I am currently reading 'Iron Coffins' but have not yet reached the point in the book where Werner took his own command. In research elsewhere, I haven't found any evidence to suggest that wind speed had any effect on a torpedo's performance and although it seems logical to expect high waves to cause problems, U Boat Commanders were instructed to attack (and instructed how to attack) in these circumstances whenever a suitable target presented itself.
I agree that Hsie's work and thorough documentation is quite splendid but for my own interest I just wonder what real life evidence there is to say that a torpedo fired at close range in a big Atlantic swell would be prone to failure. Surely, the weapon was designed to be used in the Atlantic where the sea is rarely calm and huge waves are normal.
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