Technology and Operations
This forum is for discussing technological & operational matters pertaining to U-boats.
US Submarines vis-a-vis U-Boats
Posted by:
Robert Murphy
()
Date: December 03, 2005 09:18AM
OK, last post and Mr. Gasbag here shuts up, I promise! ;-)
One thing that I am embarrsed to say I only fairly recently looked into was German sub specs compared to US WWII era submarines. Well, one thing to strike me is that (duh) it seems that most of the mid-to-late war US submarines were, uhm, a lot BIGGER than their German counterparts. E.g. the Guppie and Gato class submarines displaced over 1500 tons on the surface; compare that to the mere 600-650 ton displacement of type VIIC. Must be why US subs generally had six bow and four stern tubes to the respective 4 and 1 type VII, or 4 and two of the IX. It was long ago--I was just a kid--but I clearly remember touring the captured (VII) U-Boat now at the Chicago Science Museum, and feeling like I was in long walk-in closet. The Guppie-class sub open to the public in Philadelphia felt comparitively huge.
Well, anyone have any feedback here?
Cheers,
Robert
P.S. I understand air-warning and surface search radar was regularly used to very good effect (both offensively and defensively) by US submarines in the Pacific. Anyone know if the Japanese ever developed (or tried to) an effective radar detection device?
One thing that I am embarrsed to say I only fairly recently looked into was German sub specs compared to US WWII era submarines. Well, one thing to strike me is that (duh) it seems that most of the mid-to-late war US submarines were, uhm, a lot BIGGER than their German counterparts. E.g. the Guppie and Gato class submarines displaced over 1500 tons on the surface; compare that to the mere 600-650 ton displacement of type VIIC. Must be why US subs generally had six bow and four stern tubes to the respective 4 and 1 type VII, or 4 and two of the IX. It was long ago--I was just a kid--but I clearly remember touring the captured (VII) U-Boat now at the Chicago Science Museum, and feeling like I was in long walk-in closet. The Guppie-class sub open to the public in Philadelphia felt comparitively huge.
Well, anyone have any feedback here?
Cheers,
Robert
P.S. I understand air-warning and surface search radar was regularly used to very good effect (both offensively and defensively) by US submarines in the Pacific. Anyone know if the Japanese ever developed (or tried to) an effective radar detection device?
US Submarines vis-a-vis U-Boats