U-534 - Time Capsule Submarine

In 1999 I was able to tour the recently raised German U-534, which was an experience I've never forgotten. Hear the story of how this submarine was sunk, found, raised and its controversial recent display in England.
Photo credits: Ed Pollock, Geoff Evans & ReptOn1x

[@louiehooper5623]

I had the good fortune of touring U505 in Chicago in 2009. The restoration was very well done.

[@BAZZAROU812]

Rookie Trucking 101 My friend said it was pretty awesome as well.. Chicago seems like a weird place for a u boat

[@herbwag6456]

Too bad it couldn't have been preserved in it's raw rust form. But this far better than scrapping.

[@alexwild4350]

To the commentators who ask why she was cut up - There never was a plan to restore it. The move to the museum was the boats final hope else being cut up for scrap was the final solution. The company that owns the sub and the museum moved it off the mainland to the spit of land where she now lays because their business is the operation of the cross river ferry, as Mr Felton suggests in the video. Therefore the exhibit of the sub is to encourage people to take the ferry....to see the sub. This is how she is earning her keep now. Missing from Mr Feltons narrative, is the U534 was travelling in the company of two other subs at the time of her sinking. The other two subs did crash dive - as Mr Felton points out, U534 as a wreck came to rest in a little over 200 feet of water which is enough to submerge the boat in. The reason for U534 staying afloat is clouded by time, other than its suggested with her heavy anti aircraft guns, she was best placed to fend off the aircraft. Its worth noting that aircraft travelling in pairs did become more "worrying" than perhaps 24 months earlier when they tended to be alone. This might sound obvious, but it hides the allied technology, revealed by history. The first of the pair of planes to attack dropped plain depth charges as you'd expect. The whole point of this aircraft attack was to intimidate the Sub and get her to crash dive. If they sunk it with a lucky strike, all well and good. But the real weapon was carried in the second aircraft. This was the Mark 14 mine which was the allied code name for our first acoustically homed torpedo. Now it becomes apparent why the first aircraft role was to get the sub to crash dive. With the sub in crash dive and engines thrashing to get the boat under quickly, noise was the last thing on the crews worry list and this provided the perfect sound source for the homing torpedo to home in on, do its job, and kill the crew and with them the sub. Missing from Mr Feltons production is that I think one of the depth charges might have landed on U534s deck, rolled off the side and exploded by one of the prop shafts, bending this sizeable chunk of metal. It also ruptured the pressure hull in the engine room, and this sealed the fate of the sub. The crew were lucky or unlucky perhaps that the second aircraft was not carrying a Mark 14 mine, but plain old depth charges. The Mark 14 mine became Fido, which you can find on KZbin as an American training video. One of the video's is a US Navy training film about how they work, including the later versions which go into search patterns under water listening for their prey. There is also a recording of a real 1945 attack by Corsairs if I remember right, using Sonar Buoys dropped in the Atlantic which are equipped with small radio transmitters allowing the overhead air crew to listen into the ocean and track the target submarine, before once again, dropping a Fido Torpedo in the right spot, which they do. This is about as close as you can get to "being there" to listen to this recording made in real time. Bdu in Germany, with Mr Donitz, knew they were losing Uboats but they had no idea why, simply because there were no survivors who made it back to tell the tale. Late in World War 2, being on a Uboat was a seriously bad choice for a long and prosperous life.

[@nachtjager77]

Cutting this boat up was an absolute sin - whoever had this idea needs to be slapped repeatedly. Such an outrage to do this to such a historical artifact.

[@fastboy5557]

This reminds me of the time I went to visit the Museum of Science+Industry and saw the U-505 captured on June 4th 1944, 2 days before D-Day

[@amfriendly6723]

i lived right next to it for a while i used to pass it on the way to school it just sat there for a while till one day it just vanished and i later saw it being moved into place in the ferry terminal

[@Mikey-pq4zf]

My dad went scuba diving and saw the sunken U-260 off the coast of county cork here in Ireland

[@drspaseebo410]

wow ~ fabulous !

