"Heads" in T-, G- and Balao-classes

[Rosencrantz]

Does anyone know, how the heads (toilets) worked in Tambor-, Gato- and Balao-class boats? Basicly I'm just looking for info about how deep the boat could go before it was unpossible for the crew to use the heads? I remember in U-boats it was about 25 meters when you couldn't use toilets anymore. Just curiouse, because I'm use to take these kind of details in consideration when planning my patrol procedures and daily routines. ;)


-RC-

[trimzeke]

Here ya go, hope this helps...http://www.hnsa.org/doc/fleetsub/chap9.htm

trimzeke

[Rosencrantz]

Yep, the link you send me is a great source if one is studing old fleet boats. Still you can't find any info about how deep you can (could) use the heads. Or does this mean there were not any limits like in the u-boats? Better equipment in US Navy?


:hmm:


-RC-

[tater]

Interesting question. FWIW, Fleet Boats were designed around doctrine that held that subs were terribly vulnerable to aircraft, even at PD. Standard practice was running at least 100ft down during daylight before the war, so I'd imagine they'd work.

tater

[MONOLITH]

to take these kind of details in consideration when planning my patrol procedures and daily routines. ;)


-RC-

Ahhh. Another true realism player. Sitting there at 1x patrols for nights on end, a red light bulb on his desk lamp.

Why do I have this funny image of him squirming in his PC chair...

"Dear, what's the matter?"

"I really have to pee."

"Well, then go..."

"I can't. I'm at 100 feet!"


:up:

[GT182]

to take these kind of details in consideration when planning my patrol procedures and daily routines. ;)


-RC-

Ahhh. Another true realism player. Sitting there at 1x patrols for nights on end, a red light bulb on his desk lamp.

Why do I have this funny image of him squirming in his PC chair...

"Dear, what's the matter?"

"I really have to pee."

"Well, then go..."

"I can't. I'm at 100 feet!"


:up:

LMFAO... that is realism. :rotfl: Only to end up with wet pants and soaked chair. :rotfl:

[Sailor Steve]

Remember the guy in the extended version of Das Boot, peeing in the can while standing in the control room? Then the depth charges go off again?:damn: :oops:

[Jmack]

bucket ...

[Snowman999]

Yep, the link you send me is a great source if one is studing old fleet boats. Still you can't find any info about how deep you can (could) use the heads. Or does this mean there were not any limits like in the u-boats? Better equipment in US Navy?


:hmm:


-RC-

The link provided answers your question.

Some heads emptied into sanitary tanks that were blown dry when full, usually surfaced. At any depth these heads were available.

Two other heads, forward crew's and maneuvering, were direct blow heads using LP air (225PSI) to flush each load. You can do the depth math against 225PSi; the head needed sea pressure plus 10PSI to clean out. My math is rusty, but I think it's about one atmosphere (14PSI~) per 44 ft. of depth.

USN head tech was far in advance of the U-boats'. It's why we won of course . . .

[Snowman999]

Remember the guy in the extended version of Das Boot, peeing in the can while standing in the control room? Then the depth charges go off again?:damn: :oops:

They were at battlestations at the time if memory serves.

I took an old gallon milk jug on watch in the DOOW chair on the mids early in the patrol, before the goat locker got in the habit of piss reliefs for the Dive. I know more than one OOD who relieved himself down the periscope well when rigged for black at PD, again, on the midwatch. Seven to ten cups of coffee in six hours--when ya gotta go ya gotta go.

[Fearless]

Remember the guy in the extended version of Das Boot, peeing in the can while standing in the control room? Then the depth charges go off again?:damn: :oops:

Yeah I remember that :lol: But for me a can wouldn't be big enough :lol:

[Rosencrantz]

Ahhh. Another true realism player. Sitting there at 1x patrols for nights on end, a red light bulb on his desk lamp.

Why do I have this funny image of him squirming in his PC chair...

"Dear, what's the matter?"

"I really have to pee."

"Well, then go..."

"I can't. I'm at 100 feet!"


:up:


HAA HAA, Monolith! :lol:

Actually I'm NOT driving 1x all the time, but 256 is usually top speed for me. Usually it takes me several weeks to end a patrol, because I use to do trim dives, calculations for days run etc.
Boring very often but at least you can imagine what is was in RL... And when you finally find some action... That's something!

