SUBSIM Radio Room Forums - View Single Post - Playing campaign first-time with no external view.

jason10mm · 11-02-05, 09:40 AM

I would imagine that using the scope underwater would be next to useless. I know that memoirs mention a quick underwater sweep prior to surfacing to make sure nothing is directly overhead, but that would only detect a stationary obstacle in good light. I think I have read reports of submariners seeing the undersides of ships passing overhead. If you are already down 40-50 meters in poor lighting conditions though, you are not going to see much. I know that while SCUBA diving at 70-80 feet the surface is still easily seen, but a ship could be only 50-60 feet from overhead and you would have a hard time seeing it (a large ship like a destroyer might be a different story however). My vision while using a scuba mask is MUCH better than the optical clairty I've seen from any periscope (though those scopes date from WW2 or just after, probably dirty with aged lenses).

So while I use that trick too (no external camera), I don't think a submariner could realistically use it, at least not as often and well as in the game.

11-02-05, 09:40 AM	#9
jason10mm Sailor man Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: San Antonio Posts: 48 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I would imagine that using the scope underwater would be next to useless. I know that memoirs mention a quick underwater sweep prior to surfacing to make sure nothing is directly overhead, but that would only detect a stationary obstacle in good light. I think I have read reports of submariners seeing the undersides of ships passing overhead. If you are already down 40-50 meters in poor lighting conditions though, you are not going to see much. I know that while SCUBA diving at 70-80 feet the surface is still easily seen, but a ship could be only 50-60 feet from overhead and you would have a hard time seeing it (a large ship like a destroyer might be a different story however). My vision while using a scuba mask is MUCH better than the optical clairty I've seen from any periscope (though those scopes date from WW2 or just after, probably dirty with aged lenses). So while I use that trick too (no external camera), I don't think a submariner could realistically use it, at least not as often and well as in the game.