Depth charge's maximum depth.

mike_espo · 05-02-06, 10:11 AM

I am reading a book: U-Boat Killer by Captain Donald Macintyre RN
British intellegence estimated the max diving depth of U-boats to be about 350 ft, or 105m.

He states that by the fall of 1941, most front line escort commanders suspected that U-boats could dive much deeper, and that DCs of the light variety that could explode at around 500ft or 150m were woefully inadequate for the task. But Navies being the Bureaucratic entities they are, did not believe the information and not until actual U-boats were captured in 1942 and later did Heavies become the norm in British escorts. These could be set to 800ft or 250m depth.

He also stated that British escorts carried two types of DC: Light and heavy: in fact, he states that he had to have one of his Corvettes which was part of his escort group to prosecute the U-boat for he did not have any heavy DCs left.

As to the SH3 issue: I raised it a month or so ago. Nobody really had a solution to the problem. I agree that early war, it really is boring that if you have more than 200m of depth, you are virtually safe from damage.

It would be awesome to have a random chance of depth for DCs...would solve the problem of lack of certainty of survival early war.

05-02-06, 10:11 AM	#3
mike_espo Sonar Guy Join Date: May 2005 Location: Chicago, USA Posts: 396 Downloads: 12 Uploads: 0	I am reading a book: U-Boat Killer by Captain Donald Macintyre RN British intellegence estimated the max diving depth of U-boats to be about 350 ft, or 105m. He states that by the fall of 1941, most front line escort commanders suspected that U-boats could dive much deeper, and that DCs of the light variety that could explode at around 500ft or 150m were woefully inadequate for the task. But Navies being the Bureaucratic entities they are, did not believe the information and not until actual U-boats were captured in 1942 and later did Heavies become the norm in British escorts. These could be set to 800ft or 250m depth. He also stated that British escorts carried two types of DC: Light and heavy: in fact, he states that he had to have one of his Corvettes which was part of his escort group to prosecute the U-boat for he did not have any heavy DCs left. As to the SH3 issue: I raised it a month or so ago. Nobody really had a solution to the problem. I agree that early war, it really is boring that if you have more than 200m of depth, you are virtually safe from damage. It would be awesome to have a random chance of depth for DCs...would solve the problem of lack of certainty of survival early war.