Gato/Baleo best speed for range?

[Bubblehead1980]

Originally Posted by LUKNER

As far as I know, the boats went on an economical course, 10 knots. If, after the patrol, the boat returned home, it could indeed go fully to the base with the appropriate fuel balance and permission received from the coast to this mode of passage and excessive fuel consumption.
Such a quick transition was often allowed from Midway to Pearl Harbor, connected rather not with the desire to get home faster, but due to the possible threat of Japanese submarines



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Насколько мне известно в район патрулирования лодки шли экономичным ходом, 10 узлов. Если после патруля лодка возвращалась домой, то она действительно могла идти полным ходом в базу при соответствующем остатке топлива и полученном разрешении с берега на этот режим хода и излишнюю трату топлива.
Такой быстрый переход часто разрешался от Мидуэя до Перл-Харбора, связанный скорее не с желанием по быстрее попасть домой, а из-за возможной угрозы японских субмарин.

Really depended on how far patrol area was from their port/last fuel stop...such as a stop at Midway when en route to patrol off Honshu from Pearl Harbor. I recall several of the memoirs by O Kane, etc and reading various patrol reports of different subs, discussing various speeds and ahead standard or 15.6-16 knots was typical cruising speed to and from areas. Of course is a boat out of Pearl stopped at Midway then was proceeding to the Yellow Sea , would likely cruise at slower speed. I recall even reading would cruise at standard speed in daylight, slow down at night to 2/3 speed or 10-11 knots. One reason they modified the ballast tanks to carry fuel oil, was to extend range/duration and enable subs to cruise at higher speeds to area. The fuel in these tanks would be consumed en route and converted back to ballast tanks before reaching assigned area. In TMO, all fleet subs fuel load takes into account this modification, and they have the historical speeds, with ahead standard being the ideal balance to transit time to area and fuel efficiency, for the most part.

While 10 knots or so saved (does so in the sim as well) more fuel but it made for a long trip and ultimately less time in patrol area as there were other concerns we do not have to really worry about in SH 4...such as supply of food and other provisions, health and morale of the crew. To some degree we have to monitor health and morale of the crew, as a exhausted crew will not perform same as well rested, but its not a major factor in the sim.