[Rambler241]

This behaviour is simply reflecting reality. As I understand this in RL - reflected fairly accurately in SH3 vanilla (and GWX by the sound of it) is that for a normal dive, buoyancy is set to neutral (by the guy with all the valves & pipes), and the dive planes are set about 3/4 down in this formation /----\ (bow on the right). This pushes the bow down, and the stern up. Use external view to watch a dive and you'll see the stern almost lift out of the water as the bow goes down. As depth increases, the planesmen ease off the 'plane angles, and then gently reverse the process until the required depth is reached - controlled, gentle, and safe.

In a crash-dive (as you well know) speed is set to flank, and the 'planes are set to maximum angle, creating a greater down-angle than described above. Just before the required angle is achieved, the planesmen back off the 'plane angles, first bow, then stern, to zero. Now the boat is descending at flank speed at an angle of around 10° (or less, depends on boat handling characteristics). You may have heard the term "down bubble" used on American boats in movies - "Set seven degrees down bubble". The "bubble" was literally that - a curved glass tube containing oil and a bubble - a much larger and precise version of the one used in spirit levels. A curved scale showed the bubble angle in degrees - up or down, either side of centre.

Watch the process in the command room (no bubble visible though!). This is surely real life on a small screen. To bring the boat to a level attitude, the 'plane process is reversed, bow 'plane up, stern 'plane up, pushing bow up and stern down, reducing the 'plane angles gradually: \----/. This takes a while, hence the boat continues to descend, but at a reducing rate.

Back to this post - in a crash dive, around 800 tons (or tonnes if you're picky) of metal and men is descending at a steep (for a submersible boat, which is what WW2 submarines were) angle, at flank speed - a critical and potentially dangerous situation. Many boats from pretty much all nations have been lost due to mishandling in even a normal dive. Follow Jörg Neumann's (my current handle in SH3) overriding advice:

Rule 1: Don't hit anything (especially the seabed)
Rule 2: See Rule 1

My advice: Once descending steeply, back off the speed, say to standard, and hit "A" to abort the dive (or rise - applies equally) and maintain current depth. Issue a depth order now, if you need to. Once level, increase speed if you need to. If you have no idea where the bottom is, don't crash dive.

As a postscript, hitting a stony bottom at crash-dive angle is highly likely to result in the instant death of all those unfortunate to be in the bow torpedo room. Christian asked "how can I fix these issues?". The answer lies within, Christian, as with many things in both real life, and SH3.