Soviets subs of WWII

[CaptainD]

I found that by accident!

http://english.battlefield.ru/

There are many things about east front of WWII but not many about navy or subs.
Only these two reports abouts soviets subs, translated by James F. Gebhardt:

http://english.battlefield.ru/media/...SubTorpedo.pdf

http://english.battlefield.ru/media/...tilization.pdf


These files are translation of official Soviet navy staff reports about operation of soviet submarine during WWII.

As usual there is some propaganda in these but also many critics about Sub commanders, operations and material

By the way I found some data about soviet torpedoes of WWII.
That was difficult because I had to use google translation from Russian to get the data.

I found these data in many russian website
The data are the same on all the websites and I think they are accurate but can be confirmed.

The first number in the type is the caliber and the second is the year of service ready.
All data are in metric system excepted the speed in Knots

Mk 53-27, caliber 533mm, length 7m, weight 1710Kg, charge weight 265Kg, range 3,7KM at 45Knt
Designed in 1927

Mk 53-36, caliber 533mm, length 7m, weight 1700Kg, charge weight 300Kg, range 4KM at 43,5Knt, 8km at 33Knt
Designed in 1936

Mk 45-36N, caliber 450mm, length 5,7m, weight 935Kg, charge weight 200Kg, range 3KM at 41Knt, 6km at 32Knt
Designed in 1936 for launch by aircraft

Mk 53-38, caliber 533mm, length 7,4m, weight 1615Kg, charge weight 300Kg, range 4KM at 44,5Knt, 8km at 34,5Knt, 10KM at 30,5Knt
Designed in 1938

Mk 45-36NU, caliber 450mm, length 6m, weight 935Kg, charge weight 200Kg, range 3KM at 41Knt, 6km at 32Knt
Designed in 1939 for launch by aircraft

Mk 53-38U, caliber 533mm, length 7,4m, weight 1725Kg, charge weight 400Kg, range 4KM at 44,5Knt, 8km at 34,5Knt, 10KM at 30,5Knt
Designed in 1939

Mk 53-39, caliber 533mm, length 7,4m, weight 1780Kg, charge weight 317Kg, range 4KM at 51Knt, 8km at 39Knt, 10KM at 34Knt
Designed in 1941

I think that the 53-38 and 53-38U performed close from US Mk14 but the 53-39 performed close from the japanes type 95 torpedo which was derived from the type 93 610mm "Long-Lance".

I was not able to found detailed caracteristics of the soviets sub of the time.

If someone find anythings to complete this post it will be great

Happy new year to everyone

[Cybermat47]

Thanks for the info!

But I'll never have the same amount of respect for the Soviet sub campaign as I do for the German, or British. Why?

One soviet captain, on a war patrol in 1945, caused the second-biggest maritime disaster ever, when he sent a ship full of German refugees and wounded to the bottom. One week later, he caused the largest maritime disaster ever, doing the exact same thing to the Whilhelm Gustloff. This captain returned to port to receive an order of the red banner. If he hadn't been involved in an incident on shore, he would have been awarded the title hero of the soviet union. Just before Gorbachev fell, he awarded the hero of the soviet union to the captain posthumously, as the picky man had decided that it would be be best to go into a drunken rage and be thrown into a Siberian death camp.

Still, that's not to say all Russian submariners were like this.

[CaptainD]

You're right but take the account of all merchant sailors and passengers killed by german submarines in the Battle for the Atlantic and you'll see that the balance dont go german side.
So remember of this British ship, which was getting british children to Canada and was sunk by an U-Boote.
History must be cold and told without political, religious, influence method which it's very difficultto apply.
The history of the WWII has been told during the cold war with taking for true the talks of the germans who has become our allies at the time.
In the same mood german military has not been taken guilty of what they have done during the war.
Remember, there was not enough SS to make all the crimes.
It is still a big debate in Europe for now and cold war reflexes are still present.
By the way I gave these file because it is the soviet view of the soviet sub operation during the war translated by an american, just for info and historical view.
USSR had lost about 20 000 000 people during the war.
Twice in his history, Russian empire and the following USSR had been invaded by someone who wanted to destroy it.
It's a good reason to become paranoïac.
Stalin foly is not the only reason for this policy and the history of the cold war is still to be writen.
In WWII germans where not the good ones.

[Cybermat47]

Originally Posted by CaptainD

In WWII germans where not the good ones.

Thre was no completely good side in the war: Americans took body parts from dead Japanese as ornaments, Japanese took part in killing competitions, the British shot German sailors in the water, the Germans started the Holocaust, the Italians invaded Ethiopia unprovoked before the war, the soviets shot their own men and raped every woman they could find, Australian's shot not to kill, but to wound at Kokoda.

But war brings out the best in people as well: Americans and British helped the German people after the war, A Japanese captain put his ship at risk to rescue British sailors, a German U-boat captain rescued the hundreds of passengers of a ship he had sunk, Italian soldiers had no desire to be at war, and the Russians and Austrlians had been almost dehumanized by the conditions they were in.

[CaptainD]

Yes, some men acted as true men and others follow the way of war.
War which can do the best or the worse of men.
I just want to say as "Bomber" Harris: " they sawn the wind and they reap the hurricane".
In 1914 began a process which will destroy Europe and kill millions of men and women of any age with just an interruption of 21 years.
Ironically the germans had generated their worse ennemy by sending Lenin to Russia with the result we know.
It is true that France and UK had declared war to Germany but Germany after Germany had invader Poland without declaration has did another country allied with Germany.
Germany also invaded Belgium, The netherland, Denmark, Norway, Yugoslavia, Greece and finally USSR without any declaration.
Stalin play his game by calling Soviet people to defend not the soviets but the motherland.
Soviets are not angels.
They did their part of war crimes but I think that by striking so hard Germans they not only avenge their own murdered people but also other victims of german crimes.
For exemple the GI murdered at Malmedy.
The crimes you talk about are real crimes but in no way they came from a deliberate will of allied governments.
They just are the consequence of the action of the men who began the game.

By the way I should like having some technical comments on soviets torpedo of WWII

[Cybermat47]

^^^^^^^^

Hang on, did I come across as saying the Allied Commanders specifically came across as sanctioning those war crimes?

Damn.

I didn't mean that at all, sorry for giving you that impression! I mean, there was only one Allied government that sanctioned war crimes (I'm looking at you, Stalin) but Nazi Germany had to be defeated.

Although I think Churchill might have been in the right track when he suggested re-arming the Whermacht after the war for a combined invasion of the Soviet Union to destroy communism