U-boat launched.... Kretschmer sails again

[Royzee617]

At 10 a.m. on February 18, 2006, the South African submarine �S 101� left ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems� shipyard Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW) in Kiel.

Together with the South African escort vessel �SAS Drakensberg�, the state-of-the-art submarine Class 209/1400 mod will first travel to Norway, where Commander Gary Kretschmer and his crew will perform a final joint training exercise with the German Navy. On February 24, the transfer to South Africa will begin. The vessels are expected to arrive in the South African naval base of Simon�s Town on April 7.

�S 101� is the first of three submarines which South Africa ordered in the year 2000 from the German Submarine Consortium. The consortium consists of Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft, Nordseewerke Emden and MAN Ferrostaal in Essen. The submarine was delivered on September 20, 2005 and was ceremoniously commissioned last year on November 3 by the South African Navy at HDW in Kiel.

The vessel has a displacement of 1,450 tons and is 62 meters long. It has a complement of 30 men and a diesel-electric propulsion system.


>>>>I wonder if this Kretschmer is related to infamous Otto?

 

[Pisis]

i'dnt like to ail a u-boat

 

[Royzee617]

big wuss! sounds a lot of fun.... get to eat crap food, sleep with sweaty sailors and grow beards!

 

[Henk]

It was a great choice to buy them and also the SAAB Grippen fighter wich is the new 3rd genaration fighter. The Naval vessels also bought from Germany are state of art, but was the money neede for something way more importend?

Henk

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Ill stick to flying rather than beeing stuck under water in a sub.

 

[Henk]

Oh yes I would also rather fly. A sub is not for me.

Henk

 

[cheddar cheese]

The only subs id get into are ones with ham, cheese, lettuce and mayo. Mmmmmm. Ill stick to the old flying as well.

 

[Henk]

Now you are talking the truth. A ship is not so bad, but flying are still the best.

Henk

 

[Gnomey]

I'd stick with flying too, much better than being stuck in a tube full of seamen

 

[Henk]

The thought of so many people together in one small place, that would drive me mad.

Henk

 

[Royzee617]

Trust Mr G to lower the tone!

 

[Pisis]

Of course, flying is the greatest freedom... until everything works...
I'd hate to be in the navy - It'd make me mad I think. I'd rather be a infantry troop then a mariner...

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

Of course, flying is the greatest freedom... until everything works

i think if i were flying i'd actually prefer it if everything worked

 

[cheddar cheese]

The thing is though at ATC, when you go flying everyone wants to be the first one to have to bail out

With any luck im going flying in the Tutor in April...and that means aerobatics, oh yeah 8)