S-Class skippers unite!

[Dread Knot]

Originally Posted by Rammstein0991

It may not be the prettiest boat, or the best armed, but some of us love that ancient hunk of rust and bolts.

Admiral Hart, who was in command of the US Asiatic Fleet would have agreed with you. He was a strong proponent of the small coastal defense submarine instead of the large fleet submarines which had begun to appear. Hart felt that the fleet submarines had performed poorly during the Japanese conquest of the Philippines and Dutch East Indies. (they had) and that the smaller, simpler submarines he preferred would have done better (which is probably untrue.) He also felt modern subs were too complex and loaded with fragile gizmos. ( like radar and air conditioning)

The deployment of large number of S-boats out of reserve to the Southwest Pacific in 1942 may have been influenced by Hart's attitude.

[Rammstein0991]

I seem to recall they had so many problems with the S boats during the war, everything from leaking pressure hulls to ballast tank compressor's failing, in fact if memory serves some of them hadnt been properly maintained since the mid 20's.

[fireftr18]

Originally Posted by Dread Knot

Admiral Hart, who was in command of the US Asiatic Fleet would have agreed with you. He was a strong proponent of the small coastal defense submarine instead of the large fleet submarines which had begun to appear. Hart felt that the fleet submarines had performed poorly during the Japanese conquest of the Philippines and Dutch East Indies. (they had) and that the smaller, simpler submarines he preferred would have done better (which is probably untrue.) He also felt modern subs were too complex and loaded with fragile gizmos. ( like radar and air conditioning)

The deployment of large number of S-boats out of reserve to the Southwest Pacific in 1942 may have been influenced by Hart's attitude.

I can see the logic in a small coastal defense boat. You deploy, patrol for say 10 hours, and return. The crew sleeps on land. Two hour change-over so another crew can patrol with the same boat. Short range, don't need as large of crew, no sleeping quarters, no need to store large amounts of food. Makes for a smaller, faster, more agile boat over all. It could even have been used in conjuction with aircraft patrol to intercept enemy ships.