Submarines VIII.

This is coolbert:

Continuing with the serial of blog entries based on extracts from the magazine: "SUBMARINES SINCE 1919".

German Midgets.

The German, during the latter days of the Second World War [WW2], from 1944 onward, experimenting with midget submarines - - these type of submersibles an indication of the extreme nature of the measures taken by the Nazi regime in desperation!

I was vaguely aware that these midgets have been developed and deployed to an extent, but not that there were so many versions produced. Versions to include:

* Moloch [Salamander].
* Hecht [Pike].
* Seehund [Seal].
* Biber [Beaver].
* Marder [Marten].
* Neger [Negro].

A Seehund.

"The emphasis switched to midget submarines and special assault craft known generically as 'K-craft', to hold up invasion fleets. Many different types were built, but they scored very few successes, even against the vast D-Day Invasion fleet of 5,000 ships . . . Like all  midgets they were only effective in fairly sheltered waters, and Allied counter-measures were sufficient to avoid serious losses."

Strictly a defensive weapon, NOT suited for anything more than that, used only in very specific circumstances.

One and two man craft, one or two torpedoes slung on the outside of the submersible. an all-volunteer crew, these "submarines" a submarine as we understand the term? Runs by diesel engine while on the surface and electric motor while below the surface. Submerges by taking in water into ballast tanks and then surfaces by expelling the water using compressed air?

A Biber.

The idea was that an invasion fleet [the western allies] would be confronted by a multitude of such attack vehicles, a swarm overpowering with sheer numbers alone the defenders, considerable damage being done to allied warships, troop transports, etc. You have to ask too - - during the Normandy landings, with 5,000 targets to shoot at, and so few hits, if any, what good were these vessels?

Considerable numbers [?] of German midgets actually produced during the war:

* Seehund - - 450 units.
* Moloch - - 400 units.
* Biber - - 300 units.
* Marder - - 300 units.

Marder in particular resembles nothing more than a torpedo mounted to another torpedo. One advantage to the midgets is that they can easily transported : "moved by road or rail to their area of operations". Shifted with ease to where ever needed!

But ineffective, the concept at that stage of the war again, a sign of extreme desperation and hopelessness. Conventional methods no longer applied, "grasping at straws" the midgets as a last resort.

coolbert.