Which Country had the DEADLIEST Submarine in WW2? [It's Not Germany]

[@martymcfly8535]

To be fair Germany's Subs have the deadliest toliets.

[@lostinpa-dadenduro7555]

True fact.

[@JavierCR25]

Ahhh yes hehehe

[@Rod_Nyssen]

The US-Subs had the deadliest bulkheads in WW2.

[@Doyle-]

Ahh Yes U-1206 Type 7C Uboat

[@deltacomet5203]

Lmao Ik that story

[@mechtechpotato4249]

We’re just going to skip over that one US sub that sunk a train.

[@mEmEzMaN...]

Sunk a train????

[@davidmaggiacomo409]

@@mEmEzMaN... ya they put rockets on the deck and attacked a train in Japan

[@gmal619]

USS Barb

[@derubermuller5971]

@@mEmEzMaN... the USS Barb captained by eugine flucky sent a small man team on a rubber raft with a homemade mine it was the only U.S. ground action on mainland Japan

[@robw4ltz408]

@@mEmEzMaN... thunder from below Eugene Flucky

[@oddityurie3435]

"Long Hard and full of seamen" well well well I agree

[@MohammedYabai]

I almost choked on my turkey sandwich reading this

[@Eyeseesheets]

Lmao

[@Revan_258]

Lmao I had to re read that just to make sure

[@Medjiman979]

Lmao

[@lordulberthellblaze6509]

And on the last day of November.

[@totalwartitan5118]

Japan: tries and fails to kill USS Tang It's own Torpedo: Fine, I'll do it myself.

[@Rando423]

Haha

[@gangfire5932]

There's a military saying: "When you pull the pin Mr. Grenade stops being your friend." Apparently this applies to torpedoes as well. 😛

[@sunkings5972]

Every torpedo has his price...

[@henrykrieger9777]

The Albacore photo was of a post ww2 experimental sub. Was successful.

[@givenfirstnamefamilyfirstn3935]

It tells a lot that the video maker just accepted that photo as being of a pre-war design!

[@showmemars]

Dude, this is youtube. and youtubers need to make money. and they have the same 24 hours as the rest of us. they don't have the time to actually have interests. Do you seriously expect a youtuber to actually read up on a subject? you want actual history - you go historybuffs, but that dude makes 1 video every like 2 months

[@rudolphguarnacci197]

@@showmemars Damn straight, Max. You don't see these critics making their own videos, because if they did they'd at least be a little more constructive in their criticisms. But don't worry. They won't

[@CS-zn6pp]

@@showmemars Don't make the video if you cant be bothered to do the research.... Drachinifel does it right. kzbin.info/door/4mftUX7apmV1vsVXZh7RTw

[@glennridsdale577]

@@showmemars Because the rest of us don't work for a living.

[@ThunderAndGuillon]

Fair list. However missing the Dutch, French and Italian submarines is quite infair. The Dutch had highly modern and effective submarine classes (0-19 class and 0-21 class) with the snorkel equiped so that it could run it's engines and take oxygen while submerged (later copied by the Germans and built in the type XXI). The small Dutch submarine fleet was so effective in the early period of the war, that the Dutch Admiral Helfrich got the Nickname "Ship-a-day Helfrich" The French had a large variety of submarines. The most unique one out of them was the Surcouf-class. This submarine featured a dual 203 mm gun turret and also a spotter aircraft with a hangar. Unfortunately just like with the most of their fleet the Surcouf saw not much action during the war. The Italians had a wide variety of submarines in use during the war from transport submarines, to coastal and oceanic submarines. They also used the highly effecive manned-torpedos that were unlike the Japanese counterparts not suicidal and in the mean time higly effective during the war.

[@georgepalmer5497]

I've often thought about submarines being snorkel equipped. I wonder if that could be beneficial in any way to modern diesel electric sub's.

[@ThunderAndGuillon]

@@georgepalmer5497 All modern submarines have them. From nuclear to diesel-electric.

[@Mikalent]

Surcouf was sunk relatively early in the war if I recall, sorry, it is officially listed as "Missing in Action", the reason it was believed to have been sunk was during a patrol route, a freighter that was moving through the area reported to have struck something. The Surcouf was believed, between it's patrol route, the speed she was designed to sail at, and the amount of time at sea, to have been in the area during the time the freighter stated it struck something, and there was damage to the freighter to confirm that it most likely had hit something. With the Surcouf not reporting, and never return to port, it's kind of obvious what that is believed to entail. Beyond that, the Surcouf really wasn't an effective submarine at all, designed and constructed im the 1920s before the London naval treaty limited submarines, the main cannon could not traverse, carried little ammo relative, was slow to reload, was slow to re prep for diving if fired, and had an extremely short range due to having to be sighted by either a periscope, or the MK1 eyeball, with French Gunners preferring the eyeball over the "periscope".

[@MrSanja1985]

even USSR is not mentioned.

[@pieterdirkzwager3493]

Didn't Surcouf have a dual 406mm gun. Also they could not even aim the gun correctly because the submarine would sway too much on the waves.

[@jonmce1]

You're leaving out a major factor in the success of subs and that is how good their opposition was. The Japanese had nothing like the anti-sub capability of the Allies. The Americans in the Pacific never faced the kind of anti-sub attack faced by the Germans, particularly towards the end of the war.

[@grantt1589]

The German type 21 prototype that was finished but never saw combat and was the predecessor to most modern deasel and even nuclear subs.

[@Betterhose]

As far as I know, 118 Type XXI U-Boats were completed until the end of the war, but only few of them were put into commission. Otherwise, I totally agree with you. The Type XXI U-Boat's design was ahead of its time. Especially when you consider, that it went into production in 1943. The allied assessed them and used a lot of the German design as a basis for their succeeding submarines. 12 intact submarines were surrendered to the allies. -The soviets received 4 -The British kept 2 (of which they gave one to the French later on) -The Americans got 2 -The rest was used for spare parts or scrapped Some more sub were captured. The Soviets conquered Danzig, with some completed subs and some spare parts in the shipyard. After the war, 4 more submarines were completed in Danzig. The Soviets used the Type XXI U-Boats extensively and based their Whiskey-class and Zulu-class on the design.

