![Technologies](https://www.uboat.net/media/layout/images/technologies.gif)
In World War Two the scientist became more important to the outcome of the war than ever before. This was of course so on the German side, the Enigma cipher system, the Walter propulsion system and of course the German jets, rockets and missiles are just few of the items they came up with. In these pages we'll attempt to explain most technologies relevant to the U-boat war. We'll eventually also cover the allied technologies that eventually doomed the conventional U-boat in 1943-1945.
Weapons
The Elektro boats
Here you'll find a good overview of the revolutionary Elektro boats that saw service in the final months of the war. These were to influence submarine design for decades afterwards.
Torpedoes
At this time a short overview page on the U-boat's main armament. From the original compressed air driven T1 (G7a) to the advanced electrical acoustic T11 torpedo. Also gives examples of the LUT and FAT pattern running torpedoes.
Deck Guns
Explains the secondary armament of the U-boat force and gives examples of unusual gunfire activities such as shore bombardments.
Flak - Anti Aircraft weapons
Covers the many variations in anti-aircraft experiments on the U-boats, esp. the many changes in the conning tower (Wintergarten).
Mines
An introductory page on submarine mines and their use during WWII.
Technical items
Enigma and the U-boats
A set of pages dealing with the impressive Enigma cipher machine used by the Germans before and during the war. Also deals with the relevant U-boat ciphers used.
U-boat and Torpedo batteries
Without those there would have been no U-boat war :) The allies lost a great opportunity to effectively cripple the U-boat fleet when they ignored those plants during their strategic bombing of Germany.
The Schnorchel
This was an apparatus which enables the U-boat to stay submerged while running the diesels to recharge the batteries and also to ventilate the boat. Over 214 U-boats were fitted out with the equipment in 1943-1945.
The Bachstelze
This was an U-boat observation rotor kite used to expand the U-boat's line-of-sight.
U-boat Radars
Deals with the efforts to equip the U-boats with radars and also covers land-based supporting radars.
Radar Detectors and Decoys
After 1941 or so radar detection became vital for the U-boat's survival. Here you'll find most of the German developments in the war.
Radio direction finders of German U-boats in WWII
How radio direction finders work and their use by U-boats.
Underwater sound detectors in WW1 and WW2
Maintenance and usage of submarine batteries
German Industries and the U-boat offensive
Aircraft
The Focke-Wulf FW-200 Condor
The U-boat's eye-in-the-sky for many of the earlier convoy battles.
The Junkers Ju-290 and Ju-390
An effort to improve the Luftwaffe support to the U-boats, but it was too little and too late.
The Junkers Ju-88
One of the most successful aircraft of the war. It played a role in assisting the U-boats by fighting the British over the Bay of Biscay.