Is there any surviving u boats that are functional and in the water?

[1 Patriot-of-many]

Incredible stuff 3/4 of the sailors never returned.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eL6OzcAGQUg

[gewehr44]

The closest candidate is probably the U-2540 a type XXI sub that was actually raised in the 50's & used by the German navy until 1980. I doubt that it runs, but it's still in the water.

http://www.uboat.net/fates/today.htm

[HDR]

Here ya go: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Deadlight

It doesn't appear any are still in service.

[Partisan1983]

Incredible stuff 3/4 of the sailors never returned.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eL6OzcAGQUg

I remember asking my uncle about Uboats when I was a kid back in the 80's (he was a submariner during the 70's and 80's)..........

He said it best........."Kid, there is a huge difference between Uboats and Submarines".........and that was all he said. He's still alive today (amazingly) but I never touch upon his years in the submarine service.....

[Arnulf]

I have been to the museum of science and history in chicago and seen the u boat 505.

http://www.msichicago.org/whats-here/exhibits/u-505/

[abpt1]

WOW very cool !

[Airdale]

Not a U-Boat, but a real Soviet Cold Warrior, still in the water. I visit this every few months, its just incredible-

http://www.russiansublongbeach.com/

[chiak47]

I have been to the museum of science and history in chicago and seen the u boat 505.

http://www.msichicago.org/whats-here/exhibits/u-505/

My dad took us there in the early 80's before they brought the sub inside and I took my kids there last year and I spent most of my time going over that u-boat. The exhibit they have now is spectacular compared to the way it was back when I was a kid. The enigma machine they have there is also a nice piece to their collection.
The thing that really amazed me is the horse crap welding that was performed on the uboat due to the technology at the time and how they were able to stay submerged with all that pressure building up without blowing those welds out.

I go to Manitowoc here in WI quite a bit for my job and there is a maritime museum there that from what I understand has American subs from ww2 seeing how quite a few of them were built there. I'd like to go over there someday.

OT... I bought a Canon EOS Rebel T1i with the 18-55mm lens last night from best buy. It is by far the best camera I have ever owned. You gave me some great info over on 3dogs along with lysander... Now I have to go to Manitowoc and snap some pics with it. :D

[1 Patriot-of-many]

Not a U-Boat, but a real Soviet Cold Warrior, still in the water. I visit this every few months, its just incredible-

http://www.russiansublongbeach.com/

The virtual tour is pretty cool. CA huh? That's pretty far for me.
I'm not that far from Chicago, I really gotta get down there and see U505

[El Duce]

I have been to the museum of science and history in chicago and seen the u boat 505.

http://www.msichicago.org/whats-here/exhibits/u-505/


When I was in grade school (living in a subburb of Chicago) we went there several times for field trips. Still a very fond memory.

[Arnulf]

My dad took us there in the early 80's before they brought the sub inside and I took my kids there last year and I spent most of my time going over that u-boat. The exhibit they have now is spectacular compared to the way it was back when I was a kid. The enigma machine they have there is also a nice piece to their collection.
The thing that really amazed me is the horse crap welding that was performed on the uboat due to the technology at the time and how they were able to stay submerged with all that pressure building up without blowing those welds out.

I go to Manitowoc here in WI quite a bit for my job and there is a maritime museum there that from what I understand has American subs from ww2 seeing how quite a few of them were built there. I'd like to go over there someday.

OT... I bought a Canon EOS Rebel T1i with the 18-55mm lens last night from best buy. It is by far the best camera I have ever owned. You gave me some great info over on 3dogs along with lysander... Now I have to go to Manitowoc and snap some pics with it. :D

Yeah....it was out side when I was there....they had it so you could look thru the periscope out over lake Michigan.
It was quite claustrophobic inside that U-boot...I never could have stood it...would have went bonkers.

Congrats on Your new Canon digital SLR. :thumbsup:

[Draco]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/37/PBY_Catalina_G-PBYA_433915_pict1.jpg

[gewehr44]

The thing that really amazed me is the horse crap welding that was performed on the uboat due to the technology at the time and how they were able to stay submerged with all that pressure building up without blowing those welds out.

I don't know anything about welding, but those ugly welds must have been strong because the German boats could dive more than twice a deep as a US Gato class boat.

If I ever get to Chicago for more than just a stopover, I'll have to check out the museum.