German U-boat invasion: Replica WWII 'killer of the seas' cruises alongside barges on British CANAL

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER
Last updated at 11:58 AM on 7th October 2010

Dark and menacing, it prowls the water, torpedo tubes at the ready

But this German U-boat's captain will never have to issue the order: 'Dive, Dive, Dive', because it is a replica canal boat - which floats in just six feet of water.

The 70 foot long 'killer of the seas' surfaced yesterday on Leeds-Liverpool canal at Botany Bay near Chorley, Lancashire.

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Mr Howarth instructed a Liverpool boat yard to build an exact replica of the submarine, complete with conning tower and torpedo tubes

Mr Howarth (at the helm) instructed a Liverpool boat yard to build an exact replica of the submarine, complete with conning tower and torpedo tubes

It is the creation of 'Admiral' Cyril Howarth, 78, who was inspired by the film to build an exact replica of the craft which sank 3,000 Allied ships during the Second World War.

And Cyril will never have to utter the famous quote from the 1981 film as his craft U-8047 cuts through the water at a leisurely three miles an hour.

Cyril spent £25,000 on the shell of a traditional narrow boat and engine before spending a further £25,000 instructing a Liverpool-based yard to build him an identical U-boat super structure.

Imposing: The hull of U-8047 towers over other barges on the canal - and has led to British Waterways requesting an inspection to make sure the boat is safe

Retired trawlerman Cyril said: 'The submarine has a conning tower and torpedo tubes...there is just some electrics to sort out below decks.'

'You should have seen the faces of the locals when they woke up and found a battleship grey German navy U-boat in their midst.'

'It is the culmination of a 12 month dream for me. I have always studied naval history, in particular the role of the submarine.'

'I know they were the enemy but they were brave sailors after all who spent week after week underwater.'

However Mr Howarth and his family may have to up-periscope in the near future as British Waterways - who run the canal system will have to inspect his dream to make sure it is suitable.

Detail: The control room (left) complete with periscope and a close-up of the replica's torpedo tubes

A spokesman said: 'We do have size limits - a narrow boat cannot be more than seven feet wide and seventy feet long.'

'We cannot run the risk of a collision and having someone sunk by a submarine. Every craft on our waterways has to be licenced.'

Angler David Wilson has been fishing on the stretch of canal for 20 years.

He said: 'I turned up with my rod and line as usual a found myself looking at a steel grey sub I thought it was April Fool's Day or some film was being shot in the area. What next the battleship Bismarck and Admiral Doenitz?'