[TEC] Next Project- USS Drum

Bubblehead1980 · 03-07-21, 04:43 PM

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.

03-07-21, 04:43 PM	#1
Bubblehead1980 Navy Seal Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Florida USA Posts: 7,103 Downloads: 605 Uploads: 44	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.