Feedback wanted: "Uboot-46" book idea

covert_shores

covert_shores

Research + illustration
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Just want to gauge whether there is any real interest in this book if it were written...

"Uboot-46"

A book pulling together the various advanced submarine designs from Germany at the end of WW2. Both realized and on-paper.

Covert Shores style illustrations with profiles of every type plus some schematics and cutaways. Large format (8.5x11 inches). Approx 100 pages (so about 1 years work at my current rate)

Approx 50% on proper Uboots, 45% on K-Marine types and 5% on complementary topics

There is a lot of info out there but a lot of it is only in German (?) and I feel that pulling it together into a broader quick reference guide would be beneficial.



Let me know what you think and whether you can imagine yourself being tempted to purchase it.
 
Your project:

A book pulling together the various advanced submarine designs from Germany at the end of WW2. Both realized and on-paper.
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About 100 pages fits well in a bookazine format.

Knowing your work and beign an enthusiast of it, I think it could be a great addtion for people interested in ship evolution. German late WWII u-boot technology was well ahead from the rest of the World. Just compare the 1945 USN Submarine program (Warship Volume 1. Issue 4. Norman Friedman Pg 42-49).

Good luck with the project!
 
A great idea. Would there be enough for a stand alone book on German submersible? Is there anything on Japanese / Italian projects?
 
I would have been very interested when I was younger. Now I'd be mainly interested in it because of the quality of your work.

IMHO, It would be great if it had some analysis or insight into things like hydrodynamics - some basic education wrapped into the narrative about the technology.
 
Thanks.

Analysis is tricky, particularly since my take is that most of the 'wonder weapons' would not have been nearly so wonderful in a tactical setting. Especially the midget subs etc. There were some things that they were getting fundamentally wrong (vs Italian and British who had some success in that field for example), and that showed in their results. So making a midget sub faster or more heavily armed was not likely to solve the problems, but it does make for fascinating designs.
 
Would you include anything on prospective allied attempts to counter the new U-boats?
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That would be great.

And what about influence on post 1945 designs?
 
covert_shores said:
Just want to gauge whether there is any real interest in this book if it were written...

"Uboot-46"

A book pulling together the various advanced submarine designs from Germany at the end of WW2. Both realized and on-paper.

Covert Shores style illustrations with profiles of every type plus some schematics and cutaways. Large format (8.5x11 inches). Approx 100 pages (so about 1 years work at my current rate)

Approx 50% on proper Uboots, 45% on K-Marine types and 5% on complementary topics

There is a lot of info out there but a lot of it is only in German (?) and I feel that pulling it together into a broader quick reference guide would be beneficial.



Let me know what you think and whether you can imagine yourself being tempted to purchase it.
Click to expand...

Thats a great idea! I like it very much. The partition is good; but I would like to make some personel wishes on the 5% "complementary topics": in the past I searched for books etc. about the advanced weapons of the Kriegsmarine, not the Uboots or so but just weapons and equipment. The german navy had lots of work going on here (esp. from 1943-45): advanced aa-weapons (Ein-Mann-Flak etc.), their own rockets (the ursel-rockets, the A-7 and others), new torpedos (for example the LT-350; its only mentioned in Fritz Hahn), their own Radar- and Infrared Devices, recoilles navy guns etc. etc. I would like to read something about that too!
Thanks and Greetings!
 
Hi H,

I would obviously buy it on the spot! Please stick to your well balanced plan and don`t forget to check on sources like Fock (e.g. the Echt" proposed detachable "kampfschwimmerkopf") and Rössler. Search as well in our fórum for the "Walross":

https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,5555.msg44523.html#msg44523

The french military archives hold several good sources on german midgets.
 
Sounds good to me. That other 5% might include the Japanese submarines that were hydrodynamically similar to the Type XXI and XXIII U-boats.
 
Those 5% could well be used to depict german underwater ordnance used or developed to be used by "kampfschwimmern" and like limpet mines (various types), towed mines, Klepper folding boats (as used by the Marineeinsatzkommandos) and breathing apparatuses. Michael Jung`s books, as well as Lawrence Patterson`s would help in some technical descriptions and leads.
 
Very nice idea ! Eberhard Roßler's masterpieces will give you a lot of information , if they are combined with 3D artwork , it will be an excellent book !
 
covert_shores said:
Analysis is tricky, particularly since my take is that most of the 'wonder weapons' would not have been nearly so wonderful in a tactical setting.
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I agree. However, it does provide a bit of an opportunity to provide some idea of the design tradeoffs and tactical context - which I've found over the year is what sustains my interest.
 
Sounds like you are going to beat me to this, I've been working on this for awhile.

I defer to your expertise! :-[
 
ssaa8836 said:
Very nice idea ! Eberhard Roßler's masterpieces will give you a lot of information , if they are combined with 3D artwork , it will be an excellent book !
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Spot on! The info must come from Rössler (he is THE published expert), and the 3D will be the special sauce.

btw I own and read all of Rössler books (in German) and can consult on this project.
 
I think the Type XXI U-boat should be considered the inspiration for all new classes of conventionally-powered submarines anywhere in the world for the next twenty years after the war.
 
gatoraptor said:
I think the Type XXI U-boat should be considered the inspiration for all new classes of conventionally-powered submarines anywhere in the world for the next twenty years after the war.
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ISTR that there was an equivalent IJN submarine testbed. I don't remember the number, though.
 

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