[@Surviver-zc3uz]

funny fact : The german marine used a type XXI after the war for test. The Submarine U 2540 Wilhelm Bauer is now in the shipmuseum Bremerhaven and open for visit( closed during Corona)

[@vermas4654]

@@Surviver-zc3uz I was on it already, absolutely beautiful this thing

[@alphabravodelta42]

some how the Japanese came up with the same concepts and built the I-201 at the same time. Or the British came up with the streamlining + large batteries in world war ONE with the R-class. nothing was new with the XXI , it just had better PR.

[@eisscrat5667]

@@alphabravodelta42 Nope While in most parts the I-201 come close it only has one hull that results in a diving depth of 110 meters. The XXI is a two hull boat that has a destruction depth of 330 meters so it is far more robust to escape or survive depth charges. Also XXI carry double the torpedoes.

[@gamerjamessss]

10:26 Long hard and full of seamen 🧐

[@tyler2212]

mmm my favourite

[@gascan]

The true definition of a submarine.

[@solmanthe1st835]

I hate this so much

[@dmitry5233]

long, hard and full of semen... thats why submarines are shaped like penis.

[@boosuedon]

What contributed to the US submarines deadliness was their "torpedo fire control computer" which was extremely effective at quickly getting an accurate firing solution. It was way ahead of the other nations systems.

[@derekambler]

Pity about the torpedoes which made it worthless!!

[@jimmers123]

@@derekambler Until the end of 1943 when it all came together.

[@bneil4059]

Fired very accurate duds.

[@AvengerBB1]

@@bneil4059 Hey, at least you'll know they'll hit when BuOrd gets their heads out of their asses

[@bobkonradi1027]

That is, once we uncovered the ineptness with which the pre-war U.S. Navy put out a product that didn't work.

[@Florissimus]

If you're into submarine stories maybe you'll find the story of the Dutch sub O16 to be interesting. It is believed to be the only submarine that managed to hit four ships in one day, sinking four Japenese troop ships in december 1941. A few days later the sub hit a mine while running on the surface. The only survivor, Cor de Wolf, had to swim for more then 6 hours to get to safety. An incredible story, that is sadly al but forgotten even in Holland.

[@johnsonbobson3652]

That’s sick. Have you read the story of U-505 in “Steal Boat Iron Herts”

[@Flippotycoon4583]

That bit about the US sub saving the Dutch Sub crew is such an interesting story I had never heard of that before.

[@bartonkj]

And the USS Cod is actually a museum you can tour in Cleveland, Ohio.

[@dave8599]

likewise a simular incident of sub rescuing another subs crew took place during the cold war.

[@ulcolandheer773]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/r3eTgImFZraLgJI

[@RobinRhyne]

You're producing thought provoking content, it's appreciated. Here's a suggestion for a video: which combatant country in WWII had the best logistics?

[@coopercooper8963]

Probably the US

[@seaweed9294]

Well it's not germany

[@TheFront]

Ooh, that's a video that would be right up our alley!

[@willlasdf123]

Like this video that I have finished yet, I'm assuming the US.

[@2headedtasman200]

Definitely would be the US. It would need a damn good logistics network to be able to wield its stupidly large industrial capacity to any good effect.

[@ronaldderooij1774]

In the first year of the war in the pacific, the Dutch submarines sank more tonnage than the British and American combined. That was due to the fact that the Dutch torpedoes worked.

[@crinolynneendymion8755]

I suspect it was due to the area of operations and richness of targets.

[@jimbosan710]

Not better than the German submarines.

[@alltat]

@@crinolynneendymion8755 The US torpedoes were worse than useless for a while, so it's plausible. Apparently the torpedoes were so expensive that the designers didn't have the budget to actually test fire a live torpedo before putting them into production, and the people in charge of the project then refused to admit that there might be a problem. The only thing they could reliably hit was the seabed, which they did with great enthusiasm.

[@bobburris4445]

In the first year of the war, the Americans weren't fighting

[@forthencholordofadmirals2763]

USS Barb: am I a joke to you ?

[@forthencholordofadmirals2763]

@Bill Carson literally invading Japan by itself was apparently not good enough

[@lonehawk51]

The Barb under Fluckey was arguably the most successful US Sub of WW2.

[@forthencholordofadmirals2763]

@@lonehawk51 right ? I mean Goddamm

[@cameronmayes3648]

@Douglas Davis he also used the scuttling explosive to blow up a train

[@gavreynolds2689]

Long hard and full of seamen, I think you should change your YT channel name to "The Rear"?

[@johnnybgoodeish]

Perhaps the rear Admiral!?

[@garywheeler7039]

You are thinking navy too much, in port the article goes into the Front of a lady.

[@terraflow__bryanburdo4547]

Full Frontal

[@sc1338]

@@garywheeler7039 the rear is better 😁

[@stefanfalk7554]

The best submarines in WW2 in my opinion were the German Type XXI boats. First they where tecnicly the most advavanced, and second they didn't kill anybody because the only mission they accomplished was rescuing Refugees from the east Front. They simply were too late ready for combat. Love and greetings !!

[@elliotfischer7391]

At least this comment you don't have people say " fake new, it did nothing blah blah blah". I'd give it best around of all time since it was the one that paved the way to modern subs.

[@calebwright2849]

Yeah and even type 7s being based on ww1 designs they still could dive for deeper than any of our subs from that time. The Germans preferred the small subs but had the type 21 been around in 1939 the war may have had a different result. I think eventually with the usa the result would have been the same but the war could have dragged on years longer than it did. Also had Hitler been a little more patient and waited 2 extra years b4 invading Poland the war could have been a very different result. Thank god

[@DementedDaedric]

He forgot about the USS Archerfish, a Balao class, that still holds the record for the largest ship sunk by a submarine, she sank the IJN Shinano, a Yamato class battleship converted into a carrier, in November 1944

[@brianelsenaar6777]

4:00 i love the sabaton reference

[@aidenlane9149]

I THOUGHT I WAS THE ONE WHO REALIZED

[@cameronmayes3648]

I fuckin love Sabaton

[@connor-wm9wy]

I was expecting a sabaton reference at some point lmaooo

[@ryanhoward6041]

It's not a sabaton reference, they were really called wolfpacks by the allies. As far as I know, sabaton came after WW2 and did not start the term wolfpack. @connor 0864

[@rileyhaynes2515]

What's supposed to be the reference?

[@lsellclumanetsolarenergyll5071]

Still you forgot the Type IXB submaries which mainly did Atlantic warfare. Standing out is the U-107 which alone sunk : 37 ships sunk, total tonnage 207,375 GRT 2 auxiliary warships sunk, total tonnage 10,411 GRT 3 ships damaged, total tonnage 17,392 GRT 1 auxiliary warship damaged, total tonnage 8,246 GRT which I think was the real successor of the war, of which only 12 where build.

[@dave8599]

the nazi subs were great in number and mostly prayed on unarmed merchant ships, even passenger ships.

[@USMCArchAngel03]

"locked in a steel tube and sunk hundreds of feet in the ocean". That's kind of how my first marriage felt.

[@kekistanimememan170]

That will teach you for marrying the stripper.

[@CheesusCrustus]

Ok boomer

[@klaushauschen]

@@CheesusCrustus dead and cringey joke, never laughed, gtfo of here

[@brucermarino]

Hi guys. I believe you are referring to the Albacore SS-218 but showed images of the post-war AGSS-569 Albacore with its innovative teardrop hull. Thanks again!

[@Balnk1326]

100% Correct. I was just getting ready to make the this same comment.

[@xvdd1]

I was surprised that image made it to the upload as there is such a clear distinction between those two generations of submarine evolution.

[@brucermarino]

@@xvdd1 No problem. This professor has made worse. In all events, your work is excellent! 'Looking forward to your next vid. PS, If I may ever help, just let me know...

[@havico95]

That's the wrong USS albacore in your photo, that's the 1950s research sub. Search WW2 USS Albacore and you'll find it's a totally different boat

[@Orion234]

Exactly. SS 218 was the correct boat. AGSS 569 was commissioned in 1953.

[@shepherdlavellen3301]

theoretically type XXI should be on the list

[@carlosleboss104]

op pls nerf

[@drjdsjr]

I was going to say the same thing. Then i saw your comment.

[@packr72]

Never saw combat and only two boats went on patrols.

[@darrenjpeters]

@@packr72 Irrelevant. It's capabilities are well known.

[@Flaktower-expert]

@@packr72 he talks about the B1 that only went on 1 mission but never saw combat, so yeah the XXI should be on here

[@fromontario6954]

Imagine being 100m under water with depth charges going off all around your sub.

[@Captain_Yorkie1]

I know it's said that war is hell. But this is just taking the piss.

[@TheFront]

PANIK

[@q8gyj26s]

Watch Das Boot (1981) for an experience of that

[@fredmaxwell9619]

There are several movies that give a good representation of a depth charge attack. Even better I listen to a WW2 Submarine veteran describe being depth charged by Japanese.

[@fromontario6954]

@@q8gyj26s Midway (2019) had a scene like that and it gave me chills.

[@issuma8223]

Least deadly submarines were the Swiss fleet. Six boats were constructed in 1941, but they were unfortunately too heavy to be carried to the beach. The most deadly submarines were the Polish ones, as they all had screen doors.

[@billmcsill4274]

Is this a joke or are you being serious?😂

[@issuma8223]

@@billmcsill4274 Trump, Putin and Merkel were standing at the North Sea and arguing which country has the best submarines. Trump: "Our submarines are the best! They can stay under water for 4 months without the need to refuel!" Putin: "Pah! That's nothing! Our submarines can stay under water for 1 year without the need to refuel!" Just when Merkel wants to say something, bubbles suddenly start appearing in the water and a submarine appears. The hatch opens and a man appears, saying: "Heil Hitler! Where can I get some fuel?"

[@unlocked1040]

@@billmcsill4274 How do you sink an submarine full of people who voted for Biden? Swim down and knock on the hatch.

[@appeal2nature]

@@unlocked1040 There aren't enough Biden voters to fill a sub.

[@thebonesaw..4634]

5:02 - How could you not include the USS Barb among the best of the Gato/Balao class. The Barb sank... almost EVERYTHING and had the highest tonnage sank (according to the Japanese). It's commander (Eugene "Lucky" Fluckey) was awarded the Medal of Honor, and then went on to receive the Navy Cross... four times! As a crew, the Barb won two Navy Crosses, 23 Silver Stars, 23 Bronze Stars, four Presidential Unit Citations, a Navy Unit Commendation, four Navy and Marine Corps Medals and 82 Letter of Commendation Ribbons. The Barb's Battle Flag shows 38 enemy vessels sunk (although they are officially credited with only 29). The ship is also the ONLY U.S. submarine ever credited with sinking a locomotive (an action which resulted in the only incursion of armed combatants onto Japanese home soil). The Barb was so insanely successful that President Franklin Roosevelt asked to be personally copied on all of the sub's patrol reports. Besides the locomotive, the USS Barb also holds the record for most ships sunk in a single day (6)... after stealthily entering a heavily mined harbor. With this one single engagement (and only 8 torpedoes), Flucky sank more tonnage in that one moment that any other single submarine attack (by any nation) during the entire war.

[@mafiaseargent]

Barb killed a train! It wins by default!

