SUBSIM Radio Room Forums - View Single Post

U777 · 08-27-10, 08:49 PM

"Yes sir, and you should see a security clearance in that file"

He got up and motioned to follow him. He was silent during the entire car ride from the office to the manufacturing slips. We finally got to a pen that was under extreme guard staffed by the Gestapo and SS, finally after a lengthy ID check we were permitted inside. I followed the admiral through the maze of hallways and he paused in front of a door and looked at me. The door opened slowly and we walked into the pen.

I was amazed at the size and shape of the boat. It was much bigger than the any U-boat I've seen and looks very different. Bow planes folded in the bow, 6 torpedo tubes in the bow yet no stern tubes. Two cannon turrets placed on the for and aft section on the conning tower. Various antennas sticking out. The only two I could recognize are the attack and observation periscopes raised to full length. We rode up to the top scaffolding in a worker elevator and stepped aboard. I'm still dumbfounded and amazed with the admiral smiling at my reaction as we descended below the hatch.

The conning tower had a typical layout with a TDC computer and attack periscope along with all the other knickknacks you expect to find. However the control room was something to behold. It was so roomy and un cramped compared to our current boats.

"Lets skip the torpedo room and crew bunks, their nothing special on this boat aside the added capacity for storing more eels" Hoft said.

"Instead we will go to the radio shack then head aft to the propulsion unit"

I mused at the control room and it seemed very impressive, all the controls you expect to find but with larger and easier to read dials. Of course hanging wires suggests that there are more goodies left to be installed. We entered the radio room.

"Typical radio set up except this set has longer range and is generally more reliable than previous sets, however this is the newest gadget we have".

He pointed to the unit with a green circular display.

"we call it RADAR and basically it allows us to see ships shrouded in fog and those who are beyond visual range. I'll explain how it works back at the office"

I was amazed by this contraption, there are rumors about such a device but to see it exist is a whole different story.

"Now to the propulsion unit" Hoft smiled.

We walked back through the control room and past the aft bunks which seem luxurious compared to U-31. I also noticed its unusually cool on board the boat.

"before going in" Hoft paused at the sealed hatch guarded by an SS soldier, "may I remind you about the Hamburg stockade, I'll make sure it will be the most miserable 40 years of your life if you can't adhere to your security clearance."

I nodded and with that signal Hoft gave the hatch lever a strong turn.We walked into a buzzing compartment and into what appears to be a control room. Dials reading water temperatures, pump RPMs, energy output, and various switches and handles.

"This little shack controls the propulsion unit, which does not use diesel, kerosene, coal, or any other fuel you are familiar with, follow me".

We walked out of the shack and into the heart of the compartment. Through a thick porthole I saw a very clean little compartment with rods and various pipes going in and out with a similar unit with pipes and rods was adjacent. The wall seems to be pretty thick.

"This is the heart of the submarine, two nuclear reactors that permit the submarine to stay underwater as long as food supplies hold out. Range is unlimited and the next time we have to refuel this boat is when your son will graduate from the academy."

"I don't have a son admiral".

"My point exactly" Hoft said. "This ship can go 25 years between refueling".

I stood there astonished as Hoft continues to explain.

"I'm going to to give you the basics. The fuel rods contain fuel pellets made of uranium which creates heat and super heats water. This superheated water is pumped into a heat exchanger where water for the turbines is heated into steam. The reactor water is sent back to the rods and the steam is fed into the turbines. After leaving the turbines the steam goes through another exchanger that condenses it back into water and is pumped back into the first exchanger. We have two turbines on board that also turn two generators".

We entered the ancillary machinery and turbine compartment.

"Here lies the water evaporator, air conditioning systems, the turbines of course, generators, and everything else needed to run this ship".

"Admiral.....I don't know......"

"You'll get acquainted with her as commander during the first sea trials in two weeks. War is in the air and we want her operational before any conflicts arise"

I stood there just astonished, this has got to be a dream. How is this technology possible?

