What Real Subs have you been on?

[howler93]

U-505 in Chicago when I was a kid. I had just seen Das Boot and I was totally in awe.

[AntEater]

Museum Subs:
U 995
U 9 (postwar)
U 1 (WW1) but only looked at it from the side
U 2541/Wilhelm Bauer
USS Clamagore
USS Torsk
USS Growler (Regulus SSGN)
Assorted Seehunds and Bibers in Museums


Active subs:
U 21 (was active then)
U 15
USS Scranton (shortly only)

[pugwash1]

you know you are getting old when the subs you list as being on when they were active are listed by others as museum ships! those Poor old royal navy diesels were my first warships I ever visited as a Young boy, I would jump on two double decker buses to the Manchester ship canal (Salford docks UK) everytime the navy was in!

[Bubblehead Nuke]

USS Drum - Multiple visits over the years
USS Key West (served on one 688, Seen them all)
NR-1 (a VERY interesting tour thanks to an old friend)
Canadian Oberon boat in Halafax
Norwegian Coastal Sub (dang that thing was SMALL!)
A British SSN (don't remember the class)

I wish I could remember all the names but in reality, it was more of a professional interest of the foriegn boats. I was more interested in the layouts and how they crammed all the essensial stuff in the hull.

[GunnerGreg]

Originally Posted by pugwash1

you know you are getting old when the subs you list as being on when they were active are listed by others as museum ships!

I hear you. Every ship I ever sailed on, both USN and Merchant, except one, is no longer around. The one exception is USS Antietam (CG-54).

In fact, my VERY first training ship as a Midshipman at the Texas Maritime Academy was just sunk as a reef...

(USTS Texas Clipper, ex-SS Excambion, ex-USS Queens (APA-103))

You never forget your first ship.

[Blacklight]

This is going back many years but I was lucky enough to have a gamer friend who also worked on the USS San Juan. One day, while I was visiting him in New London (CT) in the afternoon (we were going to be going to see a show at a local club that night), he had to stop by the sub base in Groton to get something (I think it was a paycheck or some paperwork or something).
Anyway.. after he got whatever it was that he had to get, he took me over to his sub and gave me a guided tour of most of it (all the cool spots: Command Room, Engine Room, Torpedo Room, Weapon Fireing room in the front of the torpedo room, Mess Hall, Crews quarters...etc..). I got to see most of the inside except where he worked which was behind a door that said something like Authorised Personel Only or something like that and had a radiation or something sign on it. I don't know where it led to but it was a door in the back of the command room to the left of the radio room.
This is also how I was able to notice that in Janes 688i Hunterkiller (I played that a lot back then), when you first run the game and get the cinematic of flying through the command room, they got the helm station all wrong.
I also have seen every pannel that you see in 688i HK, Sub Command, and Dangerous Waters actually in the sub... so every time I see one of those panel screens, I flashback and know exactly where in the sub I am. I was really surprised at how teeny the radar screen actually is. You'd have to really have good eyesight to spot a blip on that thing.
I couldn't believe the bunks. It would be impossible to sleep on your side in one of them because they were stacked so close together.
The real highlight of the tour was that I actually had the opportunity to use a REAL SUBMARINE BATHROOM while I was there.

My friend DID get a little talking to later from the captain on duty the next day or so about giving me the tour in his shorts however(The tour was kind of unplanned). Hehehe. Apparently they weren't happy with having a crewmember on board wearing shorts and a T-shirt giving a tour to a civilian.

Ironically, my friend didn't like 688i Hunterkiller. He said he had more than his fill of submarines and didn't need any more.

[SmokinTep]

Suprised they let you go back aft to the engine room. Usually, they don't let tourists etc go past the reactor tunnel. Usually the tour is in the fwd part of the boat.

You think a 688 control room is awesome, you should see the Virginia Class control room. Freakin awesome. No more helmsman and planesman stations or control columns. Now have a "pilot" who operates the planes/rudder with a joystick and all indications are on touch screen computer screens. Also, no more hanging on to the scope like in the old days, now have photonics periscopes.

[Degenhart]

U-461 (Russian Juliett-Class) in Peenemünde , Germany
U-434 (Russian Tango-Class) in Hamburg, Germany
U-359 (Russian Whiskey-Class) in Nakskov, Denmark

U-995 (German WWII Type VIIC) in Laboe, Germany
U-2540 (German WWII Type XXI) in Bremerhafen
U-9 (German Type 205) in Speyer, Germany
U-11 (German Type 206a) in Burgstaaken/Fehmarn, Germany
U-10 (German Type 205) in Wilhelmshaven, Germany

HMS Otus (British Oberon-Class) in Sassnitz/Rügen, Germany

AND the original Film-Set U-Boat of the famous german Film "Das Boot"

[Detonator]

U-534 and HMS Onyx

Some of my U-534 pictures are in the Gallery of www.uboat.net

[M. Sarsfield]

- USS Lionfish in Battlehsip Cove, MA in 1991
- Sturgeon class attack sub at Groton, CT in 1991 (I don't remember the name of the boat)
- USS Requin in Pittsburgh, PA (two or three visits in the '90's)
- USS Torsk in Baltimore, MD (two visits - last one being in 2004)
- USS Batfish in Muskogee, OK (I'll be visiting her for the first time this weekend, but as a reenactor. They're holding tours on Friday and Saturday to raise money for her restoration and they want living historians manning certain stations. I'll be assigned to either the radar or radio station.)

[AVGWarhawk]

Originally Posted by COWBOY10

You got a deal mate, My wife wants to do the aquarium anyway, So I think thats my opening, come on love Lets go and do what you want, OH look theres a sub Think she will fall for it. I'll P.M. you closer to the time when i have my dates all booked. See you next yr

If I spit hard enough from the Torsk's bridge I can hit the aquarium walls. Anyway, the aquarium opens I believe at 10 or 11. Usually it is best to buy your tickets in advance as they schedule entry every 15 minutes. Essentially, you could arrive at 0900 and not get tickets for entry until 1 pm Get your tickets online for the opening time. Arrive early and come aboard the Torsk while you wait for the aquarium to open. There is a method to the maddness!!!! Plan your work and work your plan!!!

[wild bill]

I've been on the USS LING, USS Hardhead, USS TUSK, USS Scorpion, USS Growler, USS Sturgeon. With the exception of the Growler, All were seen in 1968. Almost made the Becuna back then too.

wild bill

[rasmus1896]

only been on one sub. the Lembit-its been 71 years from its launch and she's still floating.

too bad shes not a real hunter sub. more like a mine layer...

[sunvalleyslim]

Served on the USS Segundo SS398
been on a tour of the Pompanito
been aboard a British Diesel boat in '69.....can't remember name
been aboard a Japanese Diesel Boat in '68...can't remember name
toured a Russian Diesel Boat in Long Beach Ca.

[Ping Jockey]

In 1954 as a Cub Scout went on a tour of a diesel boat in Long Beach,Ca. I can't remember the name of it but it was really neat to a troop of 8 year olds.