How deep could an IX boat really go?

[Ducimus]

I was just reading this article:

http://www.uboataces.com/battle-u187.shtml


and found this bit particuarlly intresting:

The leading engineer and his men did everything they could to plug the leaks, but the water kept pouring in and the boat became bow heavy. We began to list. From the control room, I could see that the depth gauge was maxed out, which was 280 meters. Noises of the hull creaking and cracking under stress of the water pressure was very discernable. At about this time, another depth charge attack took place. And also around this time, the leading engineer reported “commander, I can not hold the boat any longer�. Thereafter, the commander ordered to surface and for the crew to fasten life jackets. Ballast tanks were blown,....

It sounds like they were in an uncontrolable dive. Regardless i have to wonder.

Was the author embellishing his account? Was this a particuarly well built boat? Or could these boats really go that deep?

Anyone know for sure ? I know the common thought is around 260-275 meters.

[mike_espo]

I remember reading in Convoy, by Middlebrook that the max depth of the IXC was 250m, but nobody ever knows the max crush depth.....

[VonHelsching]

I've read somewhere that the crush depth is affected by the strain the boat has taken over it's life, resulting a cumulative "damage" or hull weakening. Meaning that the fist time it might dive up to 280 meters, but the next time a little less and so on. Also several dives in 200 m should also have the same result.

Finding out the crush depth should not be an exact science, because although the manufacturing processes were the same (in the same factory), individual lots of steel for the hull might not be up to standard specs; this also applies for other materials and the welder's experience and techniques.

Also, depth charges indeed posed a threat to the hull integrity and gradually as the uboats aged their crush depth should deteriorate too.

I wouldn't be suprised to learn that some brand new uboats collapsed at 200 meters or managed to stay intact at 300 m.

[Cybermagi]

Odd this topic came up..
Last evening
I survived 325 Meters in my IXC
after having been DC'ed for hours by three Destroyers.
They had me and weren't giving up.

The boat took a few hits and started heading to the bottom fast.
Four Sailors and a Chief dead and still going down.
160 Meters "approching crush depth" still flooding...
200 Meters.... still flooding crew trying to repair, not going well
we're really damaged. it's a lost cause for sure.
250 Meters.... was about to walk away from the game,
I didn't want to see it to the bitter end.

But.. I noticed two compartments had the flooding under control.
still sinking but a little slower..
I sat back down.. I actually shouted out loud!
and started moving the repair crew to the worse
sections... minutes ticked by..seemed like years
I'm actually talking to the repair crews
"come on boys you can do this!"
300 Meters.. all but one repaired..
320 Meters.. All Flooding repaired
I was waiting for the YOU'RE DEAD Screen.
looking at the depth gauge.
325 Meters!
leveled off and starting to climb back a safe depth.
Hull Integ down to 5%

Slowly moved away from the Destroyers and returned to base
Port Deisel,Stern tubes,forward tubes,conning,radio,deck gun all DESTROYED..
but my boat made it back.

not real life.. but whoa.. i'll never try to walk away again.
must have been 1 in a million to survive that. it's the deepest
I ever got and lived to tell about it.

[Cybermagi]

Odd this topic came up..
Last evening
I survived 325 Meters in my IXC
after having been DC'ed for hours by three Destroyers.
They had me and weren't giving up.

The boat took a few hits and started heading to the bottom fast.
Four Sailors and a Chief dead and still going down.
160 Meters "approching crush depth" still flooding...
200 Meters.... still flooding crew trying to repair, not going well
we're really damaged. it's a lost cause for sure.
250 Meters.... was about to walk away from the game,
I didn't want to see it to the bitter end.

But.. I noticed two compartments had the flooding under control.
still sinking but a little slower..
I sat back down.. I actually shouted out loud!
and started moving the repair crew to the worse
sections... minutes ticked by..seemed like years
I'm actually talking to the repair crews
"come on boys you can do this!"
300 Meters.. all but one repaired..
320 Meters.. All Flooding repaired
I was waiting for the YOU'RE DEAD Screen.
looking at the depth gauge.
325 Meters!
leveled off and starting to climb back a safe depth.
Hull Integ down to 5%

Slowly moved away from the Destroyers and returned to base
Port Deisel,Stern tubes,forward tubes,conning,radio,deck gun all DESTROYED..
but my boat made it back.

not real life.. but whoa.. i'll never try to walk away again.
must have been 1 in a million to survive that. it's the deepest
I ever got and lived to tell about it.

