Attack of the invicible airship.

[maillemaker]

Tonight off the coast of the US in nice weather we spotted an airship. It made straight for us. I was in my Type IX. I manned the deck gun and left the flak guns to the crew.

Score hundreds of hits. Including with the deck gun. Airship floats around and nails us down to 27% HI with machine gun fire. Had to dive away.

The airships in GWX are invincible!

Steve

[GJO]

Did the US Navy really use airships? I have often spotted them in the game when patrolling in US waters. When my watch crew spot an airship (or for that matter any hostile object in the sky) my reaction is to dive and change course. I would only ever engage a flying target if diving was impossible because they nearly always have the advantage, and realistically, In order to achieve my primary objective of sinking ships, I would not want my presence/position reported - stealth being the submarines only tactical advantage!

[RConch]

Yes, the US Navy did use airships-quite effective.

[Jimbuna]

The airships in GWX are invincible!

Steve

Not on your Nelly :)

http://www.mediafire.com/watch/4xtuuxdk96kqwai/Airship2.avi

[jreid666]

Crackin shooting :arrgh!:

[Jimbuna]

Crackin shooting :arrgh!:

Of course :smug:

[Sailor Steve]

Did the US Navy really use airships?
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a325/SailorSteve/Blimps_zps85220c8a.png (http://s14.photobucket.com/user/SailorSteve/media/Blimps_zps85220c8a.png.html)

[GJO]

Nice picture!

[vanjast]

IIRC blimps were very effective (loitering capability) if they stayed out of range, calling in the 'heavier guns'.

They were very vulnerable to return fire - I think there is an account by a 'blimp survivor' somewhere.

[maillemaker]

They were very vulnerable to return fire - I think there is an account by a 'blimp survivor' somewhere.

As I read it recently only one of them was shot down by a uboat.

In GWX the guys are safe as can be. I put enough deck gun fire into it to sink a merchant ship. Plus 20+ rounds of heavy AAA and hundreds of rounds of machine gun fire.

:doh:

[Jimbuna]

http://centennialofflight.net/essay/Lighter_than_air/Airships_in_WWII/LTA10.htm

http://www.alteredearth.com/airship.htm

http://s4.postimg.org/90ne0szsd/image.jpg (http://postimage.org/)

http://s14.postimg.org/od32afp5d/image.jpg (http://postimage.org/)

[desirableroasted]

Not on your Nelly :)

http://www.mediafire.com/watch/4xtuuxdk96kqwai/Airship2.avi


That's hilarious. Not often you see a bubble sink.

[Jimbuna]

That's hilarious. Not often you see a bubble sink.

True that but they are sinkable.

[Mike Abberton]

As I read it recently only one of them was shot down by a uboat.

In GWX the guys are safe as can be. I put enough deck gun fire into it to sink a merchant ship. Plus 20+ rounds of heavy AAA and hundreds of rounds of machine gun fire.

:doh:

From what I remember from Morisson's US Navy History, one blimp was shot down in the Caribbean. The story is the crew was aggressive and lowered the blimp's altitude to attack the sub, which allowed the sub to get enough hits in to shoot it down. Standard tactics were for the blimp to hold off at higher altitude and vector in the attack forces.

Mike

[KleineUboot]

According to the uboat.net the only blimp's attack on sub in WWII resulted in the destruction of the blimp...

[Aktungbby]

From what I remember from Morisson's US Navy History, one blimp was shot down in the Caribbean. The story is the crew was aggressive and lowered the blimp's altitude to attack the sub, which allowed the sub to get enough hits in to shoot it down. Standard tactics were for the blimp to hold off at higher altitude and vector in the attack forces.

Mike

Good call on that! http://www.defensemedianetwork.com/stories/naval-aviation-centennial-blimp-vs-u-boat/ (http://www.defensemedianetwork.com/stories/naval-aviation-centennial-blimp-vs-u-boat/) The K74 vs the VIIC U-134 7/13/1943. Only one crewman (9 total) was lost... to sharks! The u-boat was damaged by two depth charges and the blimp commander received the Distinguished Flying Cross. Crewman Stessel, who dropped the depth charges, was killed by a shark and the U-134, unable to dive and damaged, was sunk by British bombers while attempting to return to France a few days later.

[KleineUboot]

It seems that I've confused the only blimp attack on U-Boot with the only blimp shot down by the U-Boot:doh: