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DoubleTap

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I'm no expert but it appears not to have been nearly as uncommon as one might think, as this information from a website about UK submarines attests (All HMS ... are submarines, not surface vessels):

HMS Parthian sank Italian submarine “DIAMANTEâ€

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As Cold Gambler states, it wasn't such a rare event though it's also true to suggest that the underwater encounter and attack scenario was almost non-existent in the Cold War sense, due to the reasons you mentioned. It should be recalled that WW2 submarines needed to surface-run much more frequently, for battery-charging, rendezvous with store-ships, and patrolling likely hunting-grounds, plus running to and from those hunting-grounds. Electric motors for underwater running produced much lower speeds than diesels on the surface.

B

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A underwater fight would be close to impossible due to a number of issues

A) The torpedoes were designed to run just below to surface (could be programmed slightly lower)

B) The targeting of torpedoes was an exercise in trigonometry, and observation of the target (speed course and angle of bow)  were needed to calculate the launch. Acoustic torpedoes were used by the germans, but never used in a large scale, and were quite unpredicatble.

C) the amount of compressed air needed to launch a torpedo while submerged lower than a few meters is staggering.

Surface encounters did occurr however, but rather rare.

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Do you mean that Hollywood does not actually represent things accurately? DT, you wound my naive soul. I'll never trust anyone ever again!

U571....pfeh!

I suppose that you can't fire a 7.62mm minigun from the hip for a minute either, like in Predator? Say it isn't so......

Remember - this is where people get ideas like .50 cals can take out Tiger tanks.

I just saw the Battlefield Mysteries episode where they determined who actually knocked out Wittman's Tiger in Normandy. Excellent reconstruction of the events and investigative work.

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The Typhoons may not have done that much damage to tanks but they contributed so much to keeping the German transport off the roads during daylight that they were well worth having.

The Spit pilot I was talking to praised them highly saying they saved the butts of ground troops often.

When they appeared in the sky the Germans went to ground.

As for Hollywierd, I think all has been said that needs to be.

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  • 2. Administrators

Re: DT's post about Hollywood - THIS is why I'm so worried about the re-make of the Dambusters film. The original is a classic, and if the film-makers are prepared to change the name of Gibson's dog despite it having a siginificant role in the story...well I shudder to think what else they'll be prepared to change. B-17's anyone? Jon Bon Jovi will probably be flying the lead aircraft...

~S~ Jabo

P.S. On the subject of Pearl Harbour - I quite liked the historical bits, but for some bizarre reason, film-makers (in general) seem to think that a story without a romantic twist isn't a story - oh, yeah, and Ben thingy is definitely a twit. His ex is nice though.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Trout,

SH4 is worth the price of admission. It has nice graphics and is IMO quite realistic. It has a ton of great MODS for it as well,

I have been playing it (dont tell anyone! LOL!) for a few years now,

The only thing is its not as fast paced as some would like.

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Hey guy's I missed this thread.

DT; so far as I know, only a couple of subs were sunk by other subs during WWII. I believe it's U868 that is lying at the bottom of the Atlantic just off the coast of Norway, that was sunk by a British sub commanded by a wunderkind math whiz after a several hour long cat and mouse game. I believe also that an Italian sub was sunk by another British sub in the Med, but I'm not 100% sure.

Michael Whitman was killed by a single British firefly from a position at the edge of a wood. Whitmann was out in the middle of a field with three other tanks; and all were lost. I can't get to my library right now, so I can't give you the specifics, but I have always suspected that the Brits had the sun at their backs making them nearly invisible. I also suspect that the fact that Balthazar Woll (Whitmann's gunner) was home on leave contributed greatly. Several bodies were exhumed from their graves years later and while I don't think Whitmann was positively identified, his driver (Gunter Reims) was. ( At least that is the most believable account I've seen)

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