Yes, this is the best type XXII article I've seen, for a relatively quick orientation on the subject! And this is the best for all others interested in U-Boats, except someone doing extensive research... who are darn few. Excellent!!
What destroyed Hitler's wonder weapons, was Hitler himself... He could have had jet fighters in the air two years earlier had he not insisted that they be bombers instead of fighters... His troops could have had "assault" rifles instead of WW-I bolt rifles, had he not thought that the German soldier should have a "traditional" rifle... The Kriegsmarine could have the type XXI boats earlier, had he not shorted the Kriegsmarine the funds that they needed, because he didn't understand "naval" tactics... The allied cause, thanked God for Hitler, he was his own worst enemy!... Respectfully, SUNLINER81
Great article. I had never heard about these boats, but looking at the images, especially the ones on the wikipedia page, I was astounded at how modern they looked and how much they resembled the Nautilus class, which I read later they actually did influence it.
Great article, but I don't know where he got his information on the surface speed of the U-boats being just 5 knots. Everything I have read indicated they had a surface speed of 14 to 16 knots per hour. Or more.
Knots per hour? C'mon, basic training 1, 'a knot = 1 nautical mile per hour'. We didn't have a measurement of '1 nautical mile per hour per hour'last time I looked.
Great article, Reminds me of a TM1(SS)aboard my first Submarine USS Darter SS576. He had been in the Navy at the end of WWII and had served on a German type XXII boat that was recommissioned in the US Navy to learn about how they worked, especially the snorkel. After this most US submarines were fitted with snorkels improving on the German design. TM1 Comfort said that it was a bit of bad dream to be submerged and all the gauges were in German. The"Tang" class of which included USS Darter were the first US submarines built with snorkels.
I find something new about WW II Germany everytime I turn around. It is pure amazing (or maybe just pure luck) how we won that war. "A noise weapon" WOW Talk about some thing way before thier time. We JUST got them or at least just started using them. Amazing.
