Editing Battle of the Atlantic (section)

===Leigh Light===
{{Main|Leigh Light}}

[[File:Leigh Light.jpg|upright|thumb|[[Leigh Light]] fitted to a Royal Air Force Coastal Command Liberator, 26 February 1944]]
Detection by radar-equipped aircraft could suppress U-boat activity over a wide area, but an aircraft attack could only be successful with good visibility. U-boats were relatively safe from aircraft at night for two reasons: 1) radar then in use could not detect them at less than {{convert|1|mile|km}}; 2) flares deployed to illuminate any attack gave adequate warning for evasive manoeuvres. The introduction of the [[Leigh Light]] by the British in January 1942 solved the second problem, thereby becoming a significant factor in the Battle for the Atlantic. Developed by RAF officer [[Humphrey de Verd Leigh|H. Leigh]], it was a powerful and controllable searchlight mounted primarily to [[Vickers Wellington|Wellington bombers]] and B-24 Liberators. These aircraft first located enemy submarines using [[air-to-surface-vessel radar|air-to-surface-vessel (ASV) radar]]. Then, about {{convert|1|mile|km}} from the target, the Leigh Light would be switched on. It immediately and accurately illuminated the enemy, giving U-boat commanders less than 25&nbsp;seconds to react before they were attacked with depth charges. The first confirmed kill using this technology was ''U-502'' on 5 July 1942.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|url=http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/weapons_leigh_light.html|title=Leigh Light|last=Rickard|first=J|date=1 June 2007|website=History of War|access-date=16 February 2017}}</ref>

The Leigh Light enabled the British to attack enemy subs on the surface at night, forcing German and Italian commanders to remain underwater especially when coming into port at sub bases in the Bay of Biscay.<ref name=":0" /> U-boat commanders who survived such attacks reported a particular fear of this weapon since aircraft could not be seen at night, and the noise of an approaching aircraft was inaudible above the sound of the sub's engines. The common practice of surfacing at night to recharge batteries and refresh air was mostly abandoned as it was safer to perform these tasks during daylight hours when enemy planes could be spotted.