08-27-10, 08:49 PM	#5
U777 Medic Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Chicago Posts: 159 Downloads: 11 Uploads: 0	"Yes sir, and you should see a security clearance in that file" He got up and motioned to follow him. He was silent during the entire car ride from the office to the manufacturing slips. We finally got to a pen that was under extreme guard staffed by the Gestapo and SS, finally after a lengthy ID check we were permitted inside. I followed the admiral through the maze of hallways and he paused in front of a door and looked at me. The door opened slowly and we walked into the pen. I was amazed at the size and shape of the boat. It was much bigger than the any U-boat I've seen and looks very different. Bow planes folded in the bow, 6 torpedo tubes in the bow yet no stern tubes. Two cannon turrets placed on the for and aft section on the conning tower. Various antennas sticking out. The only two I could recognize are the attack and observation periscopes raised to full length. We rode up to the top scaffolding in a worker elevator and stepped aboard. I'm still dumbfounded and amazed with the admiral smiling at my reaction as we descended below the hatch. The conning tower had a typical layout with a TDC computer and attack periscope along with all the other knickknacks you expect to find. However the control room was something to behold. It was so roomy and un cramped compared to our current boats. "Lets skip the torpedo room and crew bunks, their nothing special on this boat aside the added capacity for storing more eels" Hoft said. "Instead we will go to the radio shack then head aft to the propulsion unit" I mused at the control room and it seemed very impressive, all the controls you expect to find but with larger and easier to read dials. Of course hanging wires suggests that there are more goodies left to be installed. We entered the radio room. "Typical radio set up except this set has longer range and is generally more reliable than previous sets, however this is the newest gadget we have". He pointed to the unit with a green circular display. "we call it RADAR and basically it allows us to see ships shrouded in fog and those who are beyond visual range. I'll explain how it works back at the office" I was amazed by this contraption, there are rumors about such a device but to see it exist is a whole different story. "Now to the propulsion unit" Hoft smiled. We walked back through the control room and past the aft bunks which seem luxurious compared to U-31. I also noticed its unusually cool on board the boat. "before going in" Hoft paused at the sealed hatch guarded by an SS soldier, "may I remind you about the Hamburg stockade, I'll make sure it will be the most miserable 40 years of your life if you can't adhere to your security clearance." I nodded and with that signal Hoft gave the hatch lever a strong turn.We walked into a buzzing compartment and into what appears to be a control room. Dials reading water temperatures, pump RPMs, energy output, and various switches and handles. "This little shack controls the propulsion unit, which does not use diesel, kerosene, coal, or any other fuel you are familiar with, follow me". We walked out of the shack and into the heart of the compartment. Through a thick porthole I saw a very clean little compartment with rods and various pipes going in and out with a similar unit with pipes and rods was adjacent. The wall seems to be pretty thick. "This is the heart of the submarine, two nuclear reactors that permit the submarine to stay underwater as long as food supplies hold out. Range is unlimited and the next time we have to refuel this boat is when your son will graduate from the academy." "I don't have a son admiral". "My point exactly" Hoft said. "This ship can go 25 years between refueling". I stood there astonished as Hoft continues to explain. "I'm going to to give you the basics. The fuel rods contain fuel pellets made of uranium which creates heat and super heats water. This superheated water is pumped into a heat exchanger where water for the turbines is heated into steam. The reactor water is sent back to the rods and the steam is fed into the turbines. After leaving the turbines the steam goes through another exchanger that condenses it back into water and is pumped back into the first exchanger. We have two turbines on board that also turn two generators". We entered the ancillary machinery and turbine compartment. "Here lies the water evaporator, air conditioning systems, the turbines of course, generators, and everything else needed to run this ship". "Admiral.....I don't know......" "You'll get acquainted with her as commander during the first sea trials in two weeks. War is in the air and we want her operational before any conflicts arise" I stood there just astonished, this has got to be a dream. How is this technology possible?