SUBSIM Radio Room Forums - View Single Post - Is it not possible to accurately portray the German Type XXI?

TorpX · 08-29-15, 12:35 AM

More about Snorkeling:

This pertains to earlier types, and may or may not apply to type XXI.

Blair emphasized boats did not snorkel all the time. It was hard on the crews, and really wasn't necessary. On the other hand, batteries were not fully discharged either. That would not only risk leaving you with a flat battery at a bad time, but would be wear out the batteries faster.

Since snorkeling made the boat 'deaf', I am guessing they usually snorkeled in the daytime, so they could at least use the periscope, and run deeper at night on the battery, unless they considered it safe enough to surface. However, bad weather could make snorkel use impossible, so maybe they had to use it at night, sometimes.
The danger there is that a plane could home in on the snorkel echo, and attack them without warning.

08-29-15, 12:35 AM	#8
TorpX Silent Hunter Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 3,975 Downloads: 153 Uploads: 11	More about Snorkeling: This pertains to earlier types, and may or may not apply to type XXI. Blair emphasized boats did not snorkel all the time. It was hard on the crews, and really wasn't necessary. On the other hand, batteries were not fully discharged either. That would not only risk leaving you with a flat battery at a bad time, but would be wear out the batteries faster. Since snorkeling made the boat 'deaf', I am guessing they usually snorkeled in the daytime, so they could at least use the periscope, and run deeper at night on the battery, unless they considered it safe enough to surface. However, bad weather could make snorkel use impossible, so maybe they had to use it at night, sometimes. The danger there is that a plane could home in on the snorkel echo, and attack them without warning.