[@fishingthelist4017]

Barb was sold to the Italian Navy after the war, and was unfortunately scrapped. If any US sub deserved preservation, it was USS Barb.

[@thattommy5421]

Another submarine would be the italian Leonardo da Vinci, the best top scoring non-German submarine of the entire war that sunk 17 ships en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_submarine_Leonardo_da_Vinci_(1939)

[@whirving]

I've always felt that the Italian Navy has not gotten the credit it deserved, especially in respect to quality.

[@thattommy5421]

@@whirving Yeah, unfortunately, the navy didn't coordinate with the air force, they didn't have large quantities of fuel, most ships didn't have the radar and after the Taranto raid they were scared to lose them;still, it did saw action

[@francisbegbie5102]

@@thattommy5421 they got the italian radar “gufo” only at the end of the war, with that since the beninning could have been a different story.

[@JohnDoe-ee6qs]

To be fair, the last allied aircraft to be shot down, was downed by a Italian gun crew on the deck of an ex-italian navy Sub, ex German navy too, the ship was under Japanese command and had a mixed crew of die hard Italians and Germans and Japanese, their victim was an American B25 bomber in 1945

[@JohnDoe-ee6qs]

@@francisbegbie5102 did you know radar got off to a false start in 1936 with the Marconi company?, they couldn't get funding from the Italian government

[@edmain1137]

A great book to read is the story of the USS Barb, 'Thunder Below!' by their Captain Fluckey. It's not just military data but so much about the crew. I highly recommend it, I love the humor and humanity of the men on board. And yes when they ran out of ships at the end of the war they did go ashore and 'sink' a railroad troop train.

[@ssPeto]

I have an autographed copy! :)

[@agskytter8977]

The German type VIIC U480 with a hull covered in rubber, making it undetectable by ASDIC/active sonar, is the best. The U480 was sunk by a mine off Isle of Wight after it had operated in the English Channel in 1944/45 undetected. The U480 sunk 4 ships in the most dangerous operational area ever during WW2.

[@dave8599]

it could still be detected, the rubber was not 100% effective at fooling sonar. Of course being long, hard and full of seamen, wearing a rubber is a good idea.

[@davidhimmelsbach557]

It was doped out// discovered by its effects// sinkings -- and then defeated by laying a mine field. The IJN HAD to supply its outposts -- and only subs could do it. Said islands were its strategic eyes -- as far as they could be -- and could not be abandoned.

[@johnyrebbaron2618]

@@dave8599 funny

[@mr.noname9328]

What about the type XXI?

[@alexgrabienski4185]

Wasn't operational in time and wasn't launched to the battlefield before surrender.

[@tcofield1967]

Probably the best design of WW2. Certainly was the basis for submarine design and refurbishment post WW2. But the first of the class had just put to sea at the time of the German Surrender and none actually fired a shot in anger. So as a design they were outstanding but they never got to show what they could do.

[@Rod_Nyssen]

@@alexgrabienski4185 Are you sure about that!?

[@MrDeadstu]

@@alexgrabienski4185 Not true there were operational versions before the end of the war.

[@alexgrabienski4185]

@@MrDeadstu they didn't make it to the balltefield in time before the surrender. Many of the boats, wish has been built in Eastern Prussia was used by their commanders in as refugee vessels during the East Pussia evacuation. But it's unknown by german historics and the german Navy, if any Type XXI saw action as a war ship. Yes they where operational, but almost every vessel was in the baltic sea for tests and drills or on the way to combat, when the order to surrender where given out on May the 3rd.

[@dustinwilton5343]

FYI, if you want to check out a Balao class sub there is one in San Francisco. The USS Pampanito. Pretty cool.

[@Katy_Jones]

On the other hand, HMS Upholder did have an entire new class of subs named after her.

[@dukecraig2402]

That's tradition, they always name the class after the name of the first one made.

[@ramal5708]

Old news, this happens to USS Gato, Balao, Virginia and Los Angeles

[@josephserb2852]

The image of the USS Albacor is actually a later ship of the same name which had an experimental teardrop style hull.

[@drewmcpheeters3424]

Yeah definitely not the Gato class

[@balonkita185]

Tigers, Panthers, Wolf packs. All of these give me the impression that German engineers were a bunch of furries

[@GTAVALE]

Ahahahahah

[@justinian-the-great]

Hitler's Wolf's lair, Maus and Elephant tanks......yeah, when I recollect it all they really might indeed have been furries.

[@darthkek1953]

Operation Werwolf... ostensibly a plan for resistance forces, secretly a furry convention.

[@smellfish1430]

OwO wwat are you doing step herwan?

[@Freedmoon44]

We even got the leopard, lets not forget bout that one^^

[@anthonyapodaca1816]

The USS Tang is also the only Submarine to successfully use the Monson Lung to allow a portion of the crew to escape while the submarine was still submerged.

[@thomasnelson9497]

Best sub book I've is "Clear the Bridge!" about the Tang.

[@jaimecortesaocasimiro8698]

What's the best aircraft carrier?

[@Captain_Yorkie1]

That would probably be the RN Illustrious Class of Carriers. That worked from 1940 to 1968.

[@jaimecortesaocasimiro8698]

@@Captain_Yorkie1 Agree.

[@justaweebguy3615]

In terms of the design idk maybe Essex Class i guess or the CVN 65 if Cold War but in History/Feats wise i go to Enterprise CV-6

[@MrKen-wy5dk]

USS Cavalla (SS/SSK/AGSS-244), a Gato-class submarine, is a submarine of the United States Navy best known for sinking the Japanese aircraft carrier Shōkaku. Now permanently docked in Galveston, TX at Seawolf Park and can be toured.

[@johnryder1713]

Really gives us information on the mistakes and good ideas of an important part of the war, especially when you think of the famous tagline (Das Boot), 40000 men went on the U-Boats and 10000 returned, don't forget all American subs were perfect, as after all, the USS Squalus sank and was salvaged prior to the war, and run again during the war, but when the crew of one ship that helped rescue her the first time were themselves torpedoed, the Squalus had to rescue them and return the favour!

