First time inside a submarine - changed my perspective

Wizz · 02-20-16, 02:23 AM

Hi all,

I wanted to share this experience.

I went through HMAS Onslow (Oberon class - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMAS_Onslow) this week (she's docked in Sydney Harbour on display), and I was simply amazed at just how confined it felt being inside.

This might sound strange and even obvious to say, and as a long time fan of submarine warfare history I certainly didn't think it would be capacious, but the feeling inside was amazing, and has really given me a new perspective. I personally have no issue with confined spaces, but how you could hold your nerve in a cramped diesel-electric under sustained depth charging.

I don't post a lot here, but I thought this experience was worth sharing. Has anyone else had similar experiences?

ExFishermanBob · 02-20-16, 03:26 AM

I had a similar one on HMS Belfast - when down in the engine room I realised just how far it was to the top deck if one needed to abandon ship. Made me appreciate just how scared one would be (well, I would be) working and waiting for a torpedo impact.

Commander Wallace · 02-20-16, 04:42 AM

I had the chance to visit a Tench Class American Submarine. As you said, the living conditions are close and spartan. I'm sure everyone would agree that the crews that manned these vessels were a special breed. I think everyone who visits a Sub, especially a WW2 era diesel electric sub has an appreciation for the crews fortitude and dedication with regards to their living conditions.

Glad you got a chance to visit HMAS Onslow. Glad to also have you aboard Subsim and please post more.

Wizz · 02-20-16, 05:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Commander Wallace

I'm sure everyone would agree that the crews that manned these vessels were a special breed.

Glad you got a chance to visit HMAS Onslow. Glad to also have you aboard Subsim and please post more.

Amen to the special breed. It might sound trite, but I was about
to buy dolphin badge cuff links at the gift shop (I've never served in the Navy) and thought it was borderline inappropriate to wear them; if even discretely. I appreciate what dolphins mean to those who have earned them, so I happily settled on some nice anchors. Sometimes I wonder if I joined the wrong service!

Thanks for the encouragement Wallace! I like to quietly lurk within the forums, and have done so over a few handles since 2003. I do appreciate the dignified pace of the attendees here, and love being a part of it. What a great group!

Dan D · 02-20-16, 05:45 AM

Well, the fantastic Danish hosts of the last intercontinental subsim meeting in Copenhagen/Denmark made it possible for us attending members to actually dive in a privately built submarine, the legendary UC3 Nautilus
http://uc3nautilus.dk/

I remember doing the first dive with Peter Madsen, Neal Stevens and Limkol.

When the hatches got closed, I felt like „omg, i don't want people to read in the news about me tomorrow „tragic indicent: subsim nerds accidently killed themselves in Copenhagen harbour with real submarine (Darwin award)“ or „day 3: rescue team about to make contact with crew of submarine“.

I even called my wife from inside the sub to tell her what I was about to do, and to say good-bye to her, just in case, later I forgot to call her back because I was so excited.

After closing the hatches (manholes), the ballast tanks were flooded with water and so we went down stern first, it was a trim dive, until we hit the harbour ground. There we sat for a while. Thankfully, we had compressed air onboard to blow the ballast tanks to pop up again.

The moment when I realised that the submarine came off the harbour ground and with its 40 tons weight was slowly hovering in the water, was a relief.

The sound and the feeling from the diesel engine running was great, too. The smell of fresh air and the sunshine was even greater.

@Horsa has documented the dives on video. May be, he or somebody else can repost them.

Oberon · 02-20-16, 06:46 AM

They're not the most spacious of boats the Oberons, makes you realise what the early WWI and WWII submarine crews went through in even smaller boats!
Getting through the hatches between compartments is fun too, our guide demonstrated the traditional swing through, I decided to wuss out and went through sideways.
But yes, a special breed of men, and indeed women in this modern era.

McBeck · 02-20-16, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan D

Well, the fantastic Danish hosts of the last intercontinental subsim meeting in Copenhagen/Denmark made it possible for us attending members to actually dive in a privately built submarine, the legendary UC3 Nautilus
http://uc3nautilus.dk/

I remember doing the first dive with Peter Madsen, Neal Stevens and Limkol.

When the hatches got closed, I felt like „omg, i don't want people to read in the news about me tomorrow „tragic indicent: subsim nerds accidently killed themselves in Copenhagen harbour with real submarine (Darwin award)“ or „day 3: rescue team about to make contact with crew of submarine“.

I even called my wife from inside the sub to tell her what I was about to do, and to say good-bye to her, just in case, later I forgot to call her back because I was so excited.

After closing the hatches (manholes), the ballast tanks were flooded with water and so we went down stern first, it was a trim dive, until we hit the harbour ground. There we sat for a while. Thankfully, we had compressed air onboard to blow the ballast tanks to pop up again.

