Hidden killers revealed
The U-3008’s submerged speed topped out at
16 knots and it could dive safely to 900 feet
35 JJuunlye 2020 / www.theengineer.co.uk
them on this side of the North Sea.”
By contrast, the magazine wrote, British
scientifi c and engineering eff orts were spread across a wider
range of activity: “The contrast between Germany and Great Britain is
one of highly specialised eff ort on the one hand, as against a potential
which has had to be used sparingly in certain fi elds in order that there
should be enough of everything.”
German U-Boats caused havoc during the war, sinking vast numbers
of merchant ships in the Atlantic, cu ing off vital supply lines and
reportedly bringing Churchill close to contemplating surrender.
Interestingly though, it was the British broad-based approach to
engineering and science that eventually won through, with the
pioneering development of air to surface radar enabling bombers
to target surfaced U-boats, breaking their Atlantic stranglehold and
swinging the war back decisively in the allies favour. ”
/www.theengineer.co.uk