I've used every detector offered up until Nov.'44, and all have worked well, even the first "kite sticks" model. In the early days, if a plane got through it was a fighter not equipped with radar. I've also picked up surface targets, always DD's. I think there was a time when the early detector begame intermittent, and I questioned it's realiability. However, it worked often enough to make it worth having.
I haven't done any "sea trials" to confirm faster diving times because of a fully occuppied forward compartment, but at this point in the war am compelled to do everything imaginable to gain even a half second on the way to 50m in a crash dive. For the last part of '44, that seem's to be the challenge of the game. Crashing to 50m before a bomb or DC hits it's mark is our primary task. Took a hit shortly after leaving St. Nazaire and made the long trip to Bergen with less than 50% hull integrity, and it was a long patrol indeed.
Another small advantage is to leave the snorkel up while running on the surface. It doesn't seem to matter as far as being detected, and when crash diving it gives another second of breath to the diesals for an extra push before the electrics engage.
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