"They call this preservation?" Topic

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They are going to chop the only remaining WW2 German U Boat in the UK into FOUR pieces:

""It's a really important piece of history which we want to preserve."
??? And this is preservation?

Wow. I feel for you.

Cutting up 25% of the world's supply of U-boats seems extreme. U-505 in Chicago is a tremedous example of how to properly store and display a submarine to the public.

Can't the IWM step in and say 'we'll take it!"?

??

So they're converting a rusting hulk into something you can actually see into and begin to understand? And this is a bad thing how? Does the Navy need a sub?

"So they're converting a rusting hulk into something you can actually see into and begin to understand? "

See:
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Don't think it was just a rusting hulk. It was previously on display at the Historic Warships Museum, but that was forced to close – to make way for a car park! Guided tours were available so I assume people were able to "see into it and begin to understand".

I think the proposed exhibit sounds good.
It will still allow people to view the inside of the U boat, and from the way it's been cut up will allow disabled access more easily than if the U boat was complete.

At the end of the day, it's still being preserved and not just left to rot in a dockyard, which was it's fate until now.

Its not long since ALL of the ships in the museum were in danger of being scrapped.
To see one being preserved is great news. If cutting it into four bits so people can see into it, is what it takes to avoid being sold for razor blades, then so be it!

I can however see you point, but I rather see four bits than none at all.

Well I agree I'd rather see it preserved somehow than just be scrapped. Cutting it into sections was a cost saving measure, but at least they could have displayed the sections one behind the other? Apparently this is not the case see:
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Something like that should be on display properly, I never even knew it existed…Why doesn't the RN dig into its pockets and put it on display at Gosport?

I'm more concerned that by the model it appears the boat will still be outside. If they are going to this trouble it should be under a roof and climate controlled. Having it open to the elements and cut up will just speed up the rotting process. Ideally, they should do something like the Monitor museum monitorcenter.org in which they have a full-scale mock up outdoors to appreciate the size of the boat and have the sections indoors with really nice descriptive displays.

It should have been left where it was under the sea. Bringing it up with no plan or finances as to preservation and a speculative display on derelict dockland earmarked for redevelopment was criminal.

As it stands my council tax is supporting this redevelopment and frankly there are far worthier historical causes around Merseyside which could do with the investment, never mind social or economic ones. Merseytravel could start with getting the trains, buses and ferries running on time.

Why doesn't the RN dig into its pockets and put it on display at Gosport?

Why can't the Deutsche Marine do it? they built the thing, after all. :)

Unfortunately there are many more historic ships and boats in the UK than there is money to preserve the things.

Just about every harbour/dock in the country has at least one piece of history quietly rotting away somewhere.

Sounds like a neat way for people to see the inside of the U-boats w/o physically having to crawl thru them.

"U-boats w/o physically having to crawl thru them."

Most submarines (certainly U-boats) are big enough that you don't have to crawl. Have you ever been inside one? I have.