ships after this incident, but the American public was enraged, and debate over the merits of neutrality grew louder. This policy was widely considered a violation of international law and resulted in the deaths of hundreds of Americans, including the 128 killed in the 1915 sinking of the passenger liner Lusitania. The German navy adopted a policy of unrestricted submarine warfare, sinking any ships found approaching British waters, including neutral vessels. ships overwhelmingly composed Allied supply lines, however, they became a target. trade with the Allies tripled to $3 billion annually. Even so, it maintained trade with the Allies (France, Russia, and the United Kingdom), supporting them with arms and food exports, to the great advantage of U.S. The United States, however, remained neutral, unwilling to commit its resources or personnel to a foreign war. the ones who commanded the boats in the Indian Ocean (theįrom 1943 the deck gun was, for most boats, a thing of the past.By its third year, World War I had taken millions of lives in Europe and throughout the world. A few commanders were allowed to retain them The end of the deck gunsĪfter the massive anti-submarine build-up by the allies in 19 the deck guns were 'Blagopolncija' on the east of the island of Waigatsch, approx. 68.00N, 49.00E.Ģ4 Sep, 1943 U-711 destroyed a few days later the Russian radio station Hans-Günther Lange, destroyed with the 8,8cm gun the Russian radio station 'Pravdyi' near by the town Indiga, approx.

Ernst Kals, successfully bombarded the oil refinery and storage on Curacao with his 105mmġ8 Sept, 1943 In the Northern Sea U-711, under Kptlt. An excellent hit was landed by U-242 on 10 Oct, 1944 when it shot down a Russian aircraft with her 8,8cm deck gun!ġ9 Apr, 1942 In the Caribbean Sea U-130, under Korvkpt. Sometimes the gun was used to shell shore-based targets like in the Caribbean where they firedĪt various installations like oil storage's and alike or in the Northern Sea where they damaged some Protector from the gun - resulting in cartoon like blown up barrel if the gun gun was fired like that. Often the reason was that the gun crew forgot to take away the muzzle There were several instances of barrel detonations, which killed The crews had some problems using the guns. U-123 during a deck gun attack, note the merchant ship ahead. These larger boats normally had 110 rounds of ammunition, although the IXD variant had 150 rounds, and one boat, the U-196, had 240 rounds. The much wider deck of the larger I, IX, and X U-boats could accomidate the much more powerful 10,5cm/45 gun thanĨ,8 cm /45 on the narrow deck of the VII boats. The 88mm naval deck gun was not capable of anti-aircraft fire since its maximum elevation was only 30 degrees. In July 1944 some of the VIIC boats from the 8th Flotilla in Königsberg got their guns back for the patrols in the Baltic Sea against the Russians. Only in the Mediterranean and the Northern Sea boats kept their guns for a few months longer. From June 1943 the Atlantic-boats left their bases without the deck gun. The 8,8cm gun fired a 12-14 kilogram round (9kg warhead), on board were usually 250 rounds. German Army 8,8 anti-tank / anti-aircraft gun which was probably the best weapon of the war, theyĭid not even use the same ammunition.

This weapon is not to be confused with the famous They were not built (see our ' U-boat projects and proposals' page). Those huge boats would have hadĤ pieces of 12,7cm guns in two separate towers. In 1937 plans were drawn up for type XI U-boat cruisers. The smaller Type II coastal U-boats had no deck gun. The U-boats had a small water-proof ammunition locker for the gun on the deck in order to be able to start firing almost immediately when the order was given. The used rounds were taken back into the boat. It required a line of men (3 which on the deck) to transport the ammunition from the main locker below the control room to the gun. In order to use the weapon the U-boat had to be on the surface naturally and it was normally not used when aircraft were suspected to be around. Normally had a crew of 3 to 5 and was usually commanded by the second watch officer (IIWO).Ĭlose-up of the 88mm deck gun. Often used to finish off damaged vessels or sink smaller ships the gun Each boat had one in front of the conning tower and with a good crew they couldįire 15-18 rounds a minute. The German U-boats of types I, VII, IX and X had a very powerful secondary weapon which was The 88mm deck gun of Type VIIC boat U-486 seen in front of the tower.

Ww1 submarine cartoon