Thanks for posting this. Always found the Q-ship an interesting topic
Forum: General Discussions

I believe the movie is entitled "In Enemy Hands"
Forum: Movies and Films

The problem with your question is that if you ask five different people you will probably get 8 different answers. I would second Iron Coffins. Although it is full of "liberities" ,it is an excellent book to read as your first book on the U-boats. It is very readable and gives you just enough background to give you a good basic understanding. I am sure many of us started out wit
Forum: General Discussions

Can you give us a little more information what is the expected audiance? What is the purpose of your presentation? How much background information do you expect your audiance to have concerning WWII submarienes? 30 Minutes is not a lot of time to cover WWII submarines. If you can focus on one aspect of the Sub war, it might be easier.
Forum: General Discussions

Wow that is good history!
Forum: Technology and Operations

Robert, "Nautilus - first U.S.sub built post WWII." I don't think this is correct The Tang class submarine, built between 1949 and 1952? - USS Tang (SS-563) Laid down 18 Apr 49 The Barracuda class submarine, built between 1949 and 1951? - USS Barracuda (SSK-1/SST-3/SS-550 laid down 1 July 49 USS Albacore (AGSS-569) was laid down on 15 Mar 52 USS Nautilus (SSN-5
Forum: Technology and Operations

Did the Type VII have a Safety Tank like US Subs did? As for the water tight doors, I can't imagine anyone designing a water tight door that could not be opened from either side. What would be the advantage of a "one sided" opening water tight door?
Forum: General Discussions

Copied? Not sure about that as the boats look pretty different. Influenced by the Type XXI? You bet! I would be very interested in finding some citations that show that the SSN-571 was copied from the Type XXI. There were 10 years between the Type XXI and the SSN-571. I am pretty sure there were other innovations that may have also influenced the design of the SSN-571. I would hazard
Forum: Technology and Operations

"There is is no question that the boat was revolutionary and that had there been time the defects would have been worked out. Cheers, Jerry" I think we are in absolute agreement here. The overall design of the Type XXI was revolutionary and represented a significant improvement in submarine design. There were, however some design flaws as well as manufacturing flaws that can'
Forum: Technology and Operations

Thank you for those references. I look forward with great anticipation to reading them.
Forum: Technology and Operations

All that you posted is true. My position is that the Type XXI could have been an excellent submarine. However, as built (considering all that you posted and more), the reality is that the Type XXI had some severe construction and design flaws.
Forum: Technology and Operations

From the Blair book “In the classified report sent to the Chief of Naval Operations, dated July 1946, they wrote that while the Type XXI had many desirable features that should be exploited, it also had many grave design and manufacturing faults. The clear implication was that owning to these faults, the XXI could not have made a big difference in the Battle of the Atlantic. Among the major
Forum: Technology and Operations

Alberich - which used a synethic rubber compound called Oppanol, Oppanol pannels were glued to the sides of the submarine as a way of both hindering active sonar by absorbing the active sonar pulses and reducing the sound signature of the submarine against passive hydrophones. It was first used operationally (1940) on the U-67 Type IXC. The problem with Alberich was in the adhesive used. Gl
Forum: Technology and Operations

Your interpretation of article 2 of the 1913 reference is interesting. I think I can understand your interpretation. However I am not sure I can agree with it. You are quite correct that a ship can't be in violation of a treaty, it would be the commanding officer. But Article 2 of the 1913 reference does not address immunities during a rescue operation. The commanding officer of the U
Forum: Movies and Films

Great information. Thanks. Do you think these U-boat operations off the coast were as structured as Operation Paukenschlag in that it was more a strategic operation vice a tactical one? Do you have any information on the logistics that supported the WWI U-boats off the American coast? Could WWI German Submarines travel from europe to the American coast and back or did they need tender sup
Forum: WWI forum

“From a legal point of view the subsumption has to consider the time of action. At the time of action the captain had his boat on a rescue and not on acombat mission.” You did bring up a very interesting point. Allow me to restate your point to see if I understand it. Is a warship immune from attack when it is engaged in an at-sea rescue operation? Manual of the Laws of Naval War. O
Forum: Movies and Films