[Rosencrantz]

Hello snowman!


The link provided answers your question.

Some heads emptied into sanitary tanks that were blown dry when full, usually surfaced. At any depth these heads were available.

Two other heads, forward crew's and maneuvering, were direct blow heads using LP air (225PSI) to flush each load. You can do the depth math against 225PSi; the head needed sea pressure plus 10PSI to clean out. My math is rusty, but I think it's about one atmosphere (14PSI~) per 44 ft. of depth.

USN head tech was far in advance of the U-boats'. It's why we won of course . . .


You are dmn right! I didn't read the source careful at all! Thanks to show me the way! :up:


-RC-

[MONOLITH]

Only to end up with wet pants and soaked chair. :rotfl:


"Heavy Flooding Sir!"



:smug:

[Sailor Steve]

I know more than one OOD who relieved himself down the periscope well when rigged for black at PD, again, on the midwatch. Seven to ten cups of coffee in six hours--when ya gotta go ya gotta go.
I'd hate to be the swab who had to clean that up.

[MRV]

Yep, the link you send me is a great source if one is studing old fleet boats. Still you can't find any info about how deep you can (could) use the heads. Or does this mean there were not any limits like in the u-boats? Better equipment in US Navy?


:hmm:


-RC-
The link provided answers your question.

Some heads emptied into sanitary tanks that were blown dry when full, usually surfaced. At any depth these heads were available.

Two other heads, forward crew's and maneuvering, were direct blow heads using LP air (225PSI) to flush each load. You can do the depth math against 225PSi; the head needed sea pressure plus 10PSI to clean out. My math is rusty, but I think it's about one atmosphere (14PSI~) per 44 ft. of depth.

USN head tech was far in advance of the U-boats'. It's why we won of course . . .


In the german armes forces it was also common practice to reduce crew comfort in favour of more battle effectivity. At the Battleships, crew quarters were placed where they were the first to be torn apart by enemy gunfire, protecting the more vital areas of the ship. Same applied for U-Boats, smaller, one toilet full of food at the beginning of a patrol for example.....and all that because of a stronger pressure hull, thats why they could dive so deep. The heroic german sleeps at the deck and pees in buckets! Now this is sacrifice for the fatherland. ;)

[Snowman999]

I know more than one OOD who relieved himself down the periscope well when rigged for black at PD, again, on the midwatch. Seven to ten cups of coffee in six hours--when ya gotta go ya gotta go.
I'd hate to be the swab who had to clean that up.

Scope wells drain directly into bilge sumps, out through drain pump. No human hands involved. Even well-maintained scope seals leak at PD; rivulets of water running down the scope barrel into the well.

[Snowman999]

In the german armes forces it was also common practice to reduce crew comfort in favour of more battle effectivity. At the Battleships, crew quarters were placed where they were the first to be torn apart by enemy gunfire, protecting the more vital areas of the ship. Same applied for U-Boats, smaller, one toilet full of food at the beginning of a patrol for example.....and all that because of a stronger pressure hull, thats why they could dive so deep. The heroic german sleeps at the deck and pees in buckets! Now this is sacrifice for the fatherland. ;)


Overall I think the USN philosophy of taking care of highly-trained crew showed the superiority of that system. Men will fight harder if they think their leaders care about their lives. (See: Battle of Salamis.)

[Vanilla]

If I remember correctly there was one German U-boot that sank because somebody operated 'head's' valves in wrong order while submerged.... :oops:

[antikristuseke]

One german U-boot did indeed sink due to a malfunctioning head, though i cant remember the suposed circumstances at this moment, tis 6am here and allmost time to go to work so no time to check either.

[Vanilla]

...Same applied for U-Boats, smaller, one toilet full of food at the beginning of a patrol for example.....and all that because of a stronger pressure hull, thats why they could dive so deep. The heroic german sleeps at the deck and pees in buckets! Now this is sacrifice for the fatherland. ;)
As I recall there were two toilets in U-boots, it is the forward toilet that was typically stuffed with food in the beginning of a patrol, but the aft one remained functional. Thus U-boots really were less comfortable but not to such extent that they had to p in a bucket.