Depth gauge units in WWII US submarines

[Xaron]

Hi all,

we develop a submarine game for mobile devices and actually I scratch my head about the used units in the depth gauges of the balao class subs for instance.

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e53/klehmann/DSC04190sm.jpg

I always thought they where measured in feet but the picture above shows values up to 165 which is more likely that they used fathoms?

Thanks for any hints!

[BossMark]

According to the link the Balao class sub had test depth of 400 ft so I would say the gauge is in feet :hmm2:


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balao_class_submarine

[BrucePartington]

Hi all,

we develop a submarine game for mobile devices and actually I scratch my head about the used units in the depth gauges of the balao class subs for instance.

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e53/klehmann/DSC04190sm.jpg

I always thought they where measured in feet but the picture above shows values up to 165 which is more likely that they used fathoms?

Thanks for any hints!
If I understand correctly you are confused because the test depth of, say, a Balao, is 400 ft, and this gauge reads max 165 ft.
In fact they had two gauges. One for "shallow" depth and another for "deep" depth.
The one in this photo is the "shallow" gauge, usefull for precise control of the sub's depth when very close to the surface. Upon diving deep, the other gauge is the one to read, as this one will be on the limit of its reading.

[Xaron]

Thanks guys for the clarification! I guess fathoms are not used for depth gauges at all?

[Schroeder]

There are two types of depth gauges on US submarines. One with a scale of 165 feet for accurate readings and another one that goes down to ca. 600 feet or so, I don't remember it exactly. (Silent Hunter IV players know what I mean).
And yes, it's feet.

*Edit*
Here is a picture from the Pampanito:
http://foto.arcor-online.net/palb/alben/54/1012554/3061643931666638.jpg
The two shallow depth gauges are the outer ones and the deep depth gauge is in the center (unfortunately partly obscured by the ladder).

[fireftr18]

165 fathoms = 990 feet. WOO-HOO!! :Kaleun_Cheers:

[Ducimus]

Here's a picture I took on board the USS Bowfin in 2011.
The edges of the cropped guage's on the far left and right in this picture are the same shallow depth guages as displayed in the original post.
I have another zoomed in picture of the middle depth guage if needed.
http://www.ducimus.net/sh415/bowfin_depth_guage.JPG

[Bilge_Rat]

The gauge is in feet, the shallow one at 165 and the deep one at 450 or 600 feet.

The 450 gauge was standard early/mid war altough you could still find it on many subs in 1945. The 600 came in mid war as standard equipment on newer subs, although it seems to also have been retrofitted on older subs as well.