Type IXD2's 23700 NM does not compute!

Gorshkov · 07-06-10, 07:09 PM

Not so long ago I posted here Type IXB performance data taken from real commander's KTB entry found on U-boat Archive web-page. Look for some Type IXD2 U-boats KTBs there...maybe similar data were also made. Well, there were not so many Type IXD2 U-boats commissioned - only 29. Have a nice reading...

Speed measures and distances travelled (as for IXB in 1939):

- Cruising speed at 10 knots: 6 days 15 hours 36 minutes = 1596 nm
- Cruising speed at 9 knots: 21 days 14 hours 58 minutes = 4670.7 nm
- Chasing speed at 12 knots: 2 days 5 hours 33 minutes = 642.6 nm
- Chasing speed at 14 knots: 4 hours 35 minutes = 64.25 nm
- Chasing speed at 15 knots: 2 hours 32 minutes = 38.0 nm
- Submerged speed about 2.5 knots: 3 days 1 hour 46 minutes = 64.4 nm

http://www.uboatarchive.net/KTB37-2.htm

lurker_hlb3 · 07-06-10, 08:06 PM

"The Encyclopedia of Uboats, From 1904 to Present" by Eberhard Moller & Werner Brack

Page 103

Range 13450nm at 10kts / 63nm at 4kts

etheberge · 07-06-10, 08:24 PM

No that it's the Bible or anything but Clay Blair's The Hunters 1939-1942 says 24000 miles and he specifies that the IXD had double the fuel capacity as the IXC.

In my copy it's on page 501, in the footnote related to the first mention of U-177.

Ducimus · 07-06-10, 08:51 PM

Ok... so .. one source says one thing.
Another source says another thing,
and we have an extrapolation right smack in the middle.

Side note. I do wonder what Blair's reference was. Saying a boat has twice the fuel of the previous class of a long range boat is one hell of a claim.

etheberge · 07-06-10, 09:32 PM

Yes it's perplexing, it looks like you stumbled into quite the historical mystery.

Blair has a HUGE list of sources in the last volume (40 pages, very tightly packed

) but since the footnote in question isn't linked with one particular source I guess there's no way to know where the info came from.

etheberge · 07-06-10, 09:55 PM

Found something in the British Admiralty Intelligence Division Report on Interrogation of U-Boat Survivors, dated June 1944.

Section One details information on all U-boat specs, page 12 is for the IXD2.

The reports says 25000m@10kts with 475t of fuel, as opposed to 10000/15000m@10kts with 139/216t of fuel for the IXC variants.

There seems to be a lot of other good stuff in that report too.

http://www.uboatarchive.net/CumulativeEdition.htm

Reece · 07-06-10, 10:13 PM

In the book "The Encyclopedia of U-Boats" (Page 103) has the following on IXD2:
Speed: 19.2/6.9kts
Range: 13,450nm at 10kts/63nm at 4kts

Jan Kyster · 07-06-10, 08:18 PM

Lüth (U-181) reported to have 200 cbm fuel left for the return trip from well east of the Cape to Bordeaux, France = more than 5800 miles

Full tank 605 cbm, so a total of more than 17400 miles possible. Or 26 weeks....
Speed not mentioned.

Source:
Jordan Vause: U-Boat Ace, The Story of Wolfgang Lüth

Btw. found a sea distance calculator: http://e-ships.net/dist.htm

07-06-10, 08:24 PM	#3
etheberge Watch Officer Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Montreal, QC Posts: 345 Downloads: 614 Uploads: 10	No that it's the Bible or anything but Clay Blair's The Hunters 1939-1942 says 24000 miles and he specifies that the IXD had double the fuel capacity as the IXC. In my copy it's on page 501, in the footnote related to the first mention of U-177. __________________ 11 War Patrols / 56 ships sunk or damaged for 212,022 tons Zero casualties throughout the war Scuttled on 8 May, 1945 in Sonderburg Bay, after German surrender

