Was the W-34 warhead in the Mk 45 ASTOR a Plutonium device or an Uranium device? With a yeld of 10KT, I thought it was an Uranium implosion design.
Forum: Technology and Operations

The Limber holes on a submarine gets its name from the Limbers of old wooden sailing ships. Although the function and design of submarine limbers is different from the design of wooden ship limbers, the basic concept is similar and so is the name. To understand the etymology of the word Limber, it is necessary to describe early uses of the word. Limbers (which has, as one of its components
Forum: Technology and Operations

Wow! Once again, if you ask a question on this forum there will be someone who knows the answer.
Forum: Technology and Operations

If you go to www.subsim.com and access their modeling forum, there is a series of excellent references and a deeply detailed discussion on how to make the Revell 1:72 model more accurate. You might find your answer there. Good luck with it. One of my dreams is to have the time (and skill) to make one of those 1:72 models.
Forum: Modeling and schematics

Heinz-Wilhelm Eck executed after the war for the killings of survivors after he had sunk a Greek merchantman while on his first patrol with U-852.
Forum: General Discussions

I thought it was a pretty good movie. I would not call it a great movie, but I liked the way the character's were protrayed. I recommend reading the book at it goes further into some of the important plot details.
Forum: Movies and Films

Yikes Scott! Good detailed information. Nice thing about this forum is that if someone asks a question there will be a smart member with the answer.
Forum: Technology and Operations

This is great. Could you share with us what specifically you like about the film and why you think it is a great film about Uboats? I would be very interested in knowing.
Forum: Movies and Films

The red light serves several purposes 1. A dim red light will help preserve someone's night vision. 2. A dim red light escaping from an open hatch won't be visible from a distance unlike white light 3. While this is probably not very important, a red light also has a psychological effect on the crew as it conveys alertness.
Forum: General Discussions

That book was one of the first books that got me hooked on Uboat history. Every few years, I dust off my copy and re-read it. He is quite the story teller and he did a wonderful job of describing the frustration and dispar in the end of the war. I echo the strongest recommendation to add this book to your Uboat library
Forum: General Discussions

"All Hollywood movies is full of propaganda and every german is a nazi in every american Hollywood movie." Not all of them were. "Enemy Below" (1957) was an example of protraying a German submarine Captian as being a professional military person and not a Nazi.
Forum: Movies and Films

"For the record, S-33 did make one Atlantic/Panama patrol in 1942 under command of Walter. P. Schoeni. S-33 along with five other "30 class" boats were transferred to the Pacific and operated out of Alaska starting in April 1942. Source: Silent Victory by Clay Blair." Ohh good trivia!
Forum: Movies and Films

A most interesting plot if it is faithfully based on the book. The original book did not include any scenes of WWII but let's not think that accuracy will affect a hollyowood movie. In the book although the character "lives" up until the 1920's it doubtful that he would have seen action in WWI. I did not care too much for the book. The plot was a bit hard for me to swa
Forum: Movies and Films

Well there are several good references that discuss the Mk9. Did you have a specific question? "Iron Men and Tin Fish" and "Hellions of the Deep" are two interesting reference books on the torpoedo problems.
Forum: General Discussions

A most interesting question The concept of the "water around Torpedo" (WRT) tank was just for the purposes described by Don. One of objectives behind WRT was to maintain the same weight distribution after launching the torpedo so that the bow (or stern) would not suddenly rise and break the surface. So launching a torpedo would mean replacing the same weight (as close as can be
Forum: Movies and Films

Oh boy! These may be general questions but very complicated ones. Marine Engineers go to school for years just to get a basic understanding of these questions. There is a whole academic discipline about Naval Architecture. Myriad text books attempt to answer these “general questions".. Check out for a nice article on the basics of bouyancy. These questions will be hard to answer
Forum: General Discussions

"Aphrodite Aphrodite was a decoy balloon. Filled with hydrogen, it floated a few meters above the water surface, anchored to a floating plate. Aluminium foils attached to the balloon gave a strong radar echo, similar to that of an U-boat on British radar screens. " My error. I mis-remembered reading that the aphrodite balloon floated on the surface. (smacking head) In that case.
Forum: Technology and Operations

It all depends on how deep you want to go (pun intended) If you really want high quality submarine geek technical information on not only the Type XXI but how it was developed, I can highly recommend The U-Boat - the Revolution and Technical History of German Submarines by Eberhard Rossler. But I have to warn you, this book is not for the faint hearted when it comes to technological his
Forum: General Discussions

I don't think Blair said he surfaced until after the third torpedo malfunctioned.
Forum: General Discussions

According to Clay Blair in "Hitler's Uboats" the U-30 initially fired two torpedoes. The first one hit the second did not (probably do to an erratic run). Upon observation that the Athenia was not sinking, the U-30 fired a third torpedo which also did not hit. Blair does not mention any deck gun action. Shortly after firing the third toropedo, the U-30 was able to positively
Forum: General Discussions

And that brings up an important point. How important is accuracy in a "great world war II movie"? To the obsessive-compulsive anal-retentive submarine history nuts that infest this forum, probably pretty important. I proudly proclaim my membership in this august group. But to the general public, which is the primary audience, how important is it? Well, I conducted a rigorou
Forum: Movies and Films

Metternich, Can you give us some examples of why you would consider U-571 as one of the greatest war movies? My reasons it is not a great war movie include: - Fiction movie that uses historical information inaccurately. There is nothing wrong with a fictional war movie. But if you are going to fill the movie up with historical references, at least use them appropriately. Don’t imply
Forum: Movies and Films

I was disappointed that "Against the wind” was not included, but it is not a commonly known movie. I was very happy that the move “Crash Dive” was not included <Friends don't let friends watch Crash Dive> But what about “Force 10 from Navarone”? No love for Harrison Ford and Robert Shaw?
Forum: Movies and Films

Enemy Below is one I can recommend as it portrays the characters in human terms. Neither the American nor the German have any personal animosity towards the other, it is just their duty and each performs their duties professionally. “I am russian and we used to think that Germans ( I mean fascists) were cruel and extremely severe, brutal persons. And I am still convinced that the most of th
Forum: Movies and Films

dayrun Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > In Das Boot, there seemed to be a few sub-plots > running throughout the film. One I found > interesting is the war corespondent's character. > He seemed to be gay and trying to deal with his > homosexuality. In the scene where he is taking > pictures of the shirtless men loading torpedos- he &
Forum: Movies and Films

I can't imagine Aphrodite would require separate tanks as they could easily be filled from a low pressure bib from the existing air pressure system. Nor would I imagine there would be a need to store explosive/flamable gases in the conning tower. I think that any welding that required gas would have the tanks be stored under the decks where it would be safer. Could these tanks be an e
Forum: Technology and Operations

Rob, Good gouge. Looks like I have another book to add to my library Much thanks
Forum: Technology and Operations

Nope never knew that. Did this require any modifications to either the torpedoes or the tubes? Cooleo trivia
Forum: Technology and Operations

Navweaps.com does list the UK Mk X 533mm/21" series which was used by Mark X: Polish destroyers Mark X*: ex-Brazilian Havant class destroyers Mark X**: British MTBs Mark X***: Dutch Submarines Mark X****: Greek Submarines But there is no mention of French subs. Dunno if this helps you at all
Forum: Technology and Operations

Richard, Thanks for keeping me honest here. In figuring this issue out, it is important to verify and double check the information. Good catch!
Forum: Technology and Operations