Dissent is good and one of the purposes of this forum. I understand that it is your position that during the rescue operation the U-156 "was not able to be used for military purposes..." I disagree. There was nothing but the decisions of the Commanding Officer on the U-156 that would prevent the U-156 to remain a viable combat vessel. The U-156 was not disabled nor were any of i
Forum: Movies and Films

While the original question was about U-boats sunk off the American coast, this question brings up other questions from me. How many German Submarines operated off the American Coast during WWI? I am currently reading up on the history of German U-boats operating off of America during 1942, but I was not aware that there was a WWI version of Operation Paukenschlag. Was there?
Forum: WWI forum

In accordance with the "Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded and Sick in Armies in the Field, Geneva, 27 July 1929", and specifically Chapter VI, Articles 22 and 24, indicate that the use of the Red Cross emblem in the context of the U-156 incident was inappropriate. While the U-156's commander's intent was clear, the use of the Red Cross Emblem
Forum: Movies and Films

Heddy Lamar, Not just a pretty face. Heddy Lamar co-owned the patent (2,292,387) for a frequency hopping radio system to be used in Radio Controlled Torpedoes. While this technology was not implemented until 1962, historical references about Lamar's work refer to radio controlled torpedoes currently (1942) being used by the US Navy. The word "used" may be misused in place
Forum: Technology and Operations

It is not my intention to sound flippant. But the question whether wolfpacks were a good strategy has to be answered in two parts. When wolf packs worked, they worked well When wolf packs did not work, they stunk. If three or more submarines can manage to all meet up with a juicy convoy, wolf pack tactics are a good tactic. However, if three or more submarines manage to meet up and the
Forum: Technology and Operations

Check out this site and perhaps ask your question there Fleetsubmarine.com This site deals with the American Sub service. Perhaps someone there can help you. Good luck
Forum: General Discussions

Don Prince Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > NAVAL ORDNANCE AND GUNNERY > VOLUME 1, NAVAL ORDNANCE > > CHAPTER 14 > ANTISUBMARINE WEAPONS > > > .html > > It is extremely difficult to obtain a direct hit > with depth charges, because the exact position of > the submarine usually is not known. Consequently, > de
Forum: Technology and Operations

That would depend on the information on the plaque. I did not know that U-boats had such an external plaque. I don't think there are a lot of mysteries about U-Boats any more. If you have identifying information, I am sure you can easily find data on this and other sites. Could you post what information this plaque had?
Forum: General Discussions

The Atlantic and Pacific theaters are difficult to compare. As is a comparison between German and American losses. For one the duration of the war was different. The Germans fought for 68 months while the Americans fought for 45 months. The theaters were also different. With the exceptions of extended missions to America and Africa/Med, many of the German Sub operations were relatively
Forum: Technology and Operations

I am surprised that after all this time that the "real" story has not come out. Both stories are plausable 1. Radar detectors CAN emit and anything that emits CAN be detected (the key word is can and not will 2. Telling your enemy that their radar detectors DO emit and that we are detecting the signal is a very useful story to A. Conceal the fact that you are using a diff
Forum: Technology and Operations

I am afraid that Robert is quite correct. I would not look for any accuracy in that movie.
Forum: Movies and Films

I am not familiar with a "nazi Uboat clock" Are you sure it is not a Kriegsmarine Uboat Clock?
Forum: General Discussions

I am afraid I can't answer your translation questions. Howver I can recommend a good book that addresses the problems the German's had with their torpedoes Iron Men and Tin Fish: The Race to Build a Better Torpedo during World War II by Anthony Newpower If your interests ever stray to the problems with American Torpedoes I can recommend Hellions of the Deep: The Development
Forum: Technology and Operations

It was not a radio at all. It was an electro-mechanical coding machine. Simply put, the machine was set to the proper setting by installing and rotating several rotors into a pre-agreed upon position. At first there were three rotors and later four. Later models also had a plug board attached where "phone plug" wires could be plugged in also in a pre-agreed upon pattern. Each
Forum: General Discussions