N N 3.

This is coolbert:

Pitch, roll, yaw!

The French submarine Robert Surcouf [N N 3]. French naval vessel from the inter-war era [WW1 and WW2], at the time the LARGEST submarine in the world.

With an unconventional mission. A submarine designed primarily to engage enemy targets using naval gunfire! Organic dual 203 mm [eight inch] naval guns with extraordinary range. A formidable capability. Surcouf the mission as envisioned as a commerce raider, destroy enemy merchant shipping.

That mission of Surcouf commensurate with the French naval doctrine of Jeune Ecole from the era of the late Nineteenth Century?

"Surcouf . . . an 'underwater heavy cruiser', intended to seek and engage in surface combat"

Ability of those big-bore naval guns to successfully destroy targets inhibited by a variety of factors to include:

* "Because of the low height of the rangefinder above the water surface, the practical range of fire was 12,000 m[eters] . . . well below the normal maximum of 26,000 m[eters] (28,000 yd)."

* "The duration between the surface order and the first firing round was 3 minutes and 35 seconds."

* "Firing had to occur at a precise moment of pitch [up/down motion] and roll [side to side motion] when the ship was level."

* "Training the turret to either side was limited to when the ship rolled 8° or less."

* "Surcouf was not equipped to fire at night"

* "The mounts were designed to fire 14 rounds from each gun before their magazines were reloaded."

Sailors have their own words for pitch, roll and yaw. Gunners firing the eight inch [203 mm] guns of the Surcouf their primary concern the surge and sway.

Surcouf also able to attack targets in the manner of a conventional submarine attack, using torpedoes of either 400 mm [16 inches] or 550 mm [22 inches] diameter. Unconventional sized torpedoes for a conventional type of naval warfare. Do it the French way I guess.

coolbert.