[@johnryder1713]

@Scott Joseph I think you mean too many people of both sides died, but not enough people who start wars did

[@JoeGallo43]

I served as a Unteroffizier in the Kriegsmarine in WW2. I was a Gustav rail door gunner on U-84.

[@nerdlingeeksly5192]

"Long, hard, and full of sea men". Hah, nice joke.

[@seaweed9294]

Spit out my tea on that one

[@Subpac_ww2]

Thank you for mentioning our beautiful boat, the USS COD. You remembered her for an event that we think doesn't get enough attention or admiration. The first, and only, international sub-to-sub rescue in history. A mission of peace and salvation, not violence and destruction. Unless you count us putting 16 5" shells and 2 torpedoes into the O-19 violence. We celebrate the event every year and have a little reenactment, I have played the Dutch captain of O-19 for three years running now. It's an honor to not only be part of an American submarine Veterans memorial, but a Dutch one as well. We fly the Dutch flag and are recognized by their government. 🇳🇱 & 🇺🇸 = 💪

[@1redrubberball]

As a 4th grader in the '50's, I checked out my very first book at my town's public library. It was about the USS Wahoo and how she came home from one mission with a broom tied to her periscope.

[@mikestanley9176]

That means clean sweep or a ship sunk or damaged with every torpedo.

[@hasnains561]

Title: (Its Not Germany)... Karl Donitz: Cries In U-Boat

[@Elthenar]

The subs that preceded the Balao class were just as good, they were plagued by exceptionally poor torpedoes though. If the US had good heavyweight torpedoes at the start of the war, we would have wrecked the Japanese inside of a year or two.

[@genericnamehere7602]

True. The Mk. 14s had a horrendously high failure rate. Their fuses just simply failed, some failing to detonate.

[@drtidrow]

@@genericnamehere7602 It wasn't just the detonators (both the contact and magnetic detonators were flawed), they also tended to run deep early in the war. They were basically untested in their combat configuration before the war, and BuOrd refused to accept that there were serious problems with them. It took until 1943 before they fixed most of the major problems - in 1944 the Silent Service pretty much swept the seas of Japanese shipping.

[@GiulioBalestrier]

To be fair, you failed to mention the Italian submarine Leonardo Da Vinci (Marconi class) which sank over 120,000 tons making it the WW2 top scoring non-German submarine.

[@petervonfroster8i]

3:41 "They just came out of the Water and constantly rang his Housebell"

[@davidschnell1561]

German Type 21, the first true submarine.

[@alganhar1]

Of which only one entered service during the actual war and did precisely nothing as she was on her shakedown cruise..... The Type XXI was yet another case of too little far to late. How deadly they *could* have been if introduced 2 years earlier is irrelevent, as is their impact upon the war. That is what is being discussed here, not the impact of the Type XXI on post war submarine design.....

[@dabestgames920]

I thought two severed in active combat

[@davidschnell1561]

@@dabestgames920 Yeah, I thought a few actually served in active duty. One even escaped depth charges by diving deeper than the depth charges.

[@packr72]

The British R Class of WW1 gets that title, it was faster underwater than any sub until the 30s.

[@davidschnell1561]

@@packr72 cool

[@darrellid]

The glaring mistakes help this channel be unintentionally hilarious. Like a picture of the third and final iteration of the _USS Albacore_--a test vessel for teardrop hull design--being shown while the narrator discusses the second _Albacore_ , a _Gato_-class boat.

[@terruskaa]

Or the "Impressive Dive Depth" of the bilal class that was literally half of the Type 9 and 21

[@WildBillCox13]

I'm with you on late war US subs. With that said . . . The Typ VII/40 had some specific advantages (some were tightly constrained by allied ASW tactics keeping pace), which made it a contender. Later versions had dive depths almost twice that of the best subs in other nations. Small size made its maneuverability high-a valuable quality when evading reprisal or working inside a convoy at night. Pillenwerfer and early type anechoic tiles combined with the schnorkel "borrowed" from the Dutch to keep the Typ VII in the technological race, if not on top of the Battle of the Atlantic. Typ VII was notoriously quiet, too. I like the B1, which was designed during the "cruiser submarine commerce raider" fad in vogue during the very early 1930s. Its main wartime torpedo weapon was the Type 95; A torpedo with range, speed, and warhead exceeding that of its every contemporary. B1 could carry a "Glen" floatplane for scouting and spotting fall of shot (just like Surcouf), had an admirable radius of action, and could generate a good turn of speed when surfaced. B1 submarines could be fitted with one or two heavy (12cm, 14cm) cannon so as to save on torpedoes. She was also big and noisy. Italian Maiale underwater demolitions vehicles sank* two battleships in harbor. Only British X class boats can boast a similar success. *Later refloated

[@WildBillCox13]

Note: The E14Y1 Glen was the worst floatplane ever . . . after the Langley Aerodrome. Take THAT, Smithsonian! ;-)

[@kenfoster8138]

The U.S. Mk 14 torpedo was abysmally bad in the first years of the war. It was unforgivable, a true disgrace that brave submariners were sent into battle with this 'weapon'. When the bugs were finally ironed out US submarines became even deadlier, such that they decimated the Japanese mercantile marine.

[@bryanll1]

How about the poor bastards that were flying TBD Devastators with junk torpedoes? They made suicide a popular sport before the kamakaze was ever dreamed of.

[@Antarius1999]

Wait ? Where is french Surcouf ? It had fucking cruiser guns on it.

[@Busrayne]

The US Submarine fleet in 1941 pancaked right at the starting line thanks to the Mark 14 torpedo. Now, having a faulty weapon in combat is bad, but just fix it and move on, right? But the Bureau of Ordnance's puzzling obstinance in absolutely refusing to acknowledge there was any problem at all with their weapon - even recommending disciplinary action for those who tried to address it - was a horrible disgrace and cost lives. In contrast, the Japanese tested the living crap out of their torpedoes, and thus were extremely effective from the beginning to the end of the war.

