Life on Board. U-boat submariners had a 75% casualty rate, the highest of all German forces during the war. The U-505 had two bathrooms, one of which was used to store food for the first part of the voyage. For the entire two months at sea, the crew never bathed and instead cleaned themselves by swabbing with alcohol.
Did German U-boats have showers?
Washing and showering was not permitted, and no change of clothes. In such a confined space, with little hygiene, deodorant was used to control body odour. There was no privacy, and all space was filled – crew members even slept in the loading torpedo room.
How many German U-boats are still missing?
The German Unterseeboot, or U-boat, was a submarine that appeared seemingly out of nowhere to destroy both military and commercial ships. Despite their prevalence during World War I and World War II, only four U-boats remain intact today.
Can German U-boats fully submerge?
The maximum operating depth of U-boats recorded during wartime was more than 200 feet. But they could dive even deeper for shorter periods of time. Many examples have been quoted in naval history that show U-boats diving to a depth of 300 feet without collapsing during battle times.
What was it like inside a German U-boat? – Related Questions
Did U-boats have air conditioning?
It was only in the Type XXI U-Boats, built at the end of the war, that there was a refrigerator, air conditioning, and a decent air filtration system.
How long would a German U-boat stay at sea?
The German Type VIIC was the most common type of U-boat, but with limited range and endurance. Its fuel bunkers could keep the diesels going for 20-35 days non-stop at a speed of 10-12 knots (own calculation, using the various “range X at speed Y” data points given here and here).
Why did submariners eat lemons?
James Lind is remembered as the man who helped to conquer a killer disease. His reported experiment on board a naval ship in 1747 showed that oranges and lemons were a cure for scurvy.
Did ww2 ships have showers?
Making fresh water from sea water meant running it through a condenser situated in the lower flat of the engine room. This process used up electricity that was being generated by an auxillary engine, which needed precious fuel to operate. As a result, we only had one shower a week.
What fuel did U-boats use?
Most used diesel engines (Germany started the war with some gasoline-burning U-boats, but soon embraced diesel) and had a range of more than 4,000 miles, but they couldn’t go very fast or stay under very long.
How deep could a ww2 U-boat dive?
The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft). The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph).
Did U-boats have to surface to fire torpedoes?
Because speed and range were severely limited underwater while running on battery power, U-boats were required to spend most of their time surfaced running on diesel engines, diving only when attacked or for rare daytime torpedo strikes.
How far could a German U-boat travel?
Its 20 combat-ready U-boats were more sophisticated that other countries’ submarines and could travel 5,000 miles without refueling, allowing them to operate along the entire British coast.
How much fuel did a German U-boat carry?
The barrels were better than washtubs, but they weren’t terribly efficient. Intended to hold 42 gallons of oil, they were built to hold 44, in order to allow for two gallons to leak in transit.
Did any U-boats reach the US?
U 858 was the first enemy combatant to surrender to the continental United States since the War of 1812. U 858 was laid down Dec. 11, 1942, and commissioned Sept. 30, 1943.
How long can a US submarine stay underwater?
The Submarine Force is often called “The Silent Service” because of how it operates. Submarines can submerge more than 600 feet below the ocean’s surface for up to four months at a time, constantly patrolling and working classified missions.
Why do Russian subs have windows?
The windows on the sail of submarines are used when it is on the surface as a windbreak and to be able to see what is ahead of you.
Has a submarine ever hit a whale?
The previously undisclosed incidents are taken from the diaries of the ship’s crew, which have been published online by hmsbrilliant.com, a website commemorating the vessel’s role in the 1982 war. One crew member wrote of a “small sonar contact” that prompted the launch of two torpedoes, each of which hit a whale.
Can submarines sit on the ocean floor?
Even since the early days of the nuclear sub program – dating back to Admiral Hyman Rickover himself – these submarines have been able to touch the bottom of the ocean, so long as that bottom wasn’t below their crush depths.
What is the longest a submarine has stayed submerged?
The longest submerged and unsupported patrol made public is 111 days (57,085 km 30,804 nautical miles) by HM Submarine Warspite (Cdr J. G. F. Cooke RN) in the South Atlantic from 25 November 1982 to 15 March 1983.
How long can a nuclear powered submarine stay under water?
Submarines may carry nuclear fuel for up to 30 years of operation. The only resource that limits the time underwater is the food supply for the crew and maintenance of the vessel.