View Single Post
Old 06-28-09, 05:30 AM   #3
melnibonian
Ocean Warrior
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Reading UK
Posts: 3,473
Downloads: 90
Uploads: 0
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by RoaldLarsen View Post
I seem to remember reading about one famous u-boat captain finishing off a victim with the 20mm.
You're talking about Wolfgang Lüth. It is true that he did used 20mm rounds to sink a ship, but there are a few other things to consider in this story.

1. The Empire Whimbrel was already hit by torpedoes and received hits by the deck gun rounds as well. http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/2859.html

2. The Notre Dame du Châtelet (I think this is the ship you're talking about) was a small wooden sailing ship of 488 tons, but still in order to be sunk rounds from both deck gun and AA guns (20mm) were required http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/923.html

I hope this is useful to clear why 20mm rounds cannot (alone) sink a ship.

Last edited by melnibonian; 06-28-09 at 06:04 AM.
melnibonian is offline   Reply With Quote