[@Mithril_Antimarr]

frankly someone should have been shot for that cover up, could have cost the allies the war

[@jeffstevens156]

Earned a new sub!

[@grandpapybubba5346]

You forgot the Type 21 U-boat it can dive around 1,000 feet deep unlike the Balao class’s 670 or so feet

[@whirving]

Unlike the semi fictional Type 21 the Balao class was mass produced with very high quality and excellent and experienced crews.

[@packr72]

1000 feet? Umm no their test depth was around 780.

[@hnorrstrom]

Well typ VII had a test depth of 180m thats 60m deeper than the Balao, still he says it had great dive depth. Type XXI had a test depth of 240m. Sure they all could go deeper.

[@wanamawan6249]

That's not true at all the type 21 had a weak pressure hull

[@elliotfischer7391]

@@wanamawan6249 do you are have stupid?

[@jordana.6874]

Fun fact: The "Harder" was almost surely sunk by one of its own torpedoes doing a circle and striking the sub.

[@stephenr3827]

Really, cuz what I've read on the Harder she was almost certainly sunk by Japanese depth charges after missing a down the throat shot.

[@ravirawat.49]

i still haven't found the intro music from the channel link lmao, btw love your videos ♥️

[@benjaminrush4443]

Thanks for a good review.

[@dustinwilton5343]

Dr. Evil: Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to my submarine lair. It's long, hard and full of seamen! [laughs, then notices he isn't getting any laughs from his submarine crew] Dr. Evil: No? Nothing? Not even a titter? Tough sub...

[@baldybaldwin2825]

I Served on two Balao class submarines USS Irex SS 482 and USS Cobbler SS 344. Engineman EN2SS

[@matteoorlandi856]

no italian submarines? strange, they were quite succesfull...

[@ThunderAndGuillon]

I fully agree. Also a shame that the Dutch submarine classes featuring the snorkel and the French submarine Surcouf weren't mentioned.

[@Veloxyll]

@@ThunderAndGuillon Surcouf didn't see much action IIRC before it was sunk (probably by Americans)

[@ThunderAndGuillon]

@@Veloxyll Could still have been an honorary mention. I know it didn't saw much use, it still was a remarkable feat of engineering. Something the British couldn't get to work

[@thecaveman2951]

More videos like this please!

[@scottgindroz1474]

You might have missed the British Royal Navy S-class.

[@sm4sher45]

10:27 "long, hard, and full of seamen," guy literally knows what he is writing on his script.

[@adamwright9741]

The crazy shipping lanes and activity in the Atlantic would have made the superior U S Navy submarines have much more trouble. It was a good decision to treat the Atlantic and the Pacific Wars differently.

[@nuuttiasplund5873]

What is the intro music cus the link in bio does not take me to any video?

[@dominicaccount2387]

anyone else heard what i heard ? 10:27

[@joegatt2306]

The Soviet Stalinets class was by far the deadliest. In two separate attacks in which he sank the Wilhelm Gustloff and Steuben, Captain Pavel Malantyenko of submarine S-13, caused the death of over 12,000 German refugees, mainly women (including many secretaries of the armed forces who were given precedence!!), children and old men. In 1990, he was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union.

[@dave8599]

those nazi ships you mention also had troops on them, so fair game, they also were not lit up at night to display a red cross. they were a fair target. Also consider the nazis had a thing about shaving the heads of surrendered civilians, and marching them into gas chambers.. To hell with them nazis.

[@joegatt2306]

​@@dave8599 1, Out of 10,600 passengers, 9,000 were civilians and 550 were auxiliaries including women. 2, By your same reasoning, the Lusitania was a fair target too, even more so. 3, Your last comment has nothing to do with the subject.

[@ProperLogicalDebate]

How were the Soviet, Italian, Dutch, and French submarines?

[@j4296]

The Dutch ones were actually the most advanced ones at the start of the war, although the germans stole the tech after they occupied the country. The "Snuiver" was only used by the Americans at the end of the war and the Germans only got it thanks to the Dutch. The Brits didn't understand the Dutch invention so they removed it as they did not understand what it did.

[@arthurbillot4317]

The french rubis submarine was the biggest submarine ever at the beginning of the war, it joined free France and sunk loads of cargos and german boats around norway, since 1945 there as always been at least 1 submarine named rubis after this particular submarine. It's the most well known one but there where several other that I don't know the name and achievements

[@thattommy5421]

And the Italian submarine Leonardo da Vinci was the best non-German scoring submarine of ww2 with 17 ships sunk en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_submarine_Leonardo_da_Vinci_(1939)

[@arthurvdv8690]

The Dutch subs were the most advanced at the beginning of the war and did well.

[@nerdyali4154]

@@j4296 The British had no use for snorkels although a British design was patented in 1916. There were serious drawbacks to them and on balance the Royal Navy decided they didn't want them.

[@stormtroopergamer5024]

What about the Uss Sealion that sank the Japanese battleship Kongo?

[@andrewnield9827]

Your channel is genuinely one of my favourite channels whenever I get a notification I get excited, keep up the good work.

[@TheFront]

Wow, thanks! We will!!!

[@warbuzzard7167]

This was rather impressive. Highly professional, excellent narration, superb subject matter backed up by solid research. I like the way you think. I'll be watching you.

[@terruskaa]

"Solid Research" Funny Joke The "Impressive Depth" of the Bilal class submarine is half of any german submarine of the war and the operational range is close to the germans but lower than the type 21

[@fabovondestory]

Top carriers next [It's germnay]

[@EdaugEthanbYT]

You mean Battleships right? Germany had no carriers

[@Stratman20928]

@@EdaugEthanbYT they were building one

[@Stratman20928]

Graf zeppelin

[@EdaugEthanbYT]

@@Stratman20928 I know that but I was being quite literal because that’s who I am. I was quite serious when I said Germany had the best battleships. The Graf Spe and The Bismarck were terrifying but because the British Navy was so big Germany didn’t have a shot with so few naval ships.

