[Rhodes]

About the depth charges in "Das Boot", I wanted to post here what I am about to put, but many times forgot or slip my mind. Hope this thread is the right place.

I readed in a book, wrote by the Leutnant (Ing) of U-190, Werner Hirschmann, and quote:
"On 27 August, we were hunted by an enemy surface force of four destroyers and pinned down for more than 3 hours while they tried to establish our exact location by Asdic. This time they came closer and launched four depth charges.
At this point, I would like to make a comment about the films that portray life on submarines during the WW2, including the famous German epic "Das Boot". (...)
When depth charges explode, people inside the boat must be falling all over each other, if not desperately hanging onto something to keep themselves upright,while the boat rolls throught 30-degree arcs.
In reality that submarine isn't moving a fraction of an inch as it is a mass of a thousan tons, surrounded by an almost solid mass of whater. In my experience, an exploding depth charge felt like a blow with a giant hammer on an immovable object - valve shafts break, fuses blow, light fixtures shatter, but the boat doesn't move.
The chaos, the panic, the screaming portrayed by the crew in Das Boot was entertaning and interesting but had no connection with reality."

The (...) in the book, he is refering that sub movies have to be entertaning and dramatic, since life on a submarine was usuallt as visually interesting as watching paint dry.
After the part that a wrote here, the author says that none of the engineering officers in real life would have the talent and abilities ouf the chief enginner in the film. Mr.Scott syndrome? (this one is mine).

I liked the book and has many photos and details about training and life in and out the u-boat. But many book's also have.