[Sailor Steve]

I started the questioning, and I never really wondered or cared whether the doors were open during a patrol. Everyone should know by now that I only ask questions like that when someone makes a flat statement - i.e. "was in real life always opened" - without providing evidence up front.

I don't consider Das Boot - movie or book - to be evidence. Just look at all the controversy - Bucheim said the movie wasn't realistic. Some kaleun or other said the book wasn't how it really was. I've never seen any source that talked about it directly one way or the other, but there are a dozen books I haven't read for every one I have.

I do agree with the logic, though. If the boat can't sustain even one flooded compartment, then it makes no sense not to have the line of communication open. On the other hand, it would have made more sense to have the soundman in the control room so you could close all the doors.

And I also agree that the mod is far to cool to not be used. I love seeing as much of my boat in a glance as I can.