Technology and Operations
This forum is for discussing technological & operational matters pertaining to U-boats.
RE: Underwater manueverability
Posted by:
Forest
()
Date: September 26, 2000 01:31AM
I also agree with much of Kurt's excellent post. The part about the electromagnetic spectrum was really great.
I differ on a minor point. He wrote the American torpedoes had smaller warheads than the German torpedoes. The sources I have give 280kg to 300 kg for the German warheads, and 640lb to 660lb for the American Mark 14. These are practically identical masses. The explosives themselves made a bigger difference than the trivial mass differences. With ordinary TNT heads, the Mark 14 was at a slight disadvantage until mid-1943. After mid-1943, Torpex heads made the Mark 14 much more lethal than the G7. American submarine commanders definitely noted the increased hitting power.
I agree, however, since America took two years to fix the torpedo problems, the overall edge on torpedoes rightly goes to the Germans.
Friedman's book points out extensive efforts by the US Navy to quiet its boats, and I recall a statement that American boats were much quieter than u-boats after this treatment.
I differ on a minor point. He wrote the American torpedoes had smaller warheads than the German torpedoes. The sources I have give 280kg to 300 kg for the German warheads, and 640lb to 660lb for the American Mark 14. These are practically identical masses. The explosives themselves made a bigger difference than the trivial mass differences. With ordinary TNT heads, the Mark 14 was at a slight disadvantage until mid-1943. After mid-1943, Torpex heads made the Mark 14 much more lethal than the G7. American submarine commanders definitely noted the increased hitting power.
I agree, however, since America took two years to fix the torpedo problems, the overall edge on torpedoes rightly goes to the Germans.
Friedman's book points out extensive efforts by the US Navy to quiet its boats, and I recall a statement that American boats were much quieter than u-boats after this treatment.
