tug slowly pulled the 90.16 metre giant into the open sea, towards Hamburg.
An interrupted submarine mission:
However, it was not long before U-434 was stopped by the Russian secret service. The boat was searched for five days before the journey could be continued. Due to this delay, the boat did not appear on the radar of the Norwegian Coast Guard.
The saving e-mail:
Fear and hope were the result, until finally an e-mail arrived from Mr Jens Hoilund (officer of the Norwegian NATO air reconnaissance): "Your submarine has now left my areal...". "Sending you some pictures taken by one of our units last Thursday night. Have a nice day!". the owners could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
An approval of transport ?
In the meantime Chr. Angermann got in touch with the Waterways and Shipping Office to have the traffic of an extraordinary towing unit approved on the Elbe area.
The granted transport authorisation:
However, the Russian sea tug had to be exchanged for another suitable sea tug that knew the area on site.
The long journey to Hamburg:
On August 15 in 2002, the owners flew to the German Bight by helicopter to attent this special event.
U-434 came directly from the Russian Arctic Ocean. From there it had travelled an arduous 3,700 kilometres. It had been travelling for 14 days and the seagulls had left their mark on the bow and stern. In some places, the plates of the outer skin were missing.
Off to the U-Boat dock: the starting signal for the conversion
Off the coast of Heligoland, two German tugs took over the 90.60 metre long submarine from Russian custody. At 09:00 on the dot, the tugs reported at the Finkenwerder pilot point. One hour later, submarine U-434 was moored at Blohm + Voss dock 10.
The conversion of U-Boat 434:
An exciting time began at Blohm + Voss! A sworn team of experts got to work on U-434. The motivation was enormous: welding, painting, assembly and restoration were carried out. Domes were installed to allow visitors to descend comfortably into the interior of the submarine. The submarine was preserved in its original form and authenticity.
The transformation to the German U-Boat museum Hamburg:
After 6,000 hours of work, the conversion of the submarine was completed. The former captain of U-434, Anatoly Germatenko, the ship's engineer Alexander Beslepkin and Igor Metzger, actively accompanied this phase. Step by step, we were initiated into the secrets of the Russian submarine fleet so that we could later pass this knowledge on to our visitors.
On October 21 in 2002, the time had finally come: the third attempt was successful. The submarine U-434 was moved to Baakenhafen harbour in Hamburg. We were glad that the Upper Harbour Office had agreed to the shipment after having to refuse twice because the water level was too low.
The go-ahead from the Hamburg Port Authority:
The submarine U-434 arrived safely in Baakenhafen harbour and the U-434 team, led by Harald Büttner, began its work.
The U-Boat consecration:
On November 9 in 2002, the Hamburg Submarine Museum opened its hatches to visitors for the first time. Prior to this, the priest Ambrosius Backhaus baptized the U-434 ‘Buki’.
The U-Boat has to make way for the Hamburg subway!
Five years ago, in 2002, the U-434 submarine came to Hamburg! A lot has changed around the submarine since then. Many hard-working hands and clever minds have turned the Hamburg Submarine Museum into a tourist attraction in Hamburg. The former free port, the new harbour city, has been revitalised by the submarine museum.
The relocation of the U-Boat Museum Hamburg:
Where once no tourists got lost, suddenly visitors, even on foot, came the long way. For ten years, U-434 was supposed to lie at the same berth in Hamburg harbour. But due to the construction of the new U4 underground line in HafenCity, the submarine museum had to move in 2007.
The U-Boat Museum remains in Hamburg:
The move was a new challenge! The owners and the management of the U-Boat museum decided to take this step in order to preserve the museum for and in Hamburg.
The new berth in Baakenhafen:
On 14 March 2007, the world's largest hunting and espionage submarine set off again for its new berth in Hamburg's new HafenCity, just 250 metres east of its old berth in Baakenhafen.
Th relocation of the submarine museum:
The submarine, the submarine shop, the catering facilities and the submarine hangar (17 m x 15 m) were moved to the ‘new’ berth within 11 days.
A relocation in record time:
With the help of a tugboat, two floating cranes, a pontoon, other cranes and many hard-working helpers, the move of the U-boat was completed in record time. It took a lot of work before U-434 was able to open its hatches again on March 24, 2007.
The fascination of submarines lives on!
The U-Bootmuseum thanks for the good cooperation with:
HafenCity GmbH, HHLA, Knaack Krane, Helmut Polnau, Taucher Knoth, Garant, Michael Riccius building services, Mathea building service, A. John, P. Tanner, J. Zenker and many others unnamed helpers.
The third attempt finally succeeded: on 15 April 2010, the submarine U-434 was escorted by 2 tugs to its new berth at St. Pauli Fischmarkt after having been moored in Hamburg's Baakenhafen for 7 years. Due to the low tide, it was not possible to move the submarine twice.
The submarine 434 dives:
At great effort, one of the largest massive stilt excavtors was floated onto pontoons especially for the submarine U-434 in order to dig a platform for the new berth. After flooding the diving tanks, U-434 lies on the ground, giving the impression that it rises and falls with the changing tides.
The U-Boat U-434, an adventure museum:
The past 7 years in Baakenhafen harbour have already shown that the mixture of experience, museum and memorial against the Cold War attracts visitors of all ages. Since then, almost a million visitors have seen the interior of U-434 and been initiated into its technical and historical secrets.
Moving facts:
- Start of construction on March 25, 2010
- Floating in a pontoon with MP27 stilt excavator on 03/29/10
- Relocation of U-434 on April 15th, 2010
- Reopening May 7th, 2010
Successful submarine move
The U-Bootmuseum Hamburg thanks for the good and successful cooperation with:
- Elbmeile Hamburg e.V.
- Hamburg Port Authority
- Taucher Knoth GmbH & Co. KG in Zusammenarbeit mit Schleppkontor Meyrose GmbH
- Firma Josef Möbius Bau AG
- Knaack-Krane
- Helmut Polnau GmbH
- Fassmer GmbH & Co
- Bauschlosserei Michael Riccius
- Knabe Beratende Ingenieure GmbH
- X2 Group
and the many unnamed helpers.
