Technology and Operations
This forum is for discussing technological & operational matters pertaining to U-boats.
Underwater manueverability
Posted by:
David W
()
Date: September 25, 2000 11:31PM
I agree with most of your post except for the underwater manueverability. Although I don't think there was ever a side by side comparison, most sources I've read said that underwater the 7C's were not very manueverable, the type 9's even worse. Comments about American subs describe it as adequate to good.
There is one account written by American sub commander Richard O 'Kane where he described an encounter with a Japanese destroyer that suspected his subs presence but never did get a solid contact. The destroyer was circling their underwater position and his sub was turning underwater keeping it's bow pointed to the destroyer giving the destroyers sonar a minimum profile to get a contact. It worked since the destroyer eventually gave up.
There is one account written by American sub commander Richard O 'Kane where he described an encounter with a Japanese destroyer that suspected his subs presence but never did get a solid contact. The destroyer was circling their underwater position and his sub was turning underwater keeping it's bow pointed to the destroyer giving the destroyers sonar a minimum profile to get a contact. It worked since the destroyer eventually gave up.