The Ship Model Forum

Wonder what books our members might own or have read on the subject of German U-Boats, both Technical and History. Would like to share some of my favorite titles and see if anyone can add some interesting books to the list.

For Technical discriptions: "The U-Boat, the evolution and technical history of German submarines" by Eberhard Rössler A literal bible for the technical history of the u-boat, detailed drawings too, but rather small.
U.S. Naval Insititute Press 1989 reprint

"The U-Boat" The German Navy at War volume 2, by Siegfried Breyer Gerhard Koop. English langugae copy Schiffer Publishing in USA 1989, lots of large size photos, but many of poor quality, but the good one's make it worth it!

"U-Boats in Action" Squadron/Signal Warships No. 1, fantastic photos for a cheap price and a thumb nail history of the W.W.II uboats and war service.

" Type VII U-Boats" by Robert C. Stern. USNI Press 1991. Again a book I'de call a bible for the type VII and it's use as a complete weapons system. Best U-boat technical book I've ever read. Complete in every way!

History: "Operation Drumbeat" and "Black May" by Michael Gannon , the first about the early U-Boat campaign of the US Eastern Seaboard and the second a general overview of the state of the U-Boat war with the U-Boat defeats in May 1943 as the main topic. These two books together give from my point of view the very best discription of how a uboat operates from the crews point of view and how the allies developed and used modern technology to defeat them.

"Hirschfeld, the story of a U-Boat NCO 1940-46" by Geoffrey Brooks with Wolfgang Hirschfeld. USNI Press 1996. Excellent first hand account of U-Boat service by enlisted man.

"Shooting the War, memoirs of a WWII U-Boat Officer. USNI Press 1994. 100 photos along with a first hand account of service on a German Blockade runner and then entry into the U-Boat Service with deployment to the Far East to operate out of Singapore. Unusual service career that makes his uboat service all the more interesting.

"U-Boat Ace the story of Wolfgang Luth", by Jordan Vause, USNI Press 1990. Intersting because Wolfgang served through out the war from good times to bad times. So gives a good view of the U-boats decline after 1942.

" Steel Boat, Iron Hearts" by Hans Goebeler. The war time saga of U-505 and Hans Goebeler. Wagnerian Publications 1999. For an unusual war story, all true, it just doesn't get any better than this! Life in the French U-Boat ports, service at sea with an unbalanced Commander. Facing allied air power and suffering the most damage any u-boat ever returned safely to port with. Great insight into U-Boat enlisted man training and service at sea.

"U-Boat versus Aircraft" by Noramn Franks and Erik Zimmerman". Grub Street, London1998. Very intersting research into the action where U-Boats fought it out with A.A. on the surface. Lots of action in this book!

"Fips Legendary U-Boat Commander 1915-1918" by Werner Furbringer. Pen and Sword Books U.K. 1999. English translation of the German edition of the story of Fips U-Boat service in WWI. On U-20 as Ist WO and later Commander UC-17, UC-70. Very unusual to get a complete first hand account of WWI U-boat command.

" World War I VERSCHOLLEN, U-Boat Losses" By Dwight R. Messimer. USNI Press 2002. Latest research into all U-Boat losses in WWI. Shows well the allies trying of every method know to man to sink a uboat!

"The Merchant U-Boat, adventures of the Deutshland 1916-1918" by Dwight R. Messimer. Again an unusual tale of adventure in trying to get a U-Boat merchant service going, and later use as a ocean U-Crusier.

"Find and Destroy, antisubmarine warfare in WWI, by Dwight R. Messimer. USNI Press 2001. The story of all know methods to wage anti submarine warfare in WWI. Some rather strange and desparate attempts to control the U-boat early on.

That's my collection, I'de like to hear from others what good U-Boat books they have read. It's always nice to hear from others and expand my collection if possible.

Bob B.

Apart from quite a few that you quoted on your post I also recommend (History) John Terraine book: Business in Great Waters - The U-boat Wars, 1916-1945.

