The Tanks ?

Recharge air for firing the Torpedoes. Before you start . Go to your local Hobby Shop or Model railroad Store and pick up some Walthers oil refinery piping kits in " N "" H.O."and " O "scale . This will help with the piping runs all over the sub .Now then having done that and while you are still there pick up some " Tichy Train Group " Boxcar roof walkway kits .The Metal grating type .In " H. O " This will supply you with all the deck grating you will need if you pick up two sets . You can sand these paper thin if needed and place on inverted " Evergreen  " Small .010 angle iron strip placed upside down or right side up as needed .   T.B.   Hey U-505 , This works on the old REVELL U-47 , that's how I know .

Might drop an email to the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago and see if they have interior shots of 505 thay can send....really give you something to work off of for detailing the interior.   Or if close enough would be worth a day trip to go through her and take a boat load of pics for reference.

Actually l live in Chicago, IL along with the famous U-505 so I do plan on taking a trip there to take pictures. 

But even with pictures there are alot of pipes and valves going everywhere.

I actually have some nice individuals  from shapeways working on some parts for me for a start.

Thanks guys

One source with interior pictures is this DVD:

U-995 German Type VII U-Boat - Illustrated Gallery of the Last Surviving Type VIIC U-Boat in the World.

Available here for $32.00:

http://www.uboataces.com/u995.shtml

 Many of the individual pics have made it to the internet too.

Here is a book with some interior pics:

U-Boat 1936-45 (Type VIIA, B, C and Type VIIC/41): An insight into the design, construction and operation of the most feared German U-boat of World War 2 (Owners' Workshop Manual)"

Look here for a sample of the book.

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/91gLgEPza2L.jpg

Those compressed air tanks were also used to launch mines thru the torpedo tubes.

The G7a Torpedoes used compressed air for the engine too. (a mixture of compressed air and steam.)

I don't have any write-up on the VII but here is some info on the torpedo loading equipment on the IXc boats which can be found here:

http://www.uboatarchive.net/Design/DesignStudiesTypeIXC-S75-3.htm

Some gear, like the small cradle, could be stored under the deck. On some Types the long beam, appears to have been stored on top of the deck.

Lots of room  between the pressure hull and deck. Our Gato Subs originally had small boats stored under the deck in the area forward of the bow gun.

Deck Gun Ammo: "It required a line of men (3 on the deck) to transport the ammunition from the main locker below the control room to the gun. The used rounds were taken back into the boat. The U-boats had a small water-proof ammunition locker for the gun on the deck in order to be able to start firing almost immediately when the order was given."

I don't have any pictures or documentaion of the early boats ammo storage.  Later "Turms" had water-tight compartments in the Fairwater for the AA guns. 

Nautilus models made an upgrade for a later VIIc "Turm II Wintergarten"  showing the ammo storage locker/hatches.

I did not locate my photo of a VIIc Conning tower but here is a link to a photo of a paper kit which also shows ammo storage compartments in the VII fairwater.

https://image.dhgate.com/albu_513474012_00/1.0x0.jpg

Nino

Thanks much Nino, l will look into it.

Cap'n Ted over at eModelsUK has a long series on building his, and the lighting kit he used, too.

Thanks, yes l seen his videos but he is building str8 from the box and is doing a nice job.

I like to add more details like a torpedo hoist in the front room. Anyone know any good books  or detail pictuers on a piece of equipment like that?

So many other details that could be added to give it that extra touch.

bunch of videos on YouTube of tours, personal walk-throughs, etc.  If you plan to visit, take a look at these and see what they missed so you can be sure to capture those images.

Bob