Technology and Operations
This forum is for discussing technological & operational matters pertaining to U-boats.
RE: technological differences?
Posted by:
rabbit
()
Date: June 27, 2000 05:02PM
Hello Everyone...
Interesting topic...but some strange answers...
I shall take try to stay will the question of technology for now =)
True, the basic designs between the different nations submarines are very similar, and if you look closely, they remain mostly the same even in newly built modern submarines. As they say, if you have seen one submarine, you have basically seen every submarine! This is also basically true for WWII boats.
The difference between them of course is whats inside the hull...
German U-boats: Were much hardier built than the submarines from other nations, some U-boats took a pounding and survived that no other submarine from any other nation could endure.
U-boats had at the begining had much better trained crews and captains.
U-boats I believe were the first with noise makers.
U-boats again, I believe first with acoustic torpedos.
Japanese I-boats: Had several types that were capable of carrying aircraft and had both crains and catapults built into the sub.
I-boats at the beginning had MUCH better torpedos, varient of the Long Lance. German, U.S. and British boats all had problems with there torpedos at the outset of the conflict.
American SS-boats: Superior in electronics overall. Had easily the best radar installed on submarines. Japanese radars were garbage, German radar dectection equipment was unreliable at best.
SS-boats had a major advantage is just the shere number of them that could be built, in this case the American shipyards are a technological advantage that the sub fleets from other nations could not hope to match.
Others:
U-boat communications (The Enigma) was never actually broken, if those U-boats weren't taken intact the Enigma would never have been broken, mistakes cost them dearily.
I-boats optics, Japan was easily making the best lenses and optics at the time, basically they still do, therefore their periscopes should have been the best of the submarines at the time.
U-boats AIP system (walter engine) developed but not actually used in combat.
Probably more that I am missing, but that will do for now..
Cheers...
Interesting topic...but some strange answers...
I shall take try to stay will the question of technology for now =)
True, the basic designs between the different nations submarines are very similar, and if you look closely, they remain mostly the same even in newly built modern submarines. As they say, if you have seen one submarine, you have basically seen every submarine! This is also basically true for WWII boats.
The difference between them of course is whats inside the hull...
German U-boats: Were much hardier built than the submarines from other nations, some U-boats took a pounding and survived that no other submarine from any other nation could endure.
U-boats had at the begining had much better trained crews and captains.
U-boats I believe were the first with noise makers.
U-boats again, I believe first with acoustic torpedos.
Japanese I-boats: Had several types that were capable of carrying aircraft and had both crains and catapults built into the sub.
I-boats at the beginning had MUCH better torpedos, varient of the Long Lance. German, U.S. and British boats all had problems with there torpedos at the outset of the conflict.
American SS-boats: Superior in electronics overall. Had easily the best radar installed on submarines. Japanese radars were garbage, German radar dectection equipment was unreliable at best.
SS-boats had a major advantage is just the shere number of them that could be built, in this case the American shipyards are a technological advantage that the sub fleets from other nations could not hope to match.
Others:
U-boat communications (The Enigma) was never actually broken, if those U-boats weren't taken intact the Enigma would never have been broken, mistakes cost them dearily.
I-boats optics, Japan was easily making the best lenses and optics at the time, basically they still do, therefore their periscopes should have been the best of the submarines at the time.
U-boats AIP system (walter engine) developed but not actually used in combat.
Probably more that I am missing, but that will do for now..
Cheers...
