The submarine featured in the film, U-53 was actually sunk in February 1940 - almost 5 years before it was supposed to be off Storm Island picking up The Needle. I suppose in 1981 it's possible that the details of this weren't publicly known - otherwise it's a slight error...
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In reality, the U505 was the only U-Boat to be captured virtually intact by the USA. It is on permanent display at the Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago, and anyone can go through it. It was copied almost exactly for the detailed U-Boat creation for the German film "Das Boot," (The Boat).
shareWhen I was in Chicago in the very hot Summer of 1981, I shot a picture of that very U-Boat. Very impressive sight!
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