[Bilge_Rat]

I posted this in another thread. In 1969, the USS Chopper accidently dived to 1,000 feet (about 300 meters).

http://www.geocities.com/jaob/deepdive.htm

It was a WW2 Balao class submarine with a test depth of 400 feet (about 123 meters). WW2 german subs were supposed to be able to dive deeper than US subs, so a VII or IX should be able to go as deep.

It does not say in the link, but the Chopper's pressure hull was so badly damaged from this extreme depth that the sub had to be taken out of service.

[Ducimus]

Originally Posted by VonHelsching

I've read somewhere that the crush depth is affected by the strain the boat has taken over it's life, resulting a cumulative "damage" or hull weakening. Meaning that the fist time it might dive up to 280 meters, but the next time a little less and so on. Also several dives in 200 m should also have the same result.

Finding out the crush depth should not be an exact science, because although the manufacturing processes were the same (in the same factory), individual lots of steel for the hull might not be up to standard specs; this also applies for other materials and the welder's experience and techniques.

Also, depth charges indeed posed a threat to the hull integrity and gradually as the uboats aged their crush depth should deteriorate too.

I wouldn't be suprised to learn that some brand new uboats collapsed at 200 meters or managed to stay intact at 300 m.

This is the most likely explanation. The uboat i linked to in the orginal post, it was a brand new boat on its first patrol.

Originally Posted by Bilge_Rat

I posted this in another thread. In 1969, the USS Chopper accidently dived to 1,000 feet (about 300 meters).

http://www.geocities.com/jaob/deepdive.htm

It was a WW2 Balao class submarine with a test depth of 400 feet (about 123 meters). WW2 german subs were supposed to be able to dive deeper than US subs, so a VII or IX should be able to go as deep.

It does not say in the link, but the Chopper's pressure hull was so badly damaged from this extreme depth that the sub had to be taken out of service.

That was a good read. I'd have hated to have been onboard that boat at the time.

[The Noob]

Originally Posted by Cybermagi

Last evening
I survived 325 Meters in my IXC
after having been DC'ed for hours by three Destroyers.
They had me and weren't giving up.

The boat took a few hits and started heading to the bottom fast.
Four Sailors and a Chief dead and still going down.
160 Meters "approching crush depth" still flooding...
200 Meters.... still flooding crew trying to repair, not going well
we're really damaged. it's a lost cause for sure.
250 Meters.... was about to walk away from the game,
I didn't want to see it to the bitter end.

But.. I noticed two compartments had the flooding under control.
still sinking but a little slower..
I sat back down.. I actually shouted out loud!
and started moving the repair crew to the worse
sections... minutes ticked by..seemed like years
I'm actually talking to the repair crews
"come on boys you can do this!"
300 Meters.. all but one repaired..
320 Meters.. All Flooding repaired
I was waiting for the YOU'RE DEAD Screen.
looking at the depth gauge.
325 Meters!
leveled off and starting to climb back a safe depth.
Hull Integ down to 5%

Slowly moved away from the Destroyers and returned to base
Port Deisel,Stern tubes,forward tubes,conning,radio,deck gun all DESTROYED..
but my boat made it back.

not real life.. but whoa.. i'll never try to walk away again.
must have been 1 in a million to survive that. it's the deepest
I ever got and lived to tell about it.

@Cybermagi

Wich damadge model do you use?

NYGM or Hollywood, or stock, or something else?

I HAVE TO KNOW IT!

[Cybermagi]

what ever model comes with Grey Wolves mod
I've only been playing SH3 for a few weeks.
Though, I had a interest in WWII and Uboats on general since i
was 12.
(That was a very long time ago.. hehehe)

[The Noob]

Thanks!

[Cybermagi]

needless to say.. i gave the entire repair crew IC 1st Class!

[Myxale]

That was heavy...and deep. Glad you could ascend out of the abyss!

I love readin those Crush Depth stories!

MY own was a nightmare too. And that day i realized how much this game can rock! :hmm: