I am a Sucker for these Shows- "The Lost U-Boats of WWII"

[Bob Gato]

I had high hopes for this show but now I'm not so sure. In the opening credits somebody unrolls a ship's drawing of an U-Boot. It clearly shows it to be a Typ VII-G. Narrator claims the drawing to be top secret and all that. I would hope so because I can find no record of a Typ VII-G either planned, contracted for or actually built.

So... good luck to them finding a sub that never existed.

Captain Contrary

I did my best to grab a screen shot of the opening credits and as I see it the blueprint does not "Clearly show it to be a Typ VII-G" Considering the fold in the blueprint, I see it to be a TYP VII C

[Bob Gato]

Well as I said, so far the show has not yield anything. Some nice footage of divers in the Gulf of Mexico but that's about it. I have more WW2 memorabilia at home than these guys picked up from the ocean floor so far. Still hoping it gets better. Not holding my breath.

...and why would one start off a season of 10 episodes with the money find, Captain obviously this is not your jam-yes I know it will probably go the way of Al's Vault, but as the Title of the post states:
I am a Sucker for these Shows-

And I did not know this-I have already learned that the Nazis planned to tow V2 rockets by Uboat via underwater trailers to NYC...I think I'll stick it out until I can't stand it any longer-It beats watching Wheel of Fortune or the Bachelor!

[tifosi12]

And I did not know this-I have already learned that the Nazis planned to tow V2 rockets by Uboat via underwater trailers to NYC...I think I'll stick it out until I can't stand it any longer-It beats watching Wheel of Fortune or the Bachelor!

Yes, they had several different plans for the V-2, the one your drawing shows was called the "Schwimmweste". Crazy plan and not likely to ever have worked, but hey.

It's actually covered in my book, which I need to get around to publish. One of these days. :)

Another use of U-Boats in this context was as guiding radios for the Amerikarakete (V-10/A-9) to make it to Manhattan. Also covered in my book but more recently also covered in my upcoming movie.

[roedj]

Bob,

I see your point about the type being a VII-C and not a VII-G. I still think it might be a "G" but if you're right then that's a whole different matter as the VII-C was a very common type.

I still have a problem with the premise of this series.
1) modify a type VII-C to haul cargo unseen "somewhere" - OK, it's possible
2) doing the modification means removing any means of underwater offense - no torpedos - doable but risky..
3) mount two deck guns (88 or 105mm) for offense/defense while surfaced - doable but really risky - if I'm under attack the last thing I want to do in a submarine is come to the surface and start blasting away - one good sized hole in the pressure hull and I'm pretty much screwed. If all I want to do is sink some tramp steamer, that's certainly possible but hardly qualifies as quietly sneaking in to some port to offload my treasure.

I, too, learned about the plan to tow a V2 to America and launch it so I'll keep watching as well but am not expecting much in the way of gold treasure. I have to believe that if this group had actually found U-Boats with treasure inside that would have made world wide news way beyond the scope of this History Channel series.. I've heard nothing like that - has anyone?

Captain Cwestioning.

[tifosi12]

Third episode didn't reveal much either but it looks like one of the 7 targets could be a hit and they deliberately postponed going there. Also the preview showed for a fraction of a second something resembling the conning tower of a VII. So I remain hopeful they will find at least a German sub. Doubtful it is the one they are looking for. Chances are it's too much of an overgrown wreck by now to ever conclusively determine.

The fishermen who mentioned that their nets get tangled at one spot of the ocean is very similar to how USS Lagarto was found: The search team had a rough idea and then fishermen pointed to the location of the annoyance for the nets and sure enough that's where the wreck was covered with remains of nets.

[tifosi12]

I, too, learned about the plan to tow a V2 to America and launch it so I'll keep watching .

The "Schwimmweste" idea never developed into anything other than a drawing. It was way too crazy and unpractical.

OTOH the Amerikarakete apparently got beyond the drawing stage. Some sources talk about a test launch (not towards the US though). That plan had some flaws too: The upper stage would be piloted and the pilot was basically on a suicide mission hitting the target (Manhatten with a direction beacon on top of the Empire States building installed by an agent).

Even if they had been able to come through on either plan, without a nuclear warhead it wouldn't have amounted to much. One single V-2 would have taken down a block of buildings, not more. The Germans were on the brink of a break through with a nuclear warhead, but still not quite there.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

The "Schwimmweste" idea never developed into anything other than a drawing. It was way too crazy and unpractical.

OTOH the Amerikarakete apparently got beyond the drawing stage. Some sources talk about a test launch (not towards the US though). That plan had some flaws too: The upper stage would be piloted and the pilot was basically on a suicide mission hitting the target (Manhatten with a direction beacon on top of the Empire States building installed by an agent).

Even if they had been able to come through on either plan, without a nuclear warhead it wouldn't have amounted to much. One single V-2 would have taken down a block of buildings, not more. The Germans were on the brink of a breakthrough with a nuclear warhead, but still not quite there.

Not even close with the fission bomb. The German 'uranium machine' (a proof-of-concept reactor intended to produce Plutonium) had the wrong moderator, wrong uranium geometry, and no real national commitment -- nowhere near in scale of the British-American effort. And Heisenberg either deliberately or through poor calculation figured the mass of a fission device way over what was needed for it to be a practical, deliverable bomb.

As to the encapsulated V-2's: They got as far as building prototype towing-servicing-launching vessels... if I'm not mistaken. The winged V-2 never got past the A-4b efforts.

David

[Bob Gato]

Third episode didn't reveal much either but it looks like one of the 7 targets could be a hit and they deliberately postponed going there. Also the preview showed for a fraction of a second something resembling the conning tower of a VII. So I remain hopeful they will find at least a German sub. Doubtful it is the one they are looking for. Chances are it's too much of an overgrown wreck by now to ever conclusively determine.

The fishermen who mentioned that their nets get tangled at one spot of the ocean is very similar to how USS Lagarto was found: The search team had a rough idea and then fishermen pointed to the location of the annoyance for the nets and sure enough that's where the wreck was covered with remains of nets.

Is it possible that someone else could be a sucker for this show?... Ironically I'm going to the Dominican Republic and I won't see the next show until I get back in a week... I have an assignment to test presidente cerveza and Margaritas under the Caribbean Sun.... somebody has to do it-BG

[tifosi12]

Is it possible that someone else could be a sucker for this show?... Ironically I'm going to the Dominican Republic and I won't see the next show until I get back in a week... I have an assignment to test presidente cerveza and Margaritas under the Caribbean Sun.... somebody has to do it-BG

Oh, of course I'm a sucker for shows like that. Let me complain all day long, but rest assured I'll tune it to the next one.

[tifosi12]

Not even close with the fission bomb. The German 'uranium machine' (a proof-of-concept reactor intended to produce Plutonium) had the wrong moderator, wrong uranium geometry, and no real national commitment -- nowhere near in scale of the British-American effort. And Heisenberg either deliberately or through poor calculation figured the mass of a fission device way over what was needed for it to be a practical, deliverable bomb.

Apparently they did test a "dirty bomb" with enriched material. Still wouldn't have destroyed a lot of target area but would have caused a mess through contamination.

Then there is the story of U-234 which surrendered to the US with a mysterious cargo of enriched materials. Allegedly Oppenheimer himself was at the port when the crates were unloaded and (so the story goes) the material was used in one of the bombs dropped on Japan.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Apparently they did test a "dirty bomb" with enriched material. Still wouldn't have destroyed a lot of target area but would have caused a mess through contamination.

Then there is the story of U-234 which surrendered to the US with a mysterious cargo of enriched materials. Allegedly Oppenheimer himself was at the port when the crates were unloaded and (so the story goes) the material was used in one of the bombs dropped on Japan.

Enriched what?... corn-flakes? BS.

Recommended reading: The Making of the Atomic Bomb, Richard Rhodes

https://youtu.be/KuFYrxYUgqU?list=PLkx6LocGNTZOe2CfWDGwQGMBpc9ojXRro

David

[tifosi12]

Enriched what?... corn-flakes? BS.

Recommended reading: The Making of the Atomic Bomb, Richard Rhodes

https://youtu.be/KuFYrxYUgqU?list=PLkx6LocGNTZOe2CfWDGwQGMBpc9ojXRro

David

No BS.

Recommended reading: Und sie hatten sie doch! E. Mayer and T. Mehner

[tifosi12]

Alright, two more shows have aired with <ahem> mixed results. Lot's of Josh Gates like "LOOK AT THAT!!!!" moments but not a whole lot to show for. They found an artifact which has a good chance to be from the topside gun of a U-Boat, a life vest and a piece of a life boat. Regular life vest, no Tauchretter. The life boat (I happen to have a real one as well) was used by the Luftwaffe as well as the Kriegsmarine, so it's not necessarily from a sub.

That said, the amount of bits and pieces seem to indicate that there will be a U-Boat wreck in the last episode. If not, the whole series would be pretty lame. But whether that has anything to do with the mysterious type G is a whole different question.

They play the bad weather drama card in the next episode, so I don't expect much from it. Stay tuned. Or not.

[Bob Gato]

LOL... They have to hook you so that you come back and watch next season...BG

[Bob Gato]

I've been watching Rick and Marty dig on Oak Island for 10 years...BG