Were TypeIX's used exclusively for long range patrols?

[jmr]

Were the Type IX boats always assigned to long range patrols or did they see shorter patrols equivalent to what their smaller Type VII brothers experienced?

[KeptinCranky]

There was at least one type IX used in the Norway campaign in the battle of Narvik it got sunk by surface ships while still moored there.

As for other instances, I'm sure they did vector in any available boat to a convoy that was being tracked in the atlantic including type IXs enroute to faraway places

[von Zelda]

As for other instances, I'm sure they did vector in any available boat to a convoy that was being tracked in the atlantic including type IXs enroute to faraway places

As an example, U-175 (a type IX) on its third war patrol was sunk in mid April 1943 while attacking convoy HX-233. U-175 was one of eight u-boats in contact with HX-233; it was spotted and sunk while making a daring daylight surfaced attack. Quite out of character for U-175's commander.

Type VII's were considered to be far better at convoy attacks than Type IX's.

[Hitman]

Some Type IX even went into the Mediterranean...but yes mainly they were used for long range patrols.

[Penelope_Grey]

it was spotted and sunk while making a daring daylight surfaced attack.

Type VII's were considered to be far better at convoy attacks than Type IX's.

OMG!! a surface attack in daylight! That is just reckless. Even I wouldn't do that.

I think VII's are better at convoy attacking than IX's. But with a bit of planning a IX can attack a convoy as good as a VII... though, due to their larger size, surface attacking in a IX could be tough, methinks you'd have to make submerged attack on convoys due to slow crash dive times.

[von Zelda]

Some Type IX even went into the Mediterranean...

Sorry, but I'd have to question this statement. Can you provide a reference?

From my reading, I know of no Type IX that ever was able to go into the Mediterranean during the war. The Mediterranean u-boats were all Type VIIs. And once through Gilbralter, they were confined to the Mediterranean.

[Brag]

it was spotted and sunk while making a daring daylight surfaced attack.

Type VII's were considered to be far better at convoy attacks than Type IX's.

OMG!! a surface attack in daylight! That is just reckless. Even I wouldn't do that.



05 Aug 1941
I just made an (unintended) daylight convoy attack.

Was listening trying to determine distance and convoy track. Got it figured out, paralled course and surfaced to overtake.

Climbed to the bridge. Paralleling us was this madium merchie staring me in the face. The blinkin' lookouts quiet as angels. :shifty:

I flipped the UZO, set gyro angle to 85 degrees and sent out two torps, ordered 90 degree turn away from the convoy and skooted out of there at flank speed. Both torpedoes hit :rock:

[CCIP]

I would put it this way: they tended to be assigned long-ranged patrols as this best took advantage of their capabilities. However it depended on many factors including operational requirements, and as you know there was almost always a serious shortage of U-boats.

Aside from the Norway operation where U-64 participated and was sunk, Type IXs were occasionally assigned to wolfpack operations, most famously on the Gibraltar route. A number of them had quite some success there. By anyone but the Germans' standard they were a pretty swift, moderately-sized type of boat. They weren't, shall we say, as ideal (and certainly not as cost-effective) as Type VIIs on wolfpack operations, but they could do them. When possible, of course, they didn't since it made no sense to not exploit their range advantage under any normal circumstances.

[von Zelda]

I would put it this way: they tended to be assigned long-ranged patrols as this best took advantage of their capabilities. .....it made no sense to not exploit their range advantage under any normal circumstances.

Not being mentioned, the Type IXs carried 8 external torpedoes compared to the 2 on the Type VIIs. As a practical matter late in the war, externals were only loaded on the long distance missions conducted by Type IXs. These missions being to the South Atlantic and Indian Ocean. It became virtually impossible to load externals in the North Atlantic due to increased air cover.

[kiwi_2005]

Were the Type IX boats always assigned to long range patrols or did they see shorter patrols equivalent to what their smaller Type VII brothers experienced?



Yes they did long patrols but they weren't convoy attackers more seeking out ships travelling on their own - The IX's are the "Lone Wolves" of the sea.:yep:

[STEED]

Sail the IX and see the world. :up:

[Hitman]

Sorry, but I'd have to question this statement. Can you provide a reference?

From my reading, I know of no Type IX that ever was able to go into the Mediterranean during the war. The Mediterranean u-boats were all Type VIIs. And once through Gilbralter, they were confined to the Mediterranean.

Yes I thought the same, but I read somewhere that U-127 was sunk near Gibraltar attempting to enter the Mediterranean (Can't remember where I read it...the number of the Boat stayed in my memory because it surpirsed me that a IX was sent there). Probably no IX made it there....

[ReM]

Immediately after war was declared with the United States, Dönitz began to implement operation Paukenschlag ("drumbeat"), requesting that 12 Type IX U-boats be made available for it. The Navl Staff in Berlin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin), however, insisted on retaining 6 of the precious Type IX boats for the Mediterranean theatre (where they could achieve little)

Just wiki !

[Hitman]

Good catch ReM...now I remember also that paragraph, but I think Dönitz finally convinced them of sending VIIs into the Med and keeping the IXs for Atlantic operations :hmm: Yet I still think some IX tried to made it into the Med....

[ReM]

Good catch ReM...now I remember also that paragraph, but I think Dönitz finally convinced them of sending VIIs into the Med and keeping the IXs for Atlantic operations :hmm: Yet I still think some IX tried to made it into the Med....

To be honest, I can't find any reference of IX boats actually IN the Med...
I did find that U127 an IXC boat, was sunk West of Gibraltar, but that is not in the Med, but on the outskirts.

I will look it up in the bible by Clay Blair.

Edit
After looking it up in the bible I cannot find any reference about other boats than types VII B and mostly type VII C in the beautiful Med.

[Hitman]

Well that settles the matter, then :up: No IX in the Mediterranean :nope: yet would like to know if U-127 was attempting the passage anyway :hmm: or just lurking around for a reported convoy exiting Gibraltar. You know, german spies had it easy watching from neutral Spain convoys go out in the strait:yep:

[ReM]

U 127 was sunk on dec 15, 1941 during an attack on convoy HG 76.

[von Zelda]

Donitz was required to keep a large number of boats in the Med as well as a large number of boats west of Gibraltar and around Norway.

Thus, in December 1941 after declaring war on the US, Donitz could only muster 6 Type IXs for initial attack in US waters (Operation Drumbeat) as well as a small number of Type VIIs to attack shipping in Canadian waters. It was then determined that Type VIIs had a longer range of operation then previously thought so a number of Type VIIs did proceed further south into US waters.

This was also the thime that the supply u-boats came about so Donitz threw just about every spare boat into the US area, Gulf of Mexico and Carribean leaving almost zero boats in the North Atlantic for a period of time.

[ReM]

IX subs were also used for pretty short patrols off the coast of Spain and in the Norway campaign early in the war.

If I am not mistaken I believe some were even used to lay mines near English ports....what a waste!