Lights for my u boot...

[vlad29]

Originally Posted by mobucks

Not sure but, during wartime nav lights were always out. I do agree though, something seems cool about a U-Boot leaving Kiel at dusk with her old running lights on. A workable searchlight would be sweet too!

I think the authentic/hisrorical issue must be on top. If there is information re. running lights presense on U-boat, their appearance, position on board etc. then it could be interesting to have them in game

The lights were never remove and were relocated several times over the years.
So I'd think they were kept for a reason.

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by privateer

The lights were never remove and were relocated several times over the years.
So I'd think they were kept for a reason.

When in home waters you would want to be spotted and recognized as soon as possible. A friendly guardship might shoot first and ask questions later if spotting a darkened ship approaching.

That's what I'm thinking also.
How would you take the Kiel Canal at nite with no lights as an example?

And as metal and such became harder to come by?
Why KEEP the lights?

Details are hard to actually find because who would document EVERYTHING about EVERYTHING at times like those?

There's probably information somewhere but more and more information is being hidden away to pay-to-use sites now days.

The days of free information on the 'Net is getting dangerously close to an end.

[Hinrich Schwab]

I like the idea of running lights on the boats, but it would only be practical in friendly waters. As was already mentioned, running lights would be shut down on ships during wartime to reduce visual acquisition range at night. This was also why U-boats received orders to consider any ship not operating its running lights as hostile.

On a more sarcastic note, U-boats did come with a "light" of sorts. The problem was that the "light" was called METOX and one could only see it from Allied radar sets.

For a spot light type thing?
A small hand held would be the thing.
I'd bet money they did have them or something like that.
Who would ever go to Sea without that?

[KaptajnNP]

Historical when enterering harbors, the ships signalled to the patrol boats/ships. For every day there was a specific code the ships should use to signal to one another, in order to be recognized as friendly.
So there might be some realism in this suggest

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by Schwartzritter

...but it would only be practical in friendly waters.

Exactly. The same is true of running up the flag. Early in the war, when stopping a suspect ship you would display the flag, but other than that you would only raise it to identify yourself to friendly warships. If you're going to use the flag or have lights showing I think it's vital that they be controlled by the player, or else it's going to feel odd attacking someone on the high seas with everything on display.

[IFRT-WHUFC]

I would certainly have thought that the majority of ships and subs carried some sort of flash light and gave out morse code signals to other shipping at certain times so yes I think this is very feasible, and red and green port/starboard lights would be good if a switch can be added!

Rick

[Kongo Otto]

Originally Posted by privateer

The lights were never remove and were relocated several times over the years.
So I'd think they were kept for a reason.

I dont know which kind of "lights" you mean.
The U-Boots never had lights, all they had was their Navigation Lamps (red = Port, green = Starboard and white at the stern) also they had a little Handheld Signal Lamp for optical communication (Morse code).

As for your question about doing the Kiel Canal without lights, the Kiel Canal has to be traveled with a maritime pilots, this is so until today.
If the ship has a certain size or bigger it has to be steered by an specially trained helmsman, they are also provided by the canal authority.
Speed in the canal is between 6.5 and 8 knots depending on the ships size.
Oncoming traffic has to use passing loops.
Way back in the War there was no civilian traffic allowed in the kiel canal, it was exclusivly for the Kriegsmarine and even then they had to use the maritime pilots which are required by law.
In 2006 43000 Ships have used the Kiel canal this means about 4.9 ships per hour or about 118 ships per day. Way back in time there was not so much traffic so the canal could be travelled without major problems.



U-171 travelling the iced Kiel Canal in 1941:


WW1 U-Boot U-54 also during their passage thru the Canal:

[jason210]

I don't know what the others here are refering to, but I am talking about navigation lights, aka as running lights. Since models for the lights are clearly present on the model of the U-boat, it would be nice to be able to turn them on and off, mainly as eye-candy when in and around harbours.

Nice photographs, by the way :-)

[Albert_Jung]

Very nice idea. I'm a fan of the nitty-gritty navigation issues, so i find nav lights idea very appealing.

[don1reed]

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[SubHunter88]

Nav lights should be on in home waters. I think it's normal practice unless a blackout was in effect, Especially back in those days... Navigating a busy harbor or channel at night in dicey water can be trickey.

Once coming home from patrol, (lorient) it was about 0230, Heavy seas and Dense fog, overcast. I had a Cruiser come steaming flank straight at me and i narrowly missed being run through as i couldn't get visual on it until it was inside 250-300M and we were both going almost straight down eachother's centerline. I pulled hard starboard at the last, and i missed by less then 20ft



Some home water lights would be good... or the search light where the player could control it from the bridge