[@kamikazeviking3053]

@@EdaugEthanbYT 大和 and 武蔵would like to have a word with you

[@skyden24195]

Got to love those Balao-class subs. Adding to the list of successful Balaos, the USS Pampanito. Performed six successful patrols during the war, (prompting the crew to raise a broom over the vessel at war's end in recognition of a "sweep,") as well as surviving a depth charge attack during its first patrol. The Pampanito also had the unfortunate distinction of sinking a Japanese ship carrying Australian POW's, however, the Pampanito was able to rescue a considerable number of the surviving Aussies. Last special note about the USS Pampanito: the WWII submarine was utilized for the 1996 film "Down Periscope," as it is one of the few WWII Balao-class submarines still seaworthy. She now remains harbored in San Francisco Bay as a museum ship.

[@richardravenclaw318]

i think it was the uss sealion ss315 working in a wolf pack with pampanito that actually sunk the ship carrying prisoners. good comment though.

[@skyden24195]

@@richardravenclaw318 I can believe that as I have heard of this type of incident occurring with at least one other US submarine, so it is quite possible that I do not have the accurate and complete story.

[@ikerlafuente1979]

Type XXI

[@power2084]

Stop saying that Kaiten pilots and Kamikaze pilots made SUICIDE attacks, they were not suicides but a SACRIFICE.

[@scootergeorge9576]

The type XXI, appearing at the very end of the war was potentially the most deadly sub of the war. And yes, it was German.

[@johnmothershead1690]

Indeed. It's worth remembering the Type XXI influenced submarine design through the 1950s, including USS Nautilus SSN-571, and arguably still does.

[@Samuraid77]

17 kts underwater in 1941 would have changed the whole war

[@wanamawan6249]

What about the Japanese I-201 submarine which was even faster underwater and also used a snorkel

[@scootergeorge9576]

@@wanamawan6249 - Unknown. Japanese subs were notoriously loud. Stealth is a primary requirement in submarines.

[@kendunn6124]

But, the XXI never actually became operational as a class. If they had, then they would have easily been the deadliest. High speed underwater, anechoic tiles, homing torpedoes and a hull shape that reduced flow noise. The Nautilus was heavily influenced by the XXI hull design, as was the Soviet Foxtrot class.

[@13stalag13]

The Albacore shown at 5:42 was a research submarine and the first of the teardrop hull design. The one you're looking for is a Gato class.

[@ancaplanaoriginal5303]

"Long, hard and full of seamen" LoL

[@joshglenn2115]

Thank you for mentioning the USS Harder. My grandfather was the radio/sonar man on that sub for it's first 4 patrols. He switched his leave with another sailer prior to the ships fifth patrol in which is was sunk. I wouldn't be here today had he not switched.

[@KevlarX2]

Interesting info on a Gato class submarine (USS Drum) now a museum piece along with WW2 Battleship USS Alabama in Mobile Bay Alabama. She is the first Gato class submarine commissioned for action in WW2, and the only Gato class submarine to receive a reinforced Balao class hull over her coning tower. Also her logo an octopus playing a drum was designed by Walt Disney.

[@fishingthelist4017]

I have been through USS Drum enough times to get good at swinging through the hatch openings like they do in the movies. She didn't sink as many ships as Barb, but she had an impressive record.

[@guzzijack9714]

Disney studios designed a number of sub patches. 👍

[@horusfalcon]

The Albacore depicted is not in the Gato Class! AGSS-569 was a mono-typical experimental sub which explored a new hull design in the fifties. The Albacore in the Gato Class was SS-214.

[@nonamegermany4583]

Uss tusk: best uboat in ww2 Type XXI: sad noices

[@packr72]

Type XXI never saw combat. Only two went on patrols.

[@elliotfischer7391]

@@packr72still made and used.

[@JohnnyWishbone85]

The US submarine force in WWII is severely underrated. With the exception of the Mk. 14 torpedo, it's one of the most remarkable confluences of excellent training, supply, and equipment that has ever happened.

[@xendk]

Wrong USS Albacore (SS-218). USS Albacore (AGSS-569)

[@JnnyUtah35]

If anyone was wondering why the picture of the USS Albacore doesn't look anything like the other Gato class: The Gato Albacore sunk in 1944. In 1953 a new USS Albacore was launched with an experimental "tear drop" hull shape. The picture is the 1953 launch.

[@kenrolt8072]

He used the wrong Albacore photo. The one shown in not from WW2. It was built in the early 1950s to demo the high speed hull, different screw configurations, and several different sonars. It was an experimental one-off but it did reach 33 knots with the higher output batteries. It was much faster & quieter than the contemporary Nautilus which had an older style hull but the first nuclear powerplant.

[@CaptainGrief66]

You missed the opportunity to mention the Leonardo Da Vinci and it's crew, its the most successful non German submarine of the war, been on 11 patrols with 17 confirmed destroyed targets directed by the leading submarine ace of the italian forces

[@kenneth9874]

Not even close

[@Twirlyhead]

It is worth remembering that the performance/success of submarines in WW2 should be considered next to the conditions (physical and operational) that they were operating in. For example, the British then the Allies in the North Atlantic were very good as the war progressed at anti-submarine work, the British subs in the Mediteranean were easier to spot due to the conditions there, the Japanese never got their anti-submarine act together as the Allies did in the Atlantic. Needless to say, all submariners were brave men regardless of where they fought.

[@whitefordpipeshandmadebymi7238]

"Long hard and full of seamen " hahahah lol take care ! Peace ✌️ from Welland Ontario Canada 🇨🇦

[@alexanderlisk3746]

The photo shown for USS Albacore at 5:38 is not the Gato Class submarine USS Albacore btw. Thats actually the AGSS-569, a research submarine built in the 50s that helped pioneer later US submarine design.

