Type IX/D2s were not fitted with a snorkel, only a few type IX and type VII along with the XXI and XXIII were fitted with such as far as operational boats were concerned. Why a snorkel was not fit to the D2 is beyond me, but that was the case. The same went for the Type XIV resupply boats.
The American fleet boat was several times better than the Type IX and VII, and inferior in only a few respects to the XXI. The fleet boats were longer legged, both under and above water. Later boats were quieter. And from early on were much better equipped than the German boats. Something they lacked was the snorkel, which is surprising really. That being said, the type VII for a long time was the ideal boat for fighting in the atlantic, whereas the American boats would not have done so well. The VII could VERY fast, compared to the slow to dive Fleet boat. The Type IX was just an elongated VII with more fuel and torpedo stowage for extra long jaunts into the south Atlantic, or eastern United States. Slower diving, and not as maneuverable as the VII.
Now the Type XXI. Now that was a scary boat for the allies, it would have wreaked some major havoc, and dissapeared without a trace. The Me262 of the sea one could say. Is it any wonder that many Russian and American post war boats had many design features of this type.
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