Once the 10 Centimeter Radar, along with the Leigh Light was installed on aircraft with crews that were adequately trained in ASW techniques, that's when the real slaughter of the U Boats began. The U Boat, a submersible with limited underwater range and speed was kept down by aircraft and escort vessels, it was only a matter of time before they were sunk, or forced to surface. Still, the bravery of all participants in the Battle of the Atlantic is legendary. Very good instructional video on FAA tactics early on.
So glad you posted this! I was on the motorway doing about 70mph the other day and was passed by something I didn’t recognise. Because of this film, I now realise it was a U-Boat!
Super film illustrating the difficulty of finding, fixing and striking U Boats during WW2. Trying to spot a periscope or wake in the North Atlantic/ Arctic in foul weather on a three hour patrol in open cockpits - the stress of an attack - and then recovering low on fuel to a pitching carrier in mid ocean. Amazing feats of airmanship, navigation and endurance by FAA aircrew.
This was in 1941 before the full impact of aircraft in sinking Uboats became a serious problem for the Germans . 1942/3 additional A,A, guns were fitted and if crash diving appeared to be too late for an escape , shooting it out on the surface was a better option. I recall reading that for every submarine sunk , three aircraft were lost . That doesn't necessarily mean that those loses was all due to A.A. Flying on long range patrols over a vast ocean called for high class navigation .
1st May1943 was when the Stay up and fight order was issued to the U-boats. It was rescinded 3 months later. Between Sep 39 and Jun 41, Coastal Command lost 90 aircraft doing Anti U Boat Patrols and Convoy Escorts. The total number of U-boat sunk by aircraft by the end of 1941 was 6 (1 by Bomber Command, 3 by the Fleet Air Arm and (2 sharded with warships) 2 by Coastal Command (shared)).
@@richardvernon317 Thanks for crossing the T's and dotting the I's . 41/42 I believe that Coastal Command concentrated on the Bay of Biscay area mainly because it was within range of its aircraft , it was also within range of German fighters like the Ju88's .
@@jameswebb4593 Just flying over the sea back then was dangerous!!! The aircraft only became a serious killer of U-boats in 1943, it was then that all of the technology required for it to do the task effectively was perfected. It was not just the search radar, suitable radar altimeters were not available, or low depth Hydrostatic fuzes, or long range navigation systems like LORAN or Sonobuoys or Homing Torpedoes or Rockets. All of that stuff became available in the first 6 months of 1943.
Theres a channel that put up a sound recording of a Japanese sub that was sunk in the Atlantic by an American airborne sub patrol. The sub was on a mission to Germany probably delivering rubber ingots in return for whatever stuff they needed. Pretty desperate and pointless voyages half way around the planet. Most of the subs were sunk. They would drop acoustic microphones to listen for out for the sub and ascertain if the attack was successful. You can hear the pilot telling one of the crew to shut up as he's listening out for the main explosion to happen. The depth charge attack was successful and you hear crackling and popping of the subs hull a it drops through the water column. It goes on for several minutes.
Very cool archival film! I wonder how many airmen slept through it, then wanted to re-watch it (Or, were FORCED to re-watch it!) after un-successful attacks? I’ve always heard it was pretty frustrating, hunting U-boats….
As a retired submariner with over 17 years of service, I have never (ever) heard the term 'Crash Dive' used either in Patrol or Training exercises - All dives are made at the same rate (in patrol operations) the variance being the amount of (down angle / incline of dive) bubble ordered. A submarine has two periscopes - The search (binocular and a thicker periscope mounting) for exactly that, search and safety operations - The Attack periscope (monocular, a thin mounting ) is used for attack and close up (observation) operations.
As the sub would be trimmed down forward to assist in getting the uboat under the surface as quickly as possible, to order both motors full astern would simply pull the stern of the Uboat to the surface again. The idea of superfast jinking about to evade attack sounds ideal, but remember even at full speed underwater the uboat was moving at the pace of a moderate jog, and going full astern would require maybe 10 or 15 seconds to allow the propellers to stop turning then another 10-15 seconds for them to start turning in reverse which would leave the submarine stationary for 20-30 seconds barely under the surface.
Once the 10 Centimeter Radar, along with the Leigh Light was installed on aircraft with crews that were adequately trained in ASW techniques, that's when the real slaughter of the U Boats began. The U Boat, a submersible with limited underwater range and speed was kept down by aircraft and escort vessels, it was only a matter of time before they were sunk, or forced to surface. Still, the bravery of all participants in the Battle of the Atlantic is legendary. Very good instructional video on FAA tactics early on.
So glad you posted this! I was on the motorway doing about 70mph the other day and was passed by something I didn’t recognise. Because of this film, I now realise it was a U-Boat!