07-06-10, 09:32 PM	#5
etheberge Watch Officer Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Montreal, QC Posts: 345 Downloads: 614 Uploads: 10	Yes it's perplexing, it looks like you stumbled into quite the historical mystery. Blair has a HUGE list of sources in the last volume (40 pages, very tightly packed ) but since the footnote in question isn't linked with one particular source I guess there's no way to know where the info came from. __________________ 11 War Patrols / 56 ships sunk or damaged for 212,022 tons Zero casualties throughout the war Scuttled on 8 May, 1945 in Sonderburg Bay, after German surrender

07-06-10, 09:55 PM	#6
etheberge Watch Officer Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Montreal, QC Posts: 345 Downloads: 614 Uploads: 10	Found something in the British Admiralty Intelligence Division Report on Interrogation of U-Boat Survivors, dated June 1944. Section One details information on all U-boat specs, page 12 is for the IXD2. The reports says 25000m@10kts with 475t of fuel, as opposed to 10000/15000m@10kts with 139/216t of fuel for the IXC variants. There seems to be a lot of other good stuff in that report too. http://www.uboatarchive.net/CumulativeEdition.htm __________________ 11 War Patrols / 56 ships sunk or damaged for 212,022 tons Zero casualties throughout the war Scuttled on 8 May, 1945 in Sonderburg Bay, after German surrender

07-06-10, 10:13 PM	#7
Reece CINC Pacific Fleet Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Down Under Posts: 34,734 Downloads: 171 Uploads: 0	In the book "The Encyclopedia of U-Boats" (Page 103) has the following on IXD2: Speed: 19.2/6.9kts Range: 13,450nm at 10kts/63nm at 4kts __________________ *Sub captains go down with their ship!*

07-06-10, 07:09 PM	#1
Gorshkov Commodore Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 604 Downloads: 139 Uploads: 0	Not so long ago I posted here Type IXB performance data taken from real commander's KTB entry found on U-boat Archive web-page. Look for some Type IXD2 U-boats KTBs there...maybe similar data were also made. Well, there were not so many Type IXD2 U-boats commissioned - only 29. Have a nice reading... Speed measures and distances travelled (as for IXB in 1939): - Cruising speed at 10 knots: 6 days 15 hours 36 minutes = 1596 nm - Cruising speed at 9 knots: 21 days 14 hours 58 minutes = 4670.7 nm - Chasing speed at 12 knots: 2 days 5 hours 33 minutes = 642.6 nm - Chasing speed at 14 knots: 4 hours 35 minutes = 64.25 nm - Chasing speed at 15 knots: 2 hours 32 minutes = 38.0 nm - Submerged speed about 2.5 knots: 3 days 1 hour 46 minutes = 64.4 nm http://www.uboatarchive.net/KTB37-2.htm

07-06-10, 08:06 PM	#2
lurker_hlb3 Admiral Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: San Diego Calif Posts: 2,290 Downloads: 187 Uploads: 12	"The Encyclopedia of Uboats, From 1904 to Present" by Eberhard Moller & Werner Brack Page 103 Range 13450nm at 10kts / 63nm at 4kts

07-06-10, 08:51 PM	#4
Ducimus Rear Admiral Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 12,987 Downloads: 67 Uploads: 2	Ok... so .. one source says one thing. Another source says another thing, and we have an extrapolation right smack in the middle. Side note. I do wonder what Blair's reference was. Saying a boat has twice the fuel of the previous class of a long range boat is one hell of a claim.

07-06-10, 08:18 PM	#8
Jan Kyster Ace of the Deep Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 1,151 Downloads: 152 Uploads: 0	Lüth (U-181) reported to have 200 cbm fuel left for the return trip from well east of the Cape to Bordeaux, France = more than 5800 miles Full tank 605 cbm, so a total of more than 17400 miles possible. Or 26 weeks.... Speed not mentioned. Source: Jordan Vause: U-Boat Ace, The Story of Wolfgang Lüth Btw. found a sea distance calculator: http://e-ships.net/dist.htm