[Mark]

I have been through this boat many times, the U-505. They revamped the display areas and have much better narraters for the tour so it is a very imformative trip for us German history nuts. The boat is in rough shape inside and out and it is scheduled for a complete overhaul in about a year or so I believe. There was even talk it MAY be moved into a special built building to get it out of the elements. It needs alot of work inside since all the paint is peeling off everything and showing wear from millions of people tramping through it. A lot of the external deck sheetmetal has been replaced as most of it has rusted away and you can no longer walk around the outside of the boat anymore. That is a pity as years ago I got to look at this wonderful boat up close and personal for quite some time, externally. It still has the American artillery shell holes in the Conning Tower. The engines have been started a few times over the years and if you go see the boat they play a recording of one of the engines running on about 4 or 5 cylinders. Gives a man wood, let me tell you. I think I could live on this boat and be eternally happy.