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SEA => SUBS: Uboats => TYPE VII => Topic started by: Jan on 30 Jan , 2009, 02:37

Title: Rocket launcher on a VII C?!?
Post by: Jan on 30 Jan , 2009, 02:37
Hi folks,

today, I was doing some research and called the U-Boot Archiv in Cuxhaven...

I told the gentleman there that I was building a model of U-711 and he said:"Ah...the one with the rocket launcher!" Now I am kind of irritated...didn`t know that any VII C was equiped with a rocket launcher. Thought rockets/rocket launchers at that time were far to big to be carried by a submarine...even those smaller ones carried on ships...

Has anyone infos on that?

Salut,
Jan
Title: Re: Rocket launcher on a VII C?!?
Post by: Rokket on 30 Jan , 2009, 03:56
I can't speak for the Germans, but can for USN. Captain Eugene Fluchey was a wild one, and aways thinking ahead, and late (LATE) in the war he begged and plotted for rockets. He got them (1st and an expriment) and they assaulted a Japanese island. But this was like March or May 1945. I'm not saying no one was ealrier, but the whole concept was quite new and intriguing. I would definitely be interested in any info you have! (I know tanks were using rockets much, much earlier, but..). I have seen footage of tanks firing rockets, and maybe some ships, could be bad brain. It would be very interesting if KM was earlier. It's also interesting to see the imbalance...KM never thought they were detected with radio transmission, and their radar was laughable. Turns out the radio was a homing beacon, and eventually their radar. They seemed to have a pretty good submarine system, yet lacked in other areas fascinating!
Title: Re: Rocket launcher on a VII C?!?
Post by: Mr.Mox on 30 Jan , 2009, 05:06
Over at MSW there is a feature on a type IX with rockets - they look like the ordinary Nebelwerfer rockets used in the nebelwerfer or the "Stuka zu Fuss". They came in a wooden framework that could be mounted on a iron frame and fired directly from the transport box - if the same kind were used/tried on 711 I don
Title: Re: Rocket launcher on a VII C?!?
Post by: Greif on 30 Jan , 2009, 05:28
Hi folks,

today, I was doing some research and called the U-Boot Archiv in Cuxhaven...

I told the gentleman there that I was building a model of U-711 and he said:"Ah...the one with the rocket launcher!" Now I am kind of irritated...didn`t know that any VII C was equiped with a rocket launcher. Thought rockets/rocket launchers at that time were far to big to be carried by a submarine...even those smaller ones carried on ships...

Has anyone infos on that?

Salut,
Jan

Hi Jan, for what it is worth, I think the folks at the U-Boot Archiv are confusing U-711 with U-511, which did take part in rocket experiments in mid-1942.
Title: Re: Rocket launcher on a VII C?!?
Post by: Jan on 30 Jan , 2009, 06:12
Ok, thanks  ;)

Since i`ve seen the kit of U-511 on MSW, too, i also think he must have confused the boats.

But a rocket launcher on a WWII U-Boot...cool!  :D
Title: Re: Rocket launcher on a VII C?!?
Post by: bracco_n on 30 Jan , 2009, 07:08
http://www.uboataces.com/articles-rocket-uboat.shtml

Check that link, there's a little article about the Rocket U-boat program.