The moment when I realised that the submarine came off the harbour ground and with its 40 tons weight was slowly hovering in the water, was a relief.

The sound and the feeling from the diesel engine running was great, too. The smell of fresh air and the sunshine was even greater.

@Horsa has documented the dives on video. May be, he or somebody else can repost them.

Yes, that Subsim meeting will always be special for me and it was an honour to host it and be able to give you guys a real experience in a submarine diving.

If we are lucky, Nautilus will be back in the water this year - Follow her on Facebook.

Heres a video of that day

Bilge_Rat · 02-21-16, 04:29 PM

I visited the U.S.S. Bowfin (Balao class) at Pearl Harbour and had the same thought. It has basically the same total area as a mid size family home, but packed with machinery, instruments, torpedoes and 80 men for 2-3 months at a time. Not a place to be claustrophobic.

02-20-16, 02:23 AM	#1
Wizz Watch Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 21 Downloads: 35 Uploads: 0	First time inside a submarine - changed my perspective Hi all, I wanted to share this experience. I went through HMAS Onslow (Oberon class - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMAS_Onslow) this week (she's docked in Sydney Harbour on display), and I was simply amazed at just how confined it felt being inside. This might sound strange and even obvious to say, and as a long time fan of submarine warfare history I certainly didn't think it would be capacious, but the feeling inside was amazing, and has really given me a new perspective. I personally have no issue with confined spaces, but how you could hold your nerve in a cramped diesel-electric under sustained depth charging. I don't post a lot here, but I thought this experience was worth sharing. Has anyone else had similar experiences?

02-20-16, 05:45 AM	#5
Dan D Grey Wolf Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: 9th Flotilla Posts: 839 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Well, the fantastic Danish hosts of the last intercontinental subsim meeting in Copenhagen/Denmark made it possible for us attending members to actually dive in a privately built submarine, the legendary UC3 Nautilus http://uc3nautilus.dk/ I remember doing the first dive with Peter Madsen, Neal Stevens and Limkol. When the hatches got closed, I felt like „omg, i don't want people to read in the news about me tomorrow „tragic indicent: subsim nerds accidently killed themselves in Copenhagen harbour with real submarine (Darwin award)“ or „day 3: rescue team about to make contact with crew of submarine“. I even called my wife from inside the sub to tell her what I was about to do, and to say good-bye to her, just in case, later I forgot to call her back because I was so excited. After closing the hatches (manholes), the ballast tanks were flooded with water and so we went down stern first, it was a trim dive, until we hit the harbour ground. There we sat for a while. Thankfully, we had compressed air onboard to blow the ballast tanks to pop up again. The moment when I realised that the submarine came off the harbour ground and with its 40 tons weight was slowly hovering in the water, was a relief. The sound and the feeling from the diesel engine running was great, too. The smell of fresh air and the sunshine was even greater. @Horsa has documented the dives on video. May be, he or somebody else can repost them. __________________

02-21-16, 04:29 PM	#8
Bilge_Rat Silent Hunter Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: standing watch... Posts: 3,793 Downloads: 344 Uploads: 0	I visited the U.S.S. Bowfin (Balao class) at Pearl Harbour and had the same thought. It has basically the same total area as a mid size family home, but packed with machinery, instruments, torpedoes and 80 men for 2-3 months at a time. Not a place to be claustrophobic. __________________

02-20-16, 03:26 AM	#2
ExFishermanBob Difficulties Numbing Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: AN19 Posts: 470 Downloads: 43 Uploads: 0	I had a similar one on HMS Belfast - when down in the engine room I realised just how far it was to the top deck if one needed to abandon ship. Made me appreciate just how scared one would be (well, I would be) working and waiting for a torpedo impact.

02-20-16, 04:42 AM	#3
Commander Wallace Navy Seal Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Under the sea in an Octupus garden in the shade Posts: 5,017 Downloads: 360 Uploads: 0	I had the chance to visit a Tench Class American Submarine. As you said, the living conditions are close and spartan. I'm sure everyone would agree that the crews that manned these vessels were a special breed. I think everyone who visits a Sub, especially a WW2 era diesel electric sub has an appreciation for the crews fortitude and dedication with regards to their living conditions. Glad you got a chance to visit HMAS Onslow. Glad to also have you aboard Subsim and please post more.

02-20-16, 06:46 AM	#6
Oberon Lucky Jack Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 25,976 Downloads: 61 Uploads: 20	They're not the most spacious of boats the Oberons, makes you realise what the early WWI and WWII submarine crews went through in even smaller boats! Getting through the hatches between compartments is fun too, our guide demonstrated the traditional swing through, I decided to wuss out and went through sideways. But yes, a special breed of men, and indeed women in this modern era.