General Discussions
This is the place to discuss general issues related to the U-boat war or the war at sea in WWII.
Effect of elektroboats
Posted by:
SuperKraut
()
Date: May 14, 2001 01:01PM
<HTML>This is a complex issue and a good answer depends on many factors. An early introduction of the elektoboats was certainly a vital component of a Germany wins strategy in that a win without them was impossible. However, the electroboat alone would probably not have won the war. The other elements in a German win strategy would be early introduction of jet aircraft, a competent military strategy on land and secure communications. All of these elements were eminently feasible, but they were botched by an incompetent supreme leadership.
The elektroboat was the only weapon with which the Battle of the Atlantic could be won, no other technology could operate in the radar environment. Most likely, second generation elektroboats would have been needed by 1943/44 in order to close the Atlantic with reasonable losses. The Type XXI and XXIII as designed were too noisy and did not have enough speed or endurance to win by 1943/44, but a quieter, deeper diving (>300 meters) teardrop design with even bigger batteries could well have done the job. Wire guided torpedoes were another essential ingredient. All this means that serious R+D on this concept would have to have started in 1938/39 at the latest in order to have a second generation boat in service by 1943/44. A reactive strategy based on correctly identifying the effects of British shipboard radar in 1941 would have led to the XXI in 1943, which would most likely have been too late to be decisive.
It is not at all obvious that the atomic bomb would have made a significant impact in a scenario where the Germans had air superiority over the Continent based on jet aircraft. Delivering them would have been a rather hazardous enterprise which would have involved losing a few bombs. Mid 1945 Germany protected by all weather second generation jet interceptors would have borne little resemblance to the undefended airspace over Japan. Further, there was also a simple proactive strategy against the American bomb, refrain from persecuting the Jewish Germans. No persecution, no refugee scientists, hence no US bomb.
Regards,
SuperKraut</HTML>
The elektroboat was the only weapon with which the Battle of the Atlantic could be won, no other technology could operate in the radar environment. Most likely, second generation elektroboats would have been needed by 1943/44 in order to close the Atlantic with reasonable losses. The Type XXI and XXIII as designed were too noisy and did not have enough speed or endurance to win by 1943/44, but a quieter, deeper diving (>300 meters) teardrop design with even bigger batteries could well have done the job. Wire guided torpedoes were another essential ingredient. All this means that serious R+D on this concept would have to have started in 1938/39 at the latest in order to have a second generation boat in service by 1943/44. A reactive strategy based on correctly identifying the effects of British shipboard radar in 1941 would have led to the XXI in 1943, which would most likely have been too late to be decisive.
It is not at all obvious that the atomic bomb would have made a significant impact in a scenario where the Germans had air superiority over the Continent based on jet aircraft. Delivering them would have been a rather hazardous enterprise which would have involved losing a few bombs. Mid 1945 Germany protected by all weather second generation jet interceptors would have borne little resemblance to the undefended airspace over Japan. Further, there was also a simple proactive strategy against the American bomb, refrain from persecuting the Jewish Germans. No persecution, no refugee scientists, hence no US bomb.
Regards,
SuperKraut</HTML>
| Subject | Written By | Posted |
|---|---|---|
elektro
|
tony | 05/12/2001 11:29AM |
|
RE: elektro
|
J.T. McDaniel | 05/12/2001 08:25PM |
|
RE: elektro
|
parade | 05/13/2001 08:37AM |
|
Effect of elektroboats
|
SuperKraut | 05/14/2001 01:01PM |
|
RE: Effect of elektroboats
|
kurt | 05/14/2001 04:31PM |
|
What ifs.
|
SuperKraut | 05/16/2001 09:42AM |
|
RE: Germay wins in the West without hi-tech
|
Leyburn | 05/19/2001 07:00PM |
|
Germay?
|
Leyburn | 05/20/2001 07:17PM |