Next Project- USS Drum
 

As I am working out final few issues with my TMO upgrade (for now) I plan my next SH 4 project to be a recreation of the war patrols of my admitted favorite WW II fleetboat, the USS Drum. Growing up 50 or so miles from where the Drum is located in Mobile, AL, I visited the sub countless times as a child and an adult. The restoration work done last few years since was damaged in a hurricane is beyond amazing.

Obviously can't recreate the experiences of the patrol exactly(but would be boring in the sim) but plan is to create orders and assign drum to patrol areas, and tasks assigned per history. The research is done as I have read all of her patrol reports, books, etc.

One major aspect is after the Drum's conning tower was cracked during a rather intense depth charging in November 1943, she was sent back to the US to have it replaced. There were no Gato class conning towers available at the time and wanted to get her back to the war quick as possible, so she was given a Balao conning tower, thus making her the only(to my knowledge) Gato Class with a Balao class conning tower. Recall one veteran of the Drum I spoke to at the park saying "conning tower technically became the strongest part of the boat, could go deeper than others." lol.

So challenge for my planned mod is, can we take a Gato class sub in the game, and give it a Balao conning tower?

A lot of work but believe it will be fun to take one sub through the entire war, so how it plays out. If possible, would like the ability to start different patrols at different parts of the war in the DRUM as well.

Yes, you can! sub upc file, and change the name there. Don't forget all the other files that go along with that though. The Drums conn was one of those "in-between" conns also, wasn't it? In FotRSU, MadMax used 4 different conns on the Gato, the Balao uses 2. Probably the 2 Balao conns are the same as the last two Gato conns. The Tench uses one conn. But of course, it is a clone of the Balao, with some slightly different settings. We're wanting to get ETR3(SS)'s Tench functional in the mod...

I figured it could be done, sure I will have questions lol

I believe the Balao sail/conning tower the Drum was provided as replacement was the in between, and never altered again during war to my knowledge(could be wrong though) it has a 40mm forward with 20 MM aft, 5 inch gun forward, as it stands today.

Does TMO use the Tench by ETR3(SS) or is that a different one? Tench is fun even if have limited time to use it. One thing I would love to add as upgrade for all late war subs (many did get this) is ST radar for the attack scope. Also, SV radar is great but since can't shut it off in TMO, may make it air only at some point. I do love you guys made it in FOTRS where can shut the SD radar off as well, since many enemy vessels have radar warning equipment and could home in obviously. Something I struggled with if want to put into TMO. Realism, they did not tool around with SJ on at all times, they did sweeps, depending on skipper they did sweeps with SD(even though it was not directional, just gave distance to contact). I have considered incorporating RWR for IJN to certain ships such as Yamato(it did have this tech in 43 on) and other capital vessels, some of the fleet DD's and aircraft at some point. As you know, this sim is aggravating lol make a change and works better or worse than planned. Example, finally have dark nights in TMO and can pull off night surface attacks in a historically accurate manner but at times, with the dark and the sim.cfg visual under light factor set to 3.0 (default for tmo) , at times they are too blind. I lowered it to 2.5, they are too hawkeyed lol and was in a overcast, foggy night, with mild chop and no rain, spotted me at 4000 yards lol. So guess will see how it works between 3.0 and 2.5.

Re: U.S.S. Drum...
 

Have lived in Mobile, Al. (twice, in fact...) & remember several times of going to, boarding not only the 'Drum' but also the Bama, as well. Has been some time since I last did so.

Was a pleasure to go aboard them & roam around while contemplating the history they represent.

Much respect for those that have served & are serving in the Navy... :Kaleun_Salute:

M. M.

:Kaleun_Salute: