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RE: Achilles heel outside of pressure hull?
Posted by: Ger Wallace ()
Date: April 13, 2001 01:39PM

Tom,

There were several components outside the pressure hull which were quite critical to the survival/operation of the U-Boat.

Fuel tanks: These were often external and overpressure from depth charges could rupture the tanks and cause leaks.These leaks reduced the U-boats endurance and also left a visable trail on the surface for escorts to follow.

Torpedoes: Several U-boat designs had external torpedoe tubes as extra to their internal ones.Though these tubes were pressure tight but again the blast from close depth charges could damage the tubes and if the tube flooded at depth the torpedoe would be damaged or destroyed (WW2 torpedoes were not designed to run deep,unlike modern torpedoes).

Periscopes: The periscopes would be retracted during a depth charge attack but they would only be retracted into a fairing in the conning tower.The lens assembly at the top of the periscope was very vulnerable to depth charge damage and many U-boats had to return to port early when their periscopes were damaged.

Compressed air tanks: I have seen photos of type XIV\'s which show large compressed air tanks in the upper casing after the conning tower.Again they would share the vulnerability of all other components outside the pressure hull to damage from depth charges.Compresses air of course was vital if the U-boat evey wanted to blow its ballast tanks and return to the surface.

Rgrds

Ger Wallace.

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Subject Written By Posted
Achilles heel outside of pressure hull? Tom Iwanski 04/13/2001 02:03AM
RE: Achilles heel outside of pressure hull? Ger Wallace 04/13/2001 01:39PM
RE: Achilles heel outside of pressure hull? Ken Dunn 04/13/2001 09:57PM
RE: Achilles heel outside of pressure hull? Tom Iwanski 04/16/2001 03:53PM
RE: Achilles heel outside of pressure hull? Rainer Bruns 04/16/2001 08:42PM
RE: Achilles heel outside of pressure hull? Ken Dunn 04/16/2001 10:51PM
RE: Achilles heel outside of pressure hull? Tom Iwanski 04/17/2001 02:52PM
Pressure SuperKraut 04/18/2001 06:39PM
RE: Pressure Rainer Bruns 04/18/2001 08:12PM
More questions Tom Iwanski 04/19/2001 11:54AM
RE: More questions J.T. McDaniel 04/19/2001 12:18PM
More pressure SuperKraut 04/19/2001 03:13PM
air tanks and depth charges kurt 04/19/2001 03:43PM
Second skin SuperKraut 04/19/2001 06:58PM
RE: Achilles heel outside of pressure hull? bernard zimmermann 04/18/2001 03:18AM
RE: Achilles heel outside of pressure hull? J.T. McDaniel 04/18/2001 12:26PM
RE: Achilles heel outside of pressure hull? Rainer Bruns 04/18/2001 01:43PM
RE: Achilles heel outside of pressure hull? J.T. McDaniel 04/18/2001 03:35PM
RE: Achilles heel outside of pressure hull? Rainer Bruns 04/18/2001 08:10PM
RE: Achilles heel outside of pressure hull? Ken Dunn 04/18/2001 09:32PM
RE: Second skin bernard zimmermann 04/22/2001 06:16AM
Higher internal pressure SuperKraut 04/22/2001 07:05AM
RE: Second skin Ken Dunn 04/22/2001 01:53PM
RE: Second skin Ken Dunn 04/22/2001 02:10PM
RE: Second skin bernard zimmermann 04/27/2001 04:06AM


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