IX U boats - Solitary Raiders
 

Some facts taken from the book "U-boat far from home" by David Stevens about the Type IXD2 U-862 voyage around Australia/New Zealand. Most your probably already know but its a first for me about the Bachstelze :o:)

IX U boats -Solitary Raiders
Being comparatively slow to dive and hard to manoeuvre, the Type IX was
unsuitable for convoy battles, but this was never intended to be its role. It
was instead to be a solitary raider, laying mines off foreign coasts or using
its high speed and endurnace to catch the fast,
independently routed merchant ships encountered in distant waters.

Donitz suggested the need for a boat that could apply 'strategic pressure in very remote territores'.
The development of a completely new U-boat
would have entailed significant delays and further stretched the building
yards, already overloaded with wartime production. Instead, it was decided
to enlarge the existing Type IXC. This solution would offer cost advantages
and have far less impact on the overall contruction schedule. The result
was the Type IXD2 Officially designated a U-Kreuzer (U-Cruiser),
the Type IXD2 U-boats were commonly known as UberseeKuhe (Super or oversea cows)
Twenty nine of this type were eventually commissioned.

The Bachstelze
IXD2 - came with the FockeAchgelis FA-330, more commonly known as
the Bachstelze (Water-wagtail). The Bachstelze was an unpowered,
single-seat autogyro. The Pilot sat on metal frame against an aluminium
mast on top of which were three cloth-covered blades, each about 3m long.
Before being launched, the machine first needed to be assembled on a small
platform abaft the storage containers. When ready the U-boat would head into
the wind until the relative velocity was suffient to turn the rotor
blades at between 130-360rpm. As the Bachstelze rose, a towing cable
would be pulled slowly from a third container beneath the launch platform.
Thus tethered, this precursor of the helicopter effectively gave the U-boat
a 100-150m viewing platform. The pilot was provided with a parachute
and passed messages to the tower on a telephone. Though it had potential
to extend the U-boats's from diving quickly and hence could only be used
in remote areas, where allied air patrols were unlikely.

The FuMB 26 Tunis was fixed on top of a wooden rod and attached to the
periscope standands or into the D/F loop. The Tunis provided
counterdetection at ranges between 50km-70km, but the aerial was not
watertight and had to be dismounted before diving. (Does SH3 have the FuMB 26 for the IXD2?)

It should be kept in mind that even after modification there was nothing
revolutionary about the Type IX U-boats. Developments between the wars
had provided improvments in fire control, torpedoes, communications,
diving depth and shock resistance, but the basic design remained
conventional. In most areas the Type IX was only slightly superior to
Germany's large ocean going U-boats of the previous war. Thus the boats
that Germany had in service in September 1939 were submersibles rather
than true submarines and could not complete with the rapid advances in
anti-submarine techniques that occurred during the course of the conflict.
By August 1943, with U-boats forced to spend longer and longer periods
submerged, all the pre-war types were recognised as obsolescent.

nice read, Kiwi!!!:up:

Agree a good read. and so true! The IX is the best thing ever. It may be an ugly bastard but a fine boot!:hmm:

Well posted Kiwi :yep:
The IX is not your usual 'pack animal'...she's definitely a 'lone wolf' :yep:
She aint ugly Myxale:nope: ...she's beautiful :yep: :D:up:

I enjoy the lone patrols and the vastness of the ocean. I don't change my beloved IXC for anything:cool:

Tonnage Records
 

IIRC from my reading, the Type IX's held most of the records for tonnage.

Which is probably reasonable if you think that it carried twice the amount of torpedoes of VIIs. Great boat. Once I can afford it I finish the war with it (either way):yep: :yep:

Elementary my dear mel lol :D :up:

Not so when you consider the amount of other boats built

Only 14 IXB ever commisioned and the most victorious class

A mere 568 VIIC commisioned :oops:

Check out U 107

http://uboat.net/boats/u107.htm

Near on 87000 tons in one patrol

Yeah, but he was playing on an easy level, and without any supermods.:rotfl:

Dönitz and myself have a special thing for the VIIC, but I like the IX too.

@ kiwi_2005

nice read! always learning in this forum... ;)
makes me want to get a class ix...

The Kapitan of U-862 is that avatar in SH3 commander wearing the white suit Heinrich Timm who earned the knights Cross. When i get the IXD2 im choosing him as my avatar then will sail around AUS/NZ:):roll:

Nikolaus Heinrich Timm, U-862's first and only commander, remains something of an enigma. Few documents exist, and with the passing of the years the memories of the men who served under him have mellowed. Undeniably, Timm earned the undying loyalty and devotion of his crew, and those who survive still regard him as 'one of the best German U-boat commanders of the Second World War.

Don't be shy...get one...travel the worlds oceans...see places...visit/raid ports...SINK EM ALL !! :arrgh!:

Excellent read. Of course I'm biased because I'm a Type IXb driver and I'm loving it. :rock:

I agree: The IX are are fine boats with a lot of firepower, but they are ugly as well! I hate their rising bow!!!:down:

Shame on you sir...they are truly graceful :arrgh!:

IXs are gorgeous. I can't see what is not to like about them;)

I love IX-B and C boats and their rising bow but is its speed and torpedo load that makes difference. with the correct tactics is a killer.

is very similar to U.S boats and i´m using big boats since SH1 and AOD . :up:

Nice find, kiwi_2005

However, I would dispute the use of the term U-Kreuzer for the Type-IXD2.

According to http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unterseekreuzer , a U-Kreuzer was an historical U-Boat (up to the end of WWII) with a displacement of 2000+ tonnes. The IXD2 did not qualify (1600 surfaced, 1800 submerged).

According to http://uboat.net/types/projects.htm , the U-Kreuzer was the name given to the Type-XI. Four of these, U 112 - U 115 were planned, but never built.

I'd never heard of "Überseekuhe" before, and neither, does it seem, had the Internet either. Does anyone have any information about this?


Further references:


http://www.deutsches-museum-shop.com.../9783763762460

PS: Finally, and most curiously, while researching this, I came across a reference to a movie, titled: "U-Kreuzer. U-Deutschland. 105 Tage Kreuzerfahrt".

http://www.deutsches-filminstitut.de/filme/f035485.htm