111
votes
Accepted
Why did the British scuttle the u-boats surrendered after WWII?
SHORT ANSWER
The short answer is that this was considered by the British to be the simplest and most economical way of disposing of the German U-boat fleet. The decision to sink the U-boats rather ...
- 108k
108
votes
Accepted
Why didn't Hitler have more submarines in the English channel?
The English Channel is too shallow in many places to be safe for U-Boats. The operating depth for the Type VII submarine was up to 230 meters, while the English Channel is only 45 meters deep in many ...
- 71.9k
55
votes
Why didn't Hitler have more submarines in the English channel?
In addition to the other answers, WWII submarines were primarily surface vessels which could submerge for combat. They had very limited speed, visibility, and battery range underwater. The batteries ...
- 54.7k
47
votes
Accepted
In WW2, why did Germany sink allied supply convoys instead of capturing them?
The options that submarines had were, in practice, limited to sinking Allied shipping and leaving the area as quickly as possible to avoid detection. U-boats had a disadvantage compared to destroyers (...
- 108k
41
votes
How have they traditionally handled safety on submarines in regards to "surface cruising"?
1) Things have changed with the advent of nuclear-powered submarines since the 1960's, but WW2 submarines were small - and had a small crew. Even the largest U-boats, the Type VII and it's cousins, ...
- 71.9k
36
votes
Why didn't Hitler have more submarines in the English channel?
Other answers have explained why basing the U-boats in the English Channel was a poor idea for the Germans. Here's what actually happened:
In spring 1944, most of the U-boats were based in the ports ...
- 31k
35
votes
Accepted
Why did US Navy WW2 torpedoes detonate at the end of their run?
To prevent torpedoes from becoming a navigational hazard in the event of a miss the 1907 Hague Convention VIII had a section on mines.
Once a torpedo was out of fuel it was buoyant. Therefore any ...
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33
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What was the longest a World War II submarine stayed at sea without being resupplied at a port?
Not a "hard" answer, but more than a comment.
The German Type VIIC was the most common type of U-boat, but with limited range and endurance. Its fuel bunkers could keep the diesels going for 20-35 ...
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32
votes
In WW2, why did Germany sink allied supply convoys instead of capturing them?
The general answer, "It's easier to sink than capture," has already been given. Now consider the specifics.
In the early stages of the war:
In two words - "Prize crew".
Having captured a ship, it ...
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30
votes
How have they traditionally handled safety on submarines in regards to "surface cruising"?
Before I retired, I was an electrical engineer and rode a number of submarines in order to test sonar systems that my company had installed. Normally we stayed on board for the entire trip which was ...
- 1,475
30
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What German torpedo problem was discovered in 1942?
As I think this may be the answer to your question what problem was discovered in 1942 related to the torpedos hydrogen venting system. The problem was that when vented anywhere but on the surface (...
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28
votes
How have they traditionally handled safety on submarines in regards to "surface cruising"?
In wartime lookouts were sometimes deliberately left on deck when the submarine came under attack and crash-dived.
One such incident was the German submarine U-68 :
Suddenly, the siren was ...
- 411
22
votes
Why did US Navy WW2 torpedoes detonate at the end of their run?
The reason is simple: nobody wants an uncontrolled explosive device floating around. You yourself, or someone else, other then your enemy may later accidentally hit it. For the same reasons all anti-...
- 38.4k
22
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Why did the British scuttle the u-boats surrendered after WWII?
An anecdotal addition to the excellent points in the existing answer:
At the end of WWII, my mother was discharged from the ATS before my father was discharged from the army, so she got a job as ...
21
votes
In WW2, why did Germany sink allied supply convoys instead of capturing them?
The allies blockaded Germany in WW2. Even if the Kriegsmarine could capture ships (and Orangesandlemons's answer correctly explains that this was unlikely) - there was no way to actually bring them to ...
- 441
18
votes
In WW2, why did Germany sink allied supply convoys instead of capturing them?
When German Raiders Did Use Captured Ships
In addition to the other answers, there were a few examples of German raiders sending captured ships back early in the war. These were auxiliary cruisers, ...
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16
votes
Why wouldn't an ASDIC work immediately after a depth charge attack?
An underwater explosion creates turbulence in the water, creates bubbles, and perhaps mixes waters of varying temperatures or salinities, all of which affect the refraction of sound in water. For ...
- 5,734
15
votes
Why are early submarines faster on the surface, while later types are faster when submerged?
Some of this is a history question, and some isn't.
Firstly the non-history part. All things being equal, submarines should move faster underwater. Your intuition that there is more drag underwater is ...
- 3,195
14
votes
In WW2, how long could a submarine stay submerged if it wasn't moving?
WWII submarines making a journey of any length would run on diesels on the surface during the day, if there were reasonable odds of not being sighted. Rapid ("crash") diving was a very important ...
- 31k
14
votes
Accepted
Why were Japanese submarines not able to defend in the Battle of the Philippine Sea?
By 1944, US submarines were very experienced and had ironed out their problems with their equipment. They had been conducting an extremely successful offensive campaign against Japanese shipping since ...
- 54.7k
14
votes
Accepted
Did a submarine ever torpedo and sink a destroyer?
Why yes, indeed.
I count, fast and dirty, at least 37 Japanese destroyers sunk by US submarines in WW2. A good place to look is the Joint Army Navy Assessment Committee though it requires a little ...
- 4,606
13
votes
Accepted
Why wouldn't an ASDIC work immediately after a depth charge attack?
Your expectation "does that not mean that any echos should die down more quickly" is largely inaccurate for that portion of the explosive energy directed vertically, or near vertically.
Precisely ...
- 71.9k
13
votes
Accepted
Was the 1977 sale of a submarine to Indonesia controversial in Germany at the time?
Yes. There was some controversy about that.
But it was low-key and even time-delayed for a fait-accompli.
The government would have been restricted to make such a deal, and violated it in secret. The ...
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12
votes
Which submarine was invented first?
The first submarine was developed by Cornelis Drebbel, a Dutchman, in 1620.
The first submarine that went into action was the Turtle, developed by David Bushnell in 1776. It went in action, but never ...
- 20.3k
11
votes
Why didn't Hitler have more submarines in the English channel?
Submarines are most effective against unarmed merchantmen, preferably on the open sea with few or no escort vessels, and fewer aircraft in the general area.
The English Channel was "covered" by the ...
- 104k
11
votes
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How did destroyers protecting convoys operate in bad weather during WWII?
You are really talking not about seaworthiness, but about stability. "Together with the Hague Visby Rules, the common law provides that the concept of "seaworthiness" covers: the ship, its equipment ...
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11
votes
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Why are early submarines faster on the surface, while later types are faster when submerged?
PhilS has the right general idea, but approaches it backwards. Early submarines were faster on the surface because they were designed around the needs of their diesel or gasoline engines. Although ...
- 8,524
10
votes
Accepted
What is the significance of a battery charging hulk and how is it used?
The old naval term 'hulk' is applied to vessels that are no longer in sea service but still perform some support role in port. So in the case of a "battery charging hulk", it's used to provide ...
- 18.8k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible