Conway Maritime Press - Warship 44

Central station of Orzel, port side. On the extrerne left the
master gJrrocompass; in the centre the diving planes
operating wheels - left one for the forward, right one for
the after planes. Between them is the rudder position
indicator and above the diving planes indicatorc. Polish
Institute and. Sikorski Museum
electric motors/generators placed in a lower part of the next
compartment. The main motor switchboards were mounted
there above and connected with the main battery switchboard
housed above the battery tanks in the after part ofthe
officers' quarters. The two battery tanks were provided below
the floor between frames 85 and 117.
Six oil fuel tanks with a total net capacity of 75.2m3 held
the normal fuel stowage while the main ballast tanks Nos 2
and 3 could be used as reserve fuel tanks.
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The draining installation was served by three centrifugal
bilge pumps with maximum capacity of 35m3 per hour at
80m and two rotary bilge pumps of 7m3/h at 80m each.
The trimming main provided an independent connection
between both the trimming tanks and was operated by a
rotary pump of 30m3,/h at 40m.
The main ballast tanks were served byhydraulic Kingston
valves, mechanically coupled to provide simultaneous
operation and hydraulic main vents mounted in the top
plates of each tank. At depths below 20m the main ballast
tanks could be blown by a 225 atmospheres air system
supplied by 40 high pressure vessels oftotal capacity of8000
litres. The system could be filled by the Junkers type diesel
powered compressor and the electric driven one, each with a
capacity of 9 litres per minute at full pressure. The 225
atmospheres installation operated both the fast diving tanks
and supplied air for starting the diesels. TWo electric driven
turbo-blowers with a capacity of 60ma per minute each were
provided to blow the main ballasttanks when the ship was in
the awash position.
The 12 atmosphere air system was provided for operating
the other tanks and for general ship service. The ver*ilating
installation was servd by four fans with intakes off the
diesels coupled to the ventilation suction mainfold to assist
the process. The 800-litre oxygen supply installation was
carried with 44 potash regenerators to absorb carbon-dioxide
for 72 hours.
Fresh water was supplied by a 6m3 tank and two waste
heat evaporators run by diesel exhaust gases and capable of
50 litres per hour each when the vessel was travelling at a
speed of about 13 Lnots.
Conning tower of Orzel, etarboard side. On the foreground on
the right the steering wheel with two voice pipes and airpurifying
container behind. Above right is the rudder position
indicator and electric heater; on the extreme right the attack
periscope, Poliah Institute and. Sikoraki Museurn
Armament
GuNs
The Bofors 105mm,241 model 1925 gun was mounted on a
light rotating platform secured to a ring directly welded to
the pressure hull. The gun was housed in a light streamlined
structure to reduce resistance when the ship was submerged
and to protect the crew against waves and splinters. The
casing could rotate with the platform when the gun was
trained and was fitted with sighting port. The ready-use
ammunition was stowed in 20 watertight bins mounted in
the bridge superstructure while 105 rounds were carried in
the magazine, which was fitted with a hoist.
The 40mm,243 Model 1937 Bofors twin automatic gun with
folding base was housed in the gun tower. The mounting
could be quickly raised to afiring position by a hydraulic ram
and secured above the bridge. A total of 1200 rounds was
canied in ready-use boxes and in the magazine.
TWo forks were fitted on the bridge for attaching
machine guns.
Tonpnoo rUBES
A total of 12 torpedo tubes was carried. Four bow and four
stern 550mm tubes with reducers for 21in twin central pivot
mountings were sited on the pressure hull forward and aft of
the conning tower. They were trained hydraulically and
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