Top Gear: Albanian episode
 

Last week BBC America aired the Top Gear Albanian episode. I enjoyed it especially when they showed the Cold War era military machines. One of their stops was to an old sub base. Clarkson was walking around on a very rusty, old sub. I was wondering, does anyone know what kind of subs those were?

I didn't see the episode but where these it?
http://img809.imageshack.us/img809/5...b5c853928b.jpg
Those are whiskeys.

I just tracked down that episode online and yea its the old Whiskeys parked at Porto Palermo Submarine Base.

Holy s**t they're in bad shape.:o

Some interesting photos on Albanian bunkers in general:
http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums...the-First-Post)

Money well spent :o

That they are. Originally they were Soviet Navy boats assigned to that base but Albania left the Warsaw Pact and seized the Submarines. China then helped keep the subs running and helped build that base with the big sub bunker tunnel.

Here are a few more recent Albanian Navy Photos:
http://img715.imageshack.us/img715/9528/alb01.jpg
http://img824.imageshack.us/img824/2067/alb02.jpg
http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/5452/alb03.jpg
http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/2071/alb04.jpg

Why don't they just sell them for scrap? Someone might even give them a few hundred bucks for them.
Those things will definitely not put out to sea again (at least not until someone decides to scuttle them there).

It's going to take a lot of work to refurbish one of those rust buckets to even museum quality again. They are in about as sad of shape as I have ever seen.

I guess you've never seen the Whiskey Grave Yard:
http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/1...keywrecks1.jpg
http://img543.imageshack.us/img543/4...ywrecksbig.jpg
http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/8...keywrecks2.jpg
Or Google: Nezametnaya Bay:
http://img832.imageshack.us/img832/6...ue56uertyf.jpg
http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/6285/65866896.jpg
http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/3622/93602280.jpg
Russian Shchuka class I think.

Thanks for the help. That's the subs from the Top Gear episode alright. I almost think U-534 may be in better shape!

Those are some sad pictures of those subs. I can't believe they want to turn one into a museum. Might be easier and cheaper just to build a new one!

how can I visit the base?
 

does anybody know if it is possible to visit this submarine base? I will travel to albania in a couple weeks and would like very much to visit it and if possible take some pictures. thanks

Actually it's Pasha Liman (Pasha Limenit) just west of Orikum, Albania - Porto Palermo is about 50km south.

I don't know about visiting, there's quite a few photos so it can't be that restricted an area although I've just read somewhere that Turkey has help rebuild the base and has the right to use it - if so then I'm guessing a visit is a no-no.

If you do, get some pics. :D

that's what I've read in internet. it doesn't seem likely that Turkish militars would let us get in and take pictures, but maybe there is a restricted area and subs could be outside of it.
I will post some pics if I can get in, of course

Good luck :salute:

I've heard its top secret because they are the only ones of their kind :doh:

he means "Good luck in a Turkish prison" :D

Always use soap on a string :03:

What is that black sail object in the background at the pier on the first pciture looks like a nuc to me ...

Should save one boat out of that many for reminder of how close we really came to being active enemies.

Cold war better choice than hot war :yep:

this is starting to look like "Midnight Express":cry: