The word "Rudel" literally translates as "pack" into English, but the meaning wolf pack is implied, as only wolves and dogs form packs. The term "Wolfsrudel" exists, but is uncommon. The use of the word to describe group tactics by submarines is colloquial as far as I know. Official documentation almost invariably refers to such U-boat operations as "Gruppentakt
Forum: General Discussions

Yes. This quote hasn't got anything to with what rank the commanding officer of a U-boat held. It's about "Navy German" and "Lubber German" and how proper Navy-Speak is imparted on young recruits. The word "Captain" in German is "Kapitän". Since time immemorial German seafarers have shortened this, when addressing either a ship's captain (ie
Forum: General Discussions

A red cross on the commissioning pendant? That sounds like Royal Navy. Like this:
Forum: General Discussions

It's an acoustic underwater communication system, ie an underwater telephone (UT = Unterwasser Telephonie).
Forum: Technology and Operations

I recommend that you get the "U-boat Commanders Handbook" (Reprint) from Amazon.com for $ 8.95 if you want to get into the nuts and bolts of attack planning and plotting on German WW2 U-boats. The English version of the handbook has all the answers, procedures and, more importantly for all non-German speakers: the (mostly) correct translation into English of the terminology for U-boat s
Forum: Technology and Operations

There's a wealth of stuff in your post that's extremely interesting, but I think we'll pursue this by email (I'm especially interested in the BOI files on the German activities to see how they compare to the German version of events). Drop me line with you email address so we can discuss this some more. On the wireless issue - this is after all the topic of the post - I hea
Forum: WWI forum

OFähnr.z.S. means Oberfähnrich zur See. Technically, this is a naval cadet - or midshipman - first class. In reality (then as now) the rank is similar to the UK sub-lieutenant, since officers/cadets with that rank actually stood bridge watches. Most likely he was undergoing training (as you think he was) as III WO (3rd watch officer), which was a temporary assignment until one received a perman
Forum: General Discussions

Ah, yes. Another infamous piece of wartime "investigative" literature: half-truths (usually spoon-fed by the the British NID), hear-say and outright fabrication. Just a few remarks on this and the pages you referred to: Count von Bernstorff was the German ambassador to the US. If anything, he was considered a "dove" by the standards of the German foreign ministry. He was
Forum: WWI forum

Your question is probably aimed at whether or not the German U-cruisers in 1918 established contact with German agents in the US. The transmission range of shipboard wireless equipment by 1918 was actually quite considerable (up to 3000 nm - depending on the atmospheric conditions) and that also went for those larger U-boats equipped as "communication boats" - and those were exclusively
Forum: WWI forum

Die Datei habe ich schon wieder runtergenommen, da ich den Platz brauche. Ich schick' Sie Dir direkt, wenn Du sie noch brauchst. Gruß Dirk
Forum: _ Forum in deutscher Sprache

Michael, eine kleine Info am Rande: UB 80 ist ein B-III Typ. Der Gerneralplan von davon ist auf Seite 82/83. Allerdings ist die Qualität mau, denn Rössler hat das Ding einfach von Techel's "U-Bootbau auf der Germaniawerft" (1922) kopiert. Das habe ich jetzt auch gemacht - bzw. habe ich eine fast noch bessere französische Reproduktion von 1931 genommen. Und hier kann sich jede
Forum: _ Forum in deutscher Sprache

Perhaps for Mike to provide some details...?
Forum: WWI forum

Which "German Naval History" are you talking about? The 22 volume WW1-series? The whole lot? (although 8mb sounds a bit small for that).
Forum: WWI forum

Oliver, could well be as you say (in fact it probably is, since you appear to have some detailed PRINTED information). I find it quite interesting how information that is factually wrong sometimes proliferates on the net, because people no longer bother to check sources. I googled around a bit to find the source of the Wikipedia claim and I think I found it: there was in fact a US-built R-
Forum: WWI forum

The "aerial trunks" were, in other words, the housings for the antennae on u-boats. Initially only for the ring shaped DF-aerial and later for the FuMO 61 radar. Both could be lowered into these protective housings/trunks before the u-boat submerged for protective reasons and to reduce drag. Good picture here of a model that clearly shows the trunks:
Forum: Technology and Operations

The gun in question is the 10.5cm L45 (that's the calibre). This became the standard deck gun for u-boats in 1918. U 91 was commissioned with this armament, other u-boats with the older 8.8cm L30 guns were mostly retrofitted with the 10.5 in 1918. The gun was a an adaption of the 10.5cm anti-air gun for surface ships. The mount was streamlined and allowed for elevations from -10 to +50 degre
Forum: WWI forum