[@SupesMe]

Those guys died just days from the end of the war, Britts and Germans alike 😞

[@chriscarbaugh3936]

I was in the in about ‘99 as well. There was a great picture of the man who paid to raise the boat, he had this fantastic smile. I will never forget it. Gold, diamonds, probably not, but that smile. For me it’s a shame they cut her and up and preserved U-534. I did 6 years in the US Navy and served on boats.

[@littlejimmy8744]

Being the AA crew must have been a rush especially when they shoot down a bomber.

[@MrChizbiz]

That museum was a big part of my childhood i couldn't wait to be 18 just so i could walk through the u-boats, i was very sad when the museum went bust. I walk by on my way to work and i cant help but fell sorry for the old bastard chopped into chunks like that.

[@charleskettering2626]

Really enjoy your videos, it's amazing that you can put as much information in four minutes that others take fifteen.

[@kevinanderson3849]

Unfortunately, his "info" is sometimes nearly trash...like that assertion "Adolf Hitler had died 6 days before"...Mr. Felton, update your 1940s/50s info... Read the FBI reports of June/july '45 stating that Hitler had fled Germany and had reached southern Argentina, where he had an estate ready for him and his entourage. The dictator lived out the rest of his life down there till he passed away in the early '60s.

[@johnlowell5905]

Mark, I used to think I had a pretty extensive knowledge of military history having read at least a thousand books on the topic, but you continue to amaze me with your videos. Great job!

[@greyone40]

Another interesting video well done. This might sound funny, but I really like the seashore sound you put on the end, a nice touch. Would really love to see one of these boats in person, yet if I don't it is great to have this kind of documentary to look at. Thanks.

[@daqt6079]

I just recently discovered this channel. Simply wonderful. The subject matter, narration, music. Each of these videos come together to form a perfect little gem. I look forward to many more.

[@MarkFeltonProductions]

Thanks for your extremely kind comments - much appreciated

[@andydavidson]

i saw u534 in birkenhead in the 90's great to see the terror of the sea's close up, it is a shame it had to be cut up.

[@MarkFeltonProductions]

It was quite a sight.

[@rustykilt]

Was a shame but no choice owing to condition and moving complications..

[@kevinanderson3849]

@@rustykilt - But once it was moved to its present site, they could have welded its three sections back again, at least to look like the original...It wouldn't be too expensive a job, I guess.

[@kaltonian]

Wow, amazing, I love submarines and have had this love for them since watching Das Boat with my dad, I play a computer game called silent hunter 3 and my god its so accurate, what a crazy hard life to live and serve on a uboat, You were indeed very lucky to have walked through this historic time piece

[@belchnasty]

Love your videos, short and well researched. Keep them coming please.

[@seventyfivemm]

i love your videos mark! i’m so happy to see these videos in my subscription feed

[@icecoffee1361]

I live so close to this sub and it shame they cut it up 👎🏼 but great vid keep them coming 👍🏼

[@rustykilt]

They had no choice. Badly deteriorating, and the cost and complications of moving in one piece were daunting. At least the boat was saved and restored....

[@venustus129]

I agree with just about every comment , it’s a bloody crying shame they chopped it up just to save money. It would of been much better to have restored her in one piece and opened it as a museum that you can walk through. There’s a British sub you can visit in gosport at hms dolphin , I’ve been on it , and it’s also a travesty that the government didn’t keep at least one of our battleships instead of scrapping them all. 😢

[@the5thmusketeer215]

*Each of Mark’s videos is like a unique, highly prized sea shell, that stands out from the crowd...* *As I held this one to my ear, I swear I could hear the sound of waves lapping on the shore!* 😉

[@BELCAN57]

An explanation of the HMS Barham tragedy would be most interesting. As always, fascinating video.

[@kingerikthegreatest.ofall.7860]

Very interesting. Although not a ww2 or German submarine , I've been been on several tours of the uss blueback. It's amazing how cramped the older subs were.

[@CentsTwo]

Wow when mark says please subscribe for more he really means MORE!

