Technology and Operations
This forum is for discussing technological & operational matters pertaining to U-boats.
Vulnerability during schnorkeling?
Posted by:
Tom Iwanski
()
Date: February 05, 2001 01:39PM
Hello all,
I enjoy this forum very much. Thanks to all of you who contribute.
With the advent of 3cm radar, the mast of a schnorkel could be detected by an aircraft or surface ship so equipped. It would seem that a u-boat would be particularly vulnerable while schnorkeling if discovered by the enemy. After all, the depth and course would be relativley static and a u-boat would seem like an easy kill, at least for an aircraft. (a side question here: could aircraft adjust the depth settings on D/Cs in flight?) In addition, surveilance would be limited to the sky periscope.
My questions are as follows: Was the German Navy aware of such radar developments and if so, were there any provisions to equip a schnorkel mast with radar detection gear? If not that, was there any knowledge or implementation of non-reflective components? (One hint I saw of this technique was in an underwater photo of U-260 where the caption denotes the schnorkel\'s \"anti radar covering\" [www.uboat.net]). Also, did running the diesels submerged lessen the effectiveness of the the u-boat\'s hydrophones? (I ask this since limited \"listening\" ability would also make a u-boat more vulnerable, as well as reduce its offensive capabilties, while schnorkeling)
I was wondering about these technical issues when considering the effect of a large deployment of type XXIs and the allied response to such a threat.
Tom
I enjoy this forum very much. Thanks to all of you who contribute.
With the advent of 3cm radar, the mast of a schnorkel could be detected by an aircraft or surface ship so equipped. It would seem that a u-boat would be particularly vulnerable while schnorkeling if discovered by the enemy. After all, the depth and course would be relativley static and a u-boat would seem like an easy kill, at least for an aircraft. (a side question here: could aircraft adjust the depth settings on D/Cs in flight?) In addition, surveilance would be limited to the sky periscope.
My questions are as follows: Was the German Navy aware of such radar developments and if so, were there any provisions to equip a schnorkel mast with radar detection gear? If not that, was there any knowledge or implementation of non-reflective components? (One hint I saw of this technique was in an underwater photo of U-260 where the caption denotes the schnorkel\'s \"anti radar covering\" [www.uboat.net]). Also, did running the diesels submerged lessen the effectiveness of the the u-boat\'s hydrophones? (I ask this since limited \"listening\" ability would also make a u-boat more vulnerable, as well as reduce its offensive capabilties, while schnorkeling)
I was wondering about these technical issues when considering the effect of a large deployment of type XXIs and the allied response to such a threat.
Tom
Subject | Written By | Posted |
---|---|---|
Vulnerability during schnorkeling? | Tom Iwanski | 02/05/2001 01:39PM |
RE: Vulnerability during schnorkeling? | James Stewart | 02/05/2001 09:14PM |
RE: Vulnerability during schnorkeling? | Steve Cooper | 02/06/2001 03:07AM |
Snorkeling and XXI | SuperKraut | 02/06/2001 08:49AM |
RE: T schnorkels | kurt | 02/07/2001 10:22PM |
T-valve snorkel | SuperKraut | 02/08/2001 01:29PM |
RE: T-valve snorkel | Bulldog | 02/08/2001 10:48PM |
Foresight | SuperKraut | 02/09/2001 08:16AM |
Winning with mediocre weapons | Bulldog | 02/09/2001 09:40PM |
High tech weapons | SuperKraut | 02/10/2001 09:07AM |
RE: High tech weapons | Bulldog | 02/10/2001 08:56PM |
RE: High tech weapons | SuperKraut | 02/11/2001 01:34AM |
RE: High tech weapons | Tom Iwanski | 02/11/2001 03:19AM |
RE: High tech weapons | SuperKraut | 02/11/2001 12:53PM |
RE: High tech weapons | Bulldog (which one?) | 02/11/2001 09:50PM |
Bulldog on Frasier | Rick Mann | 02/12/2001 03:49PM |
RE: Bulldog on Frasier | Bulldog | 02/12/2001 09:17PM |
RE: High tech weapons | SuperKraut | 02/12/2001 04:21PM |
RE: High tech weapons | Bulldog | 02/12/2001 11:20PM |
RE: T-valve snorkel | kurt | 02/10/2001 07:11PM |
RE: T-valve snorkel | Tom Iwanski | 02/10/2001 09:25PM |
RE: T-valve snorkel | Anders Wingren | 02/10/2001 10:40PM |
RE: Snorkeling and XXI | Tom Iwanski | 02/10/2001 09:15PM |
Snorkel history | SuperKraut | 02/11/2001 01:50PM |
RE: Snorkel history | Tom Iwanski | 02/11/2001 04:32PM |
RE: Snorkeling and XXI | Don Dirst | 02/06/2001 10:34PM |