Characteristics

Outside length 191 m
Inside length (-> gate locks) 169 m
Length of the slope 158,6 m
Width 12 m
Max. height of a ship using the slpiway 13,75 m

 

Operation of the slipway

  1. A traveling dock travels along the 10% slope to the bottom of the slipway. The lock opens and the submarines enters inside the canal.
  2. The lock is closed and the water pumped. The submarine is now supported by the travelling doc.
  3. The dock (+ the submarine) goes up and is placed between the Kéroman 1 and Kéroman 2 shelters on the rolling bridge
  4. The bridge moved toward the selected u-boat pen
  5. The dock (+ the submarine) enters the selected pen.

 

The operation lasted 15 minutes including 10 minutes outdoor. It was the only place of the base where the u-boat was vulnerable and could be attacked from the air. This is why there were 3 anti-aircraft guns on the roof of K1 and balloons maintained on the ground by steel wire ropes. There were no damages on this quay level and no submarine was destroyed during these operations.

 

Photos

This photos show the different steps explained above, from the exit of the submarine ANDROMEDE from the pen to the entrance inside the slipway.

 

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