[@jeremyoftitirangi7770]

I was also fortunate enough to walk though the sub when it was in Birkenhead in it's original rusted state as my Wife's family live nearby, as the commentary says it was very eerie but amazing to look at, i'll see if I can find my photos

[@howardbowen-RC-Pilot]

Yep I went through the u534 too. I even have souvenir sweatshirt. Tight squeeze but I was determined. Fascinating experience. So sad it got sliced up.

[@michaelthompson342]

An excellent presentation!

[@WeaselKing1000]

Saw it in its original state when I visited the museum in summer 2001. They also had the frigate HMS Plymouth, submarine HMS Onyx, and the former Mersey Bar lightship there at the time. Relatives went aboard the U-boat I think, but due to the hazardous nature of the site there was an age restriction in place - being too young, I didn't get the chance to board unfortunately.

[@fasthracing]

Been to see it. It is a real shame it has been cut up in this way

[@lonecrapshooter67]

Mark, your videos are very intriguing, informative, and interesting

[@russwoodward8251]

A great story. Thanks.

[@Red-rl1xx]

Great video!

[@TheDeJureTour]

Hi. I am upset that your two other recent reupload videos have been tampered with by KZbin. It doesn't sit right with me. Just wanted to throw that out there into the 'net-o-sphere.

[@bennylofgren3208]

Mr.Clem Which ones and in what way?

[@colinwithey1906]

Love right by it. It was diamond cut and can be rejoind together

[@amesbancal]

Encore une vidéo passionnante ! Merci

[@peter-jm1pu]

A super rare U boat. What should we do? Let's cut it up why keep it in the original form?

[@MarkFeltonProductions]

Yes, the powers that be had some kind of collective stupid moment!

[@lewisparker4488]

I do not know but suspect they had to cut it in sections to soak it in tanks to neutralize the salt contamination. Otherwise they would have had to build a tank big enough for the whole thing.

[@johnblue8907]

I remember seeing this U boat in Birkenhead before it was cut into sections. The AA guns were very impressive, as was the deformed hull on the underside near the propellers (obvious site of a depth charge or bomb)

[@filipmilewski7065]

Your vids are awesome continue doing them mate ;)

[@kowalski363]

Great video

[@CarLos-yi7ne]

A real shame that it was cut in peices! 😢😢😢 And of course you can see the rusty stripes on the grey paint... Would have been so much better when it was put inside in the state as it was.

[@mashbury]

Makes you wonder what type of "Ankers" were at the meeting that decided to chop up a intact U Boat... goes to prove that some museum staff just don't have a clue...

[@frankwhite3406]

They have wrecked a perfect and intact example of a classic U Boot!

[@JD-tl7ld]

Ein trauriges Ende für ein schönes altes Mädchen.

[@johannesgaida3137]

Immernoch besser als die 3 typ 20 uboote in Hamburg

[@felixangellopezalonso3993]

I saw it in Greenå, Denmark, in 1996 all rusty over the supports was awesome.

[@Timotheus157]

Brave warriors. Heartfelt salute to all of them!

[@bryanhurd9955]

The u boat capt shown here looks like Eric Topp who was never sunk,and ended up the most successful uboat capt

[@gravyboat2370]

I've visited this and it's very good. 🖒

[@Mick_A_Knuckle]

1:40 How the heck did five men escape from a hatch when the boat was under 220 feet of water? The pressure at that depth would be over six atmospheres! Perhaps they escaped from the hatch as the boat was starting to descend. Otherwise, a great clip once again Mark.

[@gazlyno]

We all hate it being cut up!!!

[@leary4]

The Museum of Science and Industry has a u boat u can walk through it's pretty cool. I met a sub sailor that griped about everyone knowing about that sub and no one knowing about the American one at the end of Navy peer (kind of a big Chicago draw). At the time he was right I had no idea. It looks like they've done a good job with this one especially considering how long she was underwater. Preservation takes an insane amount of money it's good to see it found a benefactor.

[@redactedagentdataexpunged9431]

What is the music during the intro

[@yellowboy1866]

How thick was the pressure hull?