Must have been an atomic one.
What a Richard Cranium - It was a low flying Banana!
He must have got lost.
What a superbly well-made film.
Super film illustrating the difficulty of finding, fixing and striking U Boats during WW2. Trying to spot a periscope or wake in the North Atlantic/ Arctic in foul weather on a three hour patrol in open cockpits - the stress of an attack - and then recovering low on fuel to a pitching carrier in mid ocean. Amazing feats of airmanship, navigation and endurance by FAA aircrew.
This was in 1941 before the full impact of aircraft in sinking Uboats became a serious problem for the Germans . 1942/3 additional A,A, guns were fitted and if crash diving appeared to be too late for an escape , shooting it out on the surface was a better option. I recall reading that for every submarine sunk , three aircraft were lost . That doesn't necessarily mean that those loses was all due to A.A. Flying on long range patrols over a vast ocean called for high class navigation .
1st May1943 was when the Stay up and fight order was issued to the U-boats. It was rescinded 3 months later. Between Sep 39 and Jun 41, Coastal Command lost 90 aircraft doing Anti U Boat Patrols and Convoy Escorts. The total number of U-boat sunk by aircraft by the end of 1941 was 6 (1 by Bomber Command, 3 by the Fleet Air Arm and (2 sharded with warships) 2 by Coastal Command (shared)).
@@richardvernon317 Thanks for crossing the T's and dotting the I's . 41/42 I believe that Coastal Command concentrated on the Bay of Biscay area mainly because it was within range of its aircraft , it was also within range of German fighters like the Ju88's .
@@jameswebb4593 Just flying over the sea back then was dangerous!!! The aircraft only became a serious killer of U-boats in 1943, it was then that all of the technology required for it to do the task effectively was perfected. It was not just the search radar, suitable radar altimeters were not available, or low depth Hydrostatic fuzes, or long range navigation systems like LORAN or Sonobuoys or Homing Torpedoes or Rockets. All of that stuff became available in the first 6 months of 1943.
@@richardvernon317 Terry Bulloch , Sub Killer extraordinaire
@@jameswebb4593 Got two air to air kills with a Hudson as well!!! There is a reason 120 Squadron got their standard early.
Thanks for the upload. It must have been soul destroying for the airmen to have one of those U-boats slip out of their grasp.
Theres a channel that put up a sound recording of a Japanese sub that was sunk in the Atlantic by an American airborne sub patrol. The sub was on a mission to Germany probably delivering rubber ingots in return for whatever stuff they needed. Pretty desperate and pointless voyages half way around the planet. Most of the subs were sunk. They would drop acoustic microphones to listen for out for the sub and ascertain if the attack was successful. You can hear the pilot telling one of the crew to shut up as he's listening out for the main explosion to happen. The depth charge attack was successful and you hear crackling and popping of the subs hull a it drops through the water column. It goes on for several minutes.
@@liamhickey359 WWII US Bombers channel.
@@richardvernon317 that's it in one. Good channel.
Submariners are just nuts. Thanks for the content.
I dare you to say that in person to me or one of my other Submariner colleagues. But check your health insurance status first!
Very cool archival film! I wonder how many airmen slept through it, then wanted to re-watch it (Or, were FORCED to re-watch it!) after un-successful attacks? I’ve always heard it was pretty frustrating, hunting U-boats….
just patrolling some area denies freedom of movement for sub...even if nothing happens
As a retired submariner with over 17 years of service, I have never (ever) heard the term 'Crash Dive' used either in Patrol or Training exercises - All dives are made at the same rate (in patrol operations) the variance being the amount of (down angle / incline of dive) bubble ordered.
A submarine has two periscopes - The search (binocular and a thicker periscope mounting) for exactly that, search and safety operations - The Attack periscope (monocular, a thin mounting ) is used for attack and close up (observation) operations.
Thank you very interesting
We'll never surrender! Winny said it.
very interesting thanks for showing this
Submarine pennant number P15 seems to be the french minelaying sub Rubis
What a deadly cat and mouse game that is😖
" Das Boot "
What if the U boat commander orders all stop, all back?
As the sub would be trimmed down forward to assist in getting the uboat under the surface as quickly as possible, to order both motors full astern would simply pull the stern of the Uboat to the surface again. The idea of superfast jinking about to evade attack sounds ideal, but remember even at full speed underwater the uboat was moving at the pace of a moderate jog, and going full astern would require maybe 10 or 15 seconds to allow the propellers to stop turning then another 10-15 seconds for them to start turning in reverse which would leave the submarine stationary for 20-30 seconds barely under the surface.
Maker of this film, from titles at start: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merton_Park_Studios