Why Aircraft Patrols Were a Source of Fear for Nazi U-Boats

While U-boats were able to evade Allied warships, the odds were much lower with air patrols. Aircraft could force a submarine underwater quickly--and if it didn't hide in time, the Nazi's lethal weapon would soon become a coffin.

From: HELL BELOW: Atlantic Showdown

[CanadianAvian]

'Submarine Sinks and Fifty People Die'
Smithsonian: *IT'S BRIGHTER HERE*

[onnyholdaway]

By the end of 1942, U boats had already sunk about 2200 merchant ships in the Atlantic. I agree that this figure is "more than a dozen".

[bobmcrae]

My father, Sqd/Ldr Donald McRae DFC (RCAF), flew a Wellington MkXIV radar equipped bomber from Gibraltar and the Azores. He primarily flew night time patrols over the Bay of Biscay. He flew with the famous Leigh Light 172 Squadron. The Leigh Light was a 22 million candle power search light that could be lowered from the fuselage and was switched on when the plane made it's attack. He and his crew were credited with 3 U-boat kills: 2 sunk and one damaged so badly it had to be interned in a Portuguese port. He was eventually transferred to the west coast of Vancouver Island to search for non-existent Japanese submarines.

[ciaranc]

*In posh accent* like a cavalry coming over the hill! *moves about weirdly*

[jameskolan]

My father was stationed with the Navy in Brazil during WWII. One of their duties was to patrol the coast for German submarines that were disrupting the rubber trade. Dad mostly worked "with the backlash of the typewriter, " but thought he'd make a little extra hazard pay one day going out on a patrol in a PBY, a slow moving, lightly armed reconnaissance plane. Sure enough, they came across a German sub on the surface. The sub unloaded on their nearly defenseless plane. Dad decided then and there that the hazard pay wasn't necessarily worth it. He always laughed when he told the story though!

[crusader]

“U 384 Had no chance to dive” next picture the sub is under water

[alexfogg]

Hmcs Sackville is the vessel used in the renactment scenes. It is the last of Flower class corvettes, convey escort vessels used in ww2. The museum ship is kept in its 1944 configuration.

[stevefarris]

Served on the WW2 diesel boats during the cold war and did patrols in Russian waters and sensitive area around the world. I was young and it was exciting. I understand the pride the Germans had in their submarine service. Young men in the German and the U.S. submarine service were serving their country. So many lost. They were submariners one and all.

[bobmcrae]

My dad, Sqd/Ldr Donald McRae from Alberta flew night time anti-submarine patrols for RAF Coastal Command out of Gibraltar and the Azores. He flew radar equipped Wellingtons which carried the powerful Leigh light which could put out 2 million candle power and turn night into day. My dad and his crew were credited with sinking 2 U-boats and damaged a third so badly in was interned in Portugal for the duration. I once asked him why they were so successful and he said it was more luck than anything as many other crews never saw a single U-boat during their entire tour.

[TheBattleMaster]

Why can't we get full length episodes? These clips leave everyone on a cliffhanger.

[thegreatdominion]

(2:20) Coastal Command aircraft on patrol almost never flew high enough for their crews to need oxygen. In fact I doubt most of their aircraft were ever equipped with oxygen bottles.

[fhuber]

Subs were relatively slow, especially underwater with 7 mph (about 11 kph) top speed submerged running on battery. About 20 mph top speed on surface. Aircraft spotting can call in a pair of appx 32 mph destroyers. and when that happened the sub was doomed.

[kRobot]

The hunting analogy at the beginning seems simple, but boy does it paint the perfect picture. Hunting to being hunted.

[nevillemason]

U-boats relied on running on the surface at night on diesel engines to charge their batteries enabling them to dive and run submerged. Not only did aircraft attack in daylight but also at night using airborne radar and a massive searchlight. There was no escape from being attacked at any time and little chance to charge batteries. The allies had the upper hand in defeating the U-boat menace.

[bullworth]

lets not forget that the Civil Air Patrol located and sank 2 U-boats during the war.

[adrianperry]

The question is - why did the Allies (especially UK) take so long to provide long range aircraft over the Atlantic ? The Battle of the Atlantic was essentially won within a few months when adequate air cover was provided. Enormous resources in men and material was spent on by Bomber Command on a campaign that had little effect till late in the war - Harris worked to ensure no four engined aircraft were transferred to Coastal Command. When he was ordered to do it, two squadrons of VLR Liberators made all the difference.

[morriganravenchild]

Don't forget the major cockups by Adm King USN on tackling the U boat problem right at the start of US involvement.

[JackVermicelli]

1:05 Why would they need "battery fuel" for propulsion, in order to not sink deeper? Ballast tanks should be responsible for maintaining depth.

[russg]

I think the Liberator [B-24] was used much more often for anti-submarine patrols as it had longer range than the Fort.

[rapter]

That must be a sick feeling being inside a metal tube on the bottom of the ocean just waiting to die