[@mnemonicsghost1492]

Yes Germany .. أعشق ألمانيا انا مصري

[@craftpaint1644]

There's a documentary about this U-boat and on it there are a lot of commenters hating on how it had to be cut up but I look at this way - it was brought back from a sinking and that's only happened I think one other time before though no one lied about the cargo.

[@quasarhi]

Brillant !

[@johnwrigley1624]

It should be mentioned that while U-534 was at Birkenhead,the conning tower was reskinned,and they did a fantastic job.If you look at pics of just after she arrived,you'll see what I mean.

[@sprocket580]

I believe the sections that the sub was cut in was done so it could be welded back together rather early. Ateast that's what I read.

[@fabianreusch4870]

One can also visit U995 near Kiel... It just stands there on a beach as a museum, open for visitors 👍

[@Jeffybonbon]

well worth seeing

[@marcconyard5024]

Just imagine what turn the war may have taken if the KM had reached the magic figure of 300 Uboats available for service! Wonder if those Liberators were from 224 Sqn?

[@brianpeters7847]

So nice to hear a human voice. I'm to the point now that if I hear those Metallic voices I leave site and say why in the comments

[@ahall442]

Any idea if a partially sealed sub has been found but due to the depth, too hard to get at..?

[@gravedigr12]

I remember this sub I was and still am pissed it was hacked to bits ''but it was saved'' I guess if you call chopping it to bits saved when it was in one piece then sure you ''saved'' it. what a sad day when they cut her up.also I notice you didn't show the parts where some chunks of the boat were gutted and had cheesy monitors in them.

[@HRHooChicken]

We always do things the shit way in Britain. Rather than preserve the whole thing we chopped it up and ruined it to save money.

[@Jason-qx5qr]

What a shame they had to chop up that beautiful u boat, i would have loved to see it restored to its former glory

[@backchat8086]

Nice

[@bryanhurd9955]

If they allow walk through,s of the boat they will get more visitors.

[@lewisparker4488]

People would rob it blind of anything that can be unscrewed and carve their names on everything else. Best go see it as the snow flakes will have it junked because it scares them and keeps history alive so they can't live in their dream world!

[@kevinanderson3849]

@@lewisparker4488- Why do you think the Brit people would behave in an uncivilized way ? If the Germans allow their visitors to walk through the interior of the U-995 and U-2540, without anyone stealing or ruining anything, the same correct behaviour can be expected from the Brit citizens, too.

[@Trillock-hy1cf]

I think that submariners must have nerves of titanium to live, work and fight in such cramped quarters. I remember visiting HMS Alliance a WWII submarine at Gosport many years ago, where the public get a tour around the inside if it.

[@brettlloyd4446]

German u boats were on a roll early in ww2 like during battle of Atlantic sinking many allied merchant ships on their way to england, later allied aircraft and destroyers started attacking the u boats sinking most of them

[@lexington476]

Did they find any gold on board?

[@LD-wm7jm]

the museum is fucking great its in birkinhead near liverpool

[@petertimowreef9085]

Isn't a depth charge used to attack a U-boat on the surface just a regular bomb..?

[@flybobbie1449]

I think where it is now is a missed opportunity to have a memorial for all that lost their lives at sea. They could list all the boats and subs that operated the North Atlantic seeing as this is just over from the Admiralty museum. Could have panels with silhouettes of all the ships lost. I think the US museum has that. In fact i know a company that could laser cut the panels. If done free could be some good publicity for his company.

[@Davidkxf]

Have you toured the one in Kiel?

[@MarkFeltonProductions]

No, but I've been on the Type XXI in Bremerhaven and of course the one in Birkenhead before they chopped it up.

[@randomlyentertaining8287]

Atleast she's been saved. I'd rather be able to walk through the as there is no reason not to be able to but this is better than being buried like garbage or scrapped.

[@skny2282]

I rather see it rusty in whole piece but cut and painted in 3 pcs. Second tragedy to this boat.

