Technology and Operations
This forum is for discussing technological & operational matters pertaining to U-boats.
Re: Torpedo Launching
Posted by:
Ken Dunn
()
Date: October 27, 2003 11:30PM
Oops... I forgot something. With the outer torpedo tube door open the U-boat couldn't dive very deep as the only thing keeping the water out of the boat was the inner torpedo tube door and it wasn't that strong. This is also part of the reason that torpedoes couldn't be fired from great depth (I think the depth keeping mechanism inside the torpedo was also part of the problem but am not sure) and of course the air pressure necessary to fire a torpedo at great depth was a part of the problem too. At some point in the war (toward the end I think) some of this problem was overcome and torpedoes could be fired from a greater depth than they could be at the beginning of the war but it still wasn't all that deep. The Type XXI could fire torpedoes from a deeper depth than the Type VIIs and IXs I think but of course the Type XXI was developed too late to make a difference. Sorry for all of the speculation but it is the best I can do. I am hoping someone else will clear up the fuzzy areas.
Regards,
Ken Dunn
Regards,
Ken Dunn