Balao vs Type IX submarine.... - Aircraft of World War II

Lucky13 · 07-10-2007, 11:51 AM

Which is/was the better submarine?

SoD Stitch · 07-10-2007, 01:56 PM

Um, since I don't even know what a "Balao" type submarine is, I'd have to go with the Type IX.

Denniss · 07-11-2007, 08:08 AM

Balao should be an improved Gato class US submarine. Probably the Balao was better than the IX but that may depend on the IX subversion.

Balao class submarine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

delcyros · 07-14-2007, 07:32 AM

The only real advantage the Type IX has over the Balao is the larger crushing depth. If I had to choose for one type raiding merchant lanes, I would choose the Balao-class.

Denniss · 07-15-2007, 08:31 PM

If comparing Balao to type IX we should use at least the type IXC/40 or better the IXD2, to use boat types of the same era. The IXC/40 has about 3000nm more range, the IXD2 about 13000nm (other sources set IXD2 to 30000 nm at 10 knots) more range.
It has less torpedo tubes but the same amount of torpedoes stored (24). Speed is a little lower in the IX. The IX was not as large as the Balao and needed a lot less crew (~60 to ~85).

For extreme long range patrols the IX was better than the Balao.

07-10-2007, 11:51 AM	#1
Lucky13 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: A Swede living in Glasgow, Scotland Posts: 15,128	Balao vs Type IX submarine.... Which is/was the better submarine? __________________ JAN "Felicis Tredecim" "I´m going back to the front to relax" "THE BLACK CATS FLIES TONIGHT" "Find your enemy and shoot him down - everything else is unimportant!" "When you're out of F-8's... You're out of fighters!"

07-14-2007, 07:32 AM	#4
delcyros Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Berlin (Kreuzberg) Posts: 1,726	The only real advantage the Type IX has over the Balao is the larger crushing depth. If I had to choose for one type raiding merchant lanes, I would choose the Balao-class. __________________ ---delcyros---

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07-10-2007, 01:56 PM	#2
SoD Stitch Banned Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Pine Mountain Lake, California Posts: 981	Um, since I don't even know what a "Balao" type submarine is, I'd have to go with the Type IX.

07-11-2007, 08:08 AM	#3
Denniss Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 117	Balao should be an improved Gato class US submarine. Probably the Balao was better than the IX but that may depend on the IX subversion. Balao class submarine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

07-15-2007, 08:31 PM	#5
Denniss Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 117	If comparing Balao to type IX we should use at least the type IXC/40 or better the IXD2, to use boat types of the same era. The IXC/40 has about 3000nm more range, the IXD2 about 13000nm (other sources set IXD2 to 30000 nm at 10 knots) more range. It has less torpedo tubes but the same amount of torpedoes stored (24). Speed is a little lower in the IX. The IX was not as large as the Balao and needed a lot less crew (~60 to ~85). For extreme long range patrols the IX was better than the Balao.