The high conning tower of the Gato

[Gezoes]

Hi guys,

Ever since SH4 was anounced I've been wondering about the Gato and her sistermodels. The conning tower is very high, and lots of stuff sticking out ABOVE that. It feels like a big wave to the enemy: Hey! Here we are!!

Now... that's not exactly a low profile now is it? Am I missing something?

It seems to me the human eye and certainly radar would pick up a Gato ten times easier than a U-boat...

:hmm:

[hyperion2206]

Originally Posted by Gezoes

Hi guys,

Ever since SH4 was anounced I've been wondering about the Gato and her sistermodels. The conning tower is very high, and lots of stuff sticking out ABOVE that. It feels like a big wave to the enemy: Hey! Here we are!!

Now... that's not exactly a low profile now is it? Am I missing something?

It seems to me the human eye and certainly radar would pick up a Gato ten times easier than a U-boat...

:hmm:

The large conning tower was pre-war design, as the war progressed the conning towers were cut down to get a smaller profile.
I think this will be modeled in SH4 as well.

[Boris]

Yeah, the Devs have confirmed there will be newer conning towers available, just as there was in SH3.

[Gezoes]

Good news indeed!

[Iron Budokan]

Yes, I was surprised at the high profile, too.

[Sailor Steve]

Even the new conning towers were large by German standards, but this was off set by mid-war by having the most advanced early-warning radar available.

[Hartmann]

Originally Posted by Gezoes

Hi guys,

Ever since SH4 was anounced I've been wondering about the Gato and her sistermodels. The conning tower is very high, and lots of stuff sticking out ABOVE that. It feels like a big wave to the enemy: Hey! Here we are!!

Now... that's not exactly a low profile now is it? Am I missing something?

It seems to me the human eye and certainly radar would pick up a Gato ten times easier than a U-boat...

:hmm:

japanese navy and aircrafts don´t have good radars,and not comparable with allied ASW devices. Pacific war scenary was very different in a lot of things.:hmm:

[geetrue]

They didn't reduce the conning tower just for looks or because of radar detection, but
it also reduced diving times to the 35 second levels.

[flintlock]

No doubt.

Those massive conning towers must produce just as massive amounts of drag.

[hyperion2206]

Originally Posted by geetrue

They didn't reduce the conning tower just for looks or because of radar detection, but
it also reduced diving times to the 35 second levels.

I've read that the fleet subs needed roughly 60 seconds to dive. Does that mean 60s with or without the large tower?

[geetrue]

Originally Posted by hyperion2206

I've read that the fleet subs needed roughly 60 seconds to dive. Does that mean 60s with or without the large tower?

Neon wouldn't lie to me ...

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=105611

Originally Posted by Neon Deon

The following comes from the USS Pampanito web site a Balao class submarine and very close relative of the Gato:

"A World War II submarine spent most of its time on the surface where it could travel quickly and more easily find its targets. She dove to make stealthy attacks or escapes from the enemy. To make it possible for the crew to walk outside the boat while on the surface, and to protect equipment that is not in the pressure hull, the main deck is built up over the pressure hull. The space between the pressure hull and the deck is the free-flooding superstructure. The many holes that are visible allow air to escape and water to flood this space. Any trapped air would slow down the dive. Pampanito can go from the surface to 60 foot depth in under 30 seconds."

http://www.maritime.org/tour/tadeck.htm

[Ducimus]

All im going to say is those towers were not without their advantages.