_________________
"Build few and build fast,
Each one better than the last"
John Fisher

Bob I'm not a U-boat man but I have quite a few books as I buy what I can on the DKM.

Without going through the library the only other ones which spring to mind are Breyer's other A4 sized softbacks designed for the modeller, I have one on the Type XXI and there might be more I forget.

for History don't forget Blairs two volume work "Hitlers U-Boat War".
This is probably the most detailed history you will find.
In German there are also some interesting books to be had.
Roessler has a (fairly) new book on the development of Torpedoes in German service, at the moment I have only seen it in German.
Stern has a book on the type VII which is also quite good.

Terry

Filipe,
Thanks for reminding me of Terraine's book "Business in Great Waters". I did read that years back, I think I sold it when I was building a new house and wanted to let a few things go before the move. Anyways, he had some very good insights into the two U-Boats wars. He was able to see the big picture and make some new points on allied and German actions.

Laurence,
You know for years I was mostly interested in the Royal Navy's ASW and convoy escort war. But with time I got interested in the other side's perspective on it all. Now I am looking for good books on the German WWI submarine campaign. My last visit to the IWM, I was able to find a large collection of photos of R.N. Sloops, Trawlers and USN Destroyers their crews and equipment from the 1914-18 period. Was interesting. I would like to find the photos of German Submarines surrendered in 1919, but haven't got that far yet. ANother trip to London maybe?

Terry,
Yes, I've heard of Clair's two volumes. Since you recommend them, I will get copies. Do you happen to know if their exists any German or English detailed accounts about the War Patrols of the German type XXIII's in Feb-April 45? These Electro-boats had only a few patrols and with only two torpedos each, they could only make a handful of kills. It's always said they were not significant due to lack of time left to deploy more boats. But the fact that they all achived success in heavily patroled inshore waters and that they all returned safely to port in the face of massive anti submarine forces surfaceship and aircraft shows that they were tuely good enough to put the U-Boat inshore campaign back on track. Of course the ocean going Electo-boats didn't get even that chance. But I'de sure like to read what the crews of the active XXIII's experienced in their successful war patrols.

Bob B.

more history books :
Wynn, U-Boat Operations of the Second World War, Chatham Press
Its a 2 Volume sett, Vol 1 covers U-1 to U-510, and Vol 2 covers U-511 to UIT-25.

HMSO, The U-Boat War in the Atlantic 1939 - 1945, author is Dönitz's son-in-law Günter Hessler.
useful maps.

Rössler wrote a book about the Type XXIII, but that was back in 1967 !, and I have not seen it. You may still be able to get it through Abe Books.

From Wynn's listings, I have compiled that of the 61 completed boats from 95 begun/280 ordered, 6 made Wartime patrols which sunk 4 ships (total 7392 tons) and damaged 1.

Hope that helps
Terry

Yes thanks Terry, I believe I do have the HMSO "U-Boat War in the Atlantic 1939-45" It was stored away in a box with alot of other books of mine. Will, have to take the time to read it now! Thanks for the info on the type XXIIIs. I have been looking for anything I can find on them, especially the experinces of the crews operating them during the 6 war patrols they made. I did find some things in V.E. Tarrant's "The Last Year of the Krigsmarine" Arms and Armour Press UK 1994. He mentions all the XXIII boats that operated, the first being U2324 in Jan-Feb. failing to hit anything due to torpedo gyro failures. But according to Tarrant the captain of U2324 had this to say about the new boat. 'An ideal boat for operations of short duration in costal waters, fast, handy easy to handel when submerged and offering a small target and little chance of location by radar. The enemy merely has a "hunch" that there's a boat somewhere, rather than clear proof of it's presence or any precise indication of it's position". I would expect that Tarrant gathered his information from Rössler's book on the type XXIII that you mentioned. I'll do a search to see if I can get a copy.

Bob B.