[@patrickmcleod111]

**Couldn't they have maybe angled the area around the sub's main hatch downward, away from the hatch, so that you don't always get 3 gallons of water dumped over your head and upper body every time you open the damn thing to climb up? That MUST'VE really sucked in winter time in really cold regions of the Atlantic, to have ice-cold seawater dumped onto your head, and all over the floor of the main bridge for people to slip and fall on!**

[@Rif_Leman]

You were given an opportunity to walk through and only took one photograph?

[@donavanrupard6219]

I have been on U-505 in and it was very cool but could not be challenged by a raw Boat just raised from the sea

[@anthonymcdonnell6615]

was better intact not in pieces

[@donjones4719]

In a U-boat of that date I'd have been looking for a 4-rotor Enigma coding machine. As valuable as gold and diamonds!

[@SupesMe]

Doc this makes me think 🤔 and if anybody knows the answer you do. Who was the last official guy to die during the war in Europe? I mean before the surrender not at Nuremberg

[@kevinanderson3849]

That would be before May 8, 1945...

[@masterwrench4252]

...so I take it we didn't find any gold 🤗 Hey Mark, ever hear the one about the liberty ship with like 500 Haeley Davidson WLAs all packed in cosmaleene waiting to be found?

[@masterwrench4252]

Wait, my bad, not wla...the more rare xa (harleys answer to the bmw)

[@Anairofdeath]

i remember going to this years ago with my dad when i was a kid.....sure there was a destroyer and a cold war submarine too???

[@davidbarlow431]

I was also lucky enough to go on board before she was butchered. What happened to her was nothing short of archeological vandalism on a massive scale.

[@johnsonricky007]

But was there gold on it??

[@paulvanappeven3340]

👍🏻

[@shmotown]

What was the purpose of its mission? Why risk being sunk in the final days of the war?

[@kevinanderson3849]

Because there was a war going on, and Germans fight till the very last second of it ! They're not ITALIANS !

[@historicmilitaria1944]

only us brits would take an almost complete rare ww2 u boat......then cut it into sections to make it a visual "artwork"

[@wirelessone2986]

Most of the wrecks around Britain have been stripped by divers for decades,including use of explosives to get stuff out...especially sub wrecks..so your lucky she was rescued.

[@duckman5642]

Any gold?

[@MarkFeltonProductions]

No unfortunately!

[@mrdoge9508]

couldnt they sail it there underits own power?

[@dookucastro4835]

Well? Was gold found or Not?! Don't leave us hanging!

[@bennylofgren3208]

Dooku Castro No gold. 🙂

[@kevinanderson3849]

@@bennylofgren3208 - OF COURSE NOT...! What a folly !

[@alanstrong3295]

It is a shame that Germany did not form an alliance with the US and Great Brittain to defend Europe against the USSR. Old Man Russ would not have gotten too far.

[@memikell]

What a stupid shot sighted decision to chop it up!

[@bread5020]

i would prefer it being choped rather than scraped. If they didnt chop it, it could be scraped

[@adrianlarkins7259]

Much effort went into recovering this U boat intact but typical of British left wing politics and sheer bloody ignorance, they cut it up into bits. I would be fuming had I been part of the recovery team. She should have been preserved and the loose contents displayed separately.

[@haydendavies8638]

IT'S A WONDERFUL FIND, IT'S A SHAME SOME IDIOTS CAME UP WITH THE IDEA TO CUT THE U BOAT IN TREE. JUST DISGRACEFUL.😲😲😲😲😲😲

[@checkpointcharlie1788]

What?! Only four or five U-boats left in existence? Hey, I've got a great idea, let's cut one of them up in to pieces! It would have been better off left at the bottom of the ocean.

[@wirelessone2986]

Really?Shipwreck divers especially around Britain strip them clean...even using explosives on a ww1 uboat to pull out the entire torpedo tube assembly.For decades shipwreck divers have no concern for war graves...they may say they do.ww1/ww2 shipwrecks are a relic hunters dreams.Your lucky she was rescued.

[@bored9744]

A submarine

[@riskinhos]

use metric units!!!!