[@The31stcenturyfox]

Thank you came here to say this.

[@FlorianB111]

Hey, the Surcouf from the French Navy was a very interesting submarine, but it didn't really fought during the war. Also the best submarines were probably the germans one. They made the most important technological development like schnorkel

[@kenduncan3221]

The snorkel was a Dutch invention that the Germans took over after the invasion of the Netherlands.

[@elliotfischer7391]

@@kenduncan3221 they improved and paved the way to modern sub designs though.

[@ThunderAndGuillon]

@@elliotfischer7391 However the Dutch submarine classes with snorkel equiped were still very effective during the war. If you would devide tonnage sunk by the amount of submarines of a country lost, the Dutch would end up second only bested by the US.

[@marcbjorg4823]

I find it very interesting that the German G1 Torpedo and the US MK14 had similar dimensions and the same initial flaws to their detonators and depth mechanisms. Probably not a coincidence.

[@yanishbickley7272]

You should have a look at the French Surcouf submarine, it has a turret on it 😂

[@johnyoung4441]

There were several designs of cruiser submarines though, some developed before the Surcouf. But the Surcouf is definitely the most noticeable, it's a shame it mysteriously disappeared.

[@sergehorion7155]

You forgot to mention it also had a plane! It was the biggest submarine of its time. When France collapsed in 1940, Surcouf chose to keep on fighting and joined the Free French.

[@michaelcourtright4314]

If I remember correctly (I read a book on the Surcouf many, many years back) they were 8" guns, even!

[@casparcoaster1936]

I enjoyed this much, many thanks, but, I was out of pot, and, when I heard the last phrase, "Long, hard, and full of seamen, I wasn't amused.

[@suspiciousgranadier736]

I like the fact that I came here to watch the deadliest subs of the cold war cause of the thanmail you should put ww2 subs instead of cold war subs

[@johnmothershead1690]

One could argue that the USN submarine forces achieved in the Western Pacific what the Kriegsmarine tried to achieve in the Atlantic. (It's worth remembering that, when Großadmiral Doenitz was charged with waging unrestricted submarine warfare at the Nuremberg trials, part of his defense was that the U.S. had ordered unrestricted submarine warfare against Japan on 8 December 1941, as confirmed by no less than Fleet Admiral Nimitz.) By the end of the war U.S. submarines were targeting fishing boats and small craft. (There is no such thing as a non-combatant ship, in practical terms.) While the carrier groups get all the glamorous press, even today our submarine forces are one of our most potent threats. The PLAN and the Russian Navy certainly think so.

[@hnorrstrom]

Good points. Well the winner writes the history for sure.

[@laggindragon7166]

OK dont Lie who wants to see a midget sub with a tank turret on it after seeing 8:50 mark

[@sekoncen9559]

So you can make a joke about submarines being long, hard and full of seamen and still be monetized, but heaven forbid anyone says “fuck” in a video.

[@NiumeLTU]

You forgot to mention that german submarines can dive very deep. Around 200m

[@elliotfischer7391]

Ikr. They say most effective sub was the US but I mean did they truly look at the record of U-boats. They based it of off this one did good, it's best (despite it having record of killing itself).

[@ronnieince4568]

Big Digger -many German submarines went down several thousand metres -they just did not resurface !!

[@stormtroopergamer5024]

It’s true that American submarines were the best because they sank 75% of the Japanese merchant fleet.

[@ronnieince4568]

U boats sank a total of 2509 Allied merchant ships for the loss is about 1100 U boats and of the circa 35000 who served in U boats some 28000 were killed -an 80% loss rate .

[@powellmountainmike8853]

Very good video. I agree with all your choices, and agree that the Balao class was the best of the war. The Tench class was a further improvement on the Gato, and the Balao classes, very similar to both, but came too late in the war to really be considered .A number of Balao and Gato class subs have been preserved as museum ships in the U.S. I am very familiar with the SS. Lionfish, a Balao class sub at Battleship Cove in Fall River , Massachusetts, a wonderful naval museum with the Balltleship U.S.S. Massachusetts, the WW2 Gearing class destroyer U.S.S. Joseph P. Kennedy, The submarine.SS. Lionfish, the former East German corvette Hiddensee, and 2 WW2 PT boats. I used to live in Providence, RI, and was a member of the museum. I am a U.S. Navy Vietnam vet, and a couple of the ships there were actually still in commission when I was serving. I would go down about once a month and wander around the ships.

[@alganhar1]

Wonderful, now try and operate, under war time conditions, a Balao in the North Sea, or the Mediterranean... And this is an important point people forget when making comparisons. Yes, the S and V Class british Subs were small, and unable to operate in the Pacific (that was left to the T and later V Class), but when larger boats operated in the Med their combat losses were found to be unacceptably high. A Balao in the Mediterranean would have been so much dog food, they were simply too big. This is all bearing in mind technology of the time, not now..... Balao's were superb Pacific Boats, they had the range and size for long range long duration patrols far from base. Problem is, those very advantages that made them such good Pacific Boats would have worked against them in the Mediterranean or North Sea, where you wanted small, maneuverable boats that are more difficult to detect. Its this very reasoning that led to the Mediterranean basically being left to the S and later U Class when it comes to Royal Navy submarine operations there during the war. Larger boats simply had too high a loss rate.

[@powellmountainmike8853]

@@alganhar1 Not sure why you directed this at my comment on the video. You might have more accurately directed it at the original video itself. As for the smaller British classes you cite, you may wish to compare the overall tonnage sunk by each of them versus the tonnage sunk by the German U boat classes, and the U.S. Gato and Balao classes, any of which eclipse that sunk by these smaller British boats. I am sure they put up a valiant and important fight in the theaters in which they operated, but their records just do not match those of the other boats.