Technology and Operations
This forum is for discussing technological & operational matters pertaining to U-boats.
Re: Group Sultan
Posted by:
Sniper
()
Date: July 17, 2002 07:55PM
Ludovic,
From Rossler 'The U-Boat' p145
When the emphasis changed to the new U-Boats, whose travel was predominantly underwater, the echo-ranging gear became increasingly important as a navigational aid and as an aiming device, especially for planed 'direction-finding deep-shooting'. In the Type XXI boats, the forward edge of the bridge provided a very favourable position for the swivelling base with its 2 x 4 magneto-strictive oscillators. These provided a bearing of from 0 deg to +/- 100 deg with a directional accuracy of +/- 5 deg. This new apparatus was not available until the end of 1944, when a small number of Type XXI's were fitted.
Tests of the new installations were made by Test Group 'Sultan' and, at the end of January 1945, an excercise using 13 ships in convoy was carried out in the waters around Bornholm. The following tactics were employed: initially, group listening apparatus was used, and the target was detected as accurately as possible at long range. When the sound was being received sufficiently loudly, the echo-ranging installation was switched to 'listen' and the swivelling base was brought to the correct direction as indicated by the GHG. When reception had increased in stength to the point when propellor noise could be detected on the cathode-ray tube, the volume was turned down and an impluse was transmitted by depressing a key. Given favourable circumstances, only three impulses were needed to determine the distance, course and approximate speed of and opponent.
To translate measurements on the echo-ranging apparatus into torpedo firing calculations, coupling equipment was being developed. By addition of 'Sarotti' to the echo-sounding gear, panoramic presentations on a picture-tube (i.e., the simultaneous presentation of several objects on the screen) would be possible. This would mean that in the future, without using a periscope, the U-Boat would have at all times an exact view of what was taking place on the surface. However the war ended before this could be brought to fruition.
I hope this is interesting
Sniper.
From Rossler 'The U-Boat' p145
When the emphasis changed to the new U-Boats, whose travel was predominantly underwater, the echo-ranging gear became increasingly important as a navigational aid and as an aiming device, especially for planed 'direction-finding deep-shooting'. In the Type XXI boats, the forward edge of the bridge provided a very favourable position for the swivelling base with its 2 x 4 magneto-strictive oscillators. These provided a bearing of from 0 deg to +/- 100 deg with a directional accuracy of +/- 5 deg. This new apparatus was not available until the end of 1944, when a small number of Type XXI's were fitted.
Tests of the new installations were made by Test Group 'Sultan' and, at the end of January 1945, an excercise using 13 ships in convoy was carried out in the waters around Bornholm. The following tactics were employed: initially, group listening apparatus was used, and the target was detected as accurately as possible at long range. When the sound was being received sufficiently loudly, the echo-ranging installation was switched to 'listen' and the swivelling base was brought to the correct direction as indicated by the GHG. When reception had increased in stength to the point when propellor noise could be detected on the cathode-ray tube, the volume was turned down and an impluse was transmitted by depressing a key. Given favourable circumstances, only three impulses were needed to determine the distance, course and approximate speed of and opponent.
To translate measurements on the echo-ranging apparatus into torpedo firing calculations, coupling equipment was being developed. By addition of 'Sarotti' to the echo-sounding gear, panoramic presentations on a picture-tube (i.e., the simultaneous presentation of several objects on the screen) would be possible. This would mean that in the future, without using a periscope, the U-Boat would have at all times an exact view of what was taking place on the surface. However the war ended before this could be brought to fruition.
I hope this is interesting
Sniper.
| Subject | Written By | Posted |
|---|---|---|
Group Sultan
|
ludovic | 07/09/2002 01:38PM |
|
Re: Group Sultan
|
Sniper | 07/10/2002 08:08AM |
|
Re: Group Sultan
|
ludovic | 07/10/2002 11:25AM |
|
Re: Group Sultan
|
Sniper | 07/17/2002 07:55PM |
|
Re: Group Sultan
|
ludovic | 07/19/2002 07:10AM |