Why dont american subs have german like conning towers?

CruiseTorpedo · 07-09-06, 05:50 PM

All the american subs I've seen always had their periscopes up and even when they're down they appear to be up compared to the german uboats. I dont get it? I thought that was a dead give away siloette when your showing scopes up and it was a no no. Can some one fill me in on american uboats, were they even called uboats or submarines?

I guess I'm used to the look of the german stuff, havent seen an american uboat in real life yet, saw the u505 last month, hope to stop by cleveland and see the boat they have docked up there sometime this month! Excited about it cuz they never cut away any of the doors for better access, it's all still in tact just the way they made it back in the 40's.

don1reed · 07-09-06, 06:08 PM

US boats were larger and their periscope depth was deeper 65' (19.8m). The scopes were housed in the sheers above the conning tower which also served as lookout platforms, which enabled the lookouts to see farther.

You might want to check out the USS Cobia at Manitowoc, Wis., while you're at it.

75 Maritime Drive, Manitowoc, WI 54220
920-684-0218 or Toll free 1-866-724-2356
FAX 920-684-0219

CruiseTorpedo · 07-09-06, 06:38 PM

That's a little too far to drive, the drive to Chicago was a bit much but I figured I love the SH3 game so it would be great to see a real uboat! Was 5 hours from central ohio to see the boat, maybe a 2.5 hour drive to see the one in cleveland from here which is doable. I almost went to see the boat in cleveland rather than go to chicago but I wanted to see the big city too! LOL Was a great trip and the boat was well worth seeing! Here are a few pictures

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c1.../DSC01298b.jpg

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c1.../DSC01288b.jpg

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c1.../DSC01285b.jpg

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c1...t/DSC01281.jpg

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c1...t/DSC01287.jpg

CruiseTorpedo · 07-09-06, 06:40 PM

So see if I have this right, the reason the scopes stick up on the american boats is because they were longer for the boat to operate a little deeper with them up? Why would they do this? What's the benefit?

don1reed · 07-09-06, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Why would they do this? What's the benefit?

You'd have to ask the Naval Architects that question...

...but, offhand, I say that the deeper they were at PD made less of a chance to broach during foul wx...and during calm, less visible to aircraft.

The Pacific theater presented an entirely different type of war, but, the US submarine force was no stranger to those waters, having had a pre-war presence there, the USN had the subs designed their way (Fleetsubs)for the purpose of screening for battleships under the Mahon Theory of Naval warfare....that theory came tumbling down when the first BB was sunk at Ford Island, Oaho, H.I. 7DEC41. Until America's industrial might could get the military back up to speed, the subs, US, Brits, and Dutch alone, took the war to Japan.

Nice pics, btw.

Saw her before she was moved indoors and before her ASR was returned. She's lookin' good.

CruiseTorpedo · 07-09-06, 07:26 PM

What's the ASR?

don1reed · 07-09-06, 07:43 PM

Angriffseerohr (attack periscope_the one aft)

CruiseTorpedo · 07-09-06, 08:12 PM

Ah thanks! I'm no expert on these things as you can tell LOL! Thanks for the help!

Spaxspore · 07-09-06, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CruiseTorpedo

Ah thanks! I'm no expert on these things as you can tell LOL! Thanks for the help!

Yea great pics, i need to head over to chicago and check it out. I live about 20min out of dayton, ohio.

DIRTY DEALER · 07-10-06, 12:59 AM

Nice photos, you could have lifted them from my camera, I was there last year.

I live in Cleveland, so I can visit the Cod anytime. Here's a link : http://www.usscod.org/

Look up the hours and days befor you make your drive !

don1reed · 07-10-06, 07:32 AM

Dirty Dealer: You lucky dog!

If it was me, I'd be down there weekly.

I've not made it to see the USS Cod yet, so tell us...is she on dynamic display, or static? ...erm, is she in her element (afloat) or thrown up on the beach?

cmdrk · 07-10-06, 12:27 PM

Maybe the periscope height/depth has something to do with visibility from the air.
How much water does it take to hide a sub from AC?

Quagmire · 07-10-06, 03:40 PM

Great pics! I love the U505. I saw her when I was a kid but at that time she was outdoors on the museum grounds. That new indoor exhibit looks awesome!

Here is a cool idea for a sci fi, time travel type film. Imagine the crew of the U505 is patrolling somewhere in the Atlantic when they decide to submerge in a heavy storm. One of those goofy time warp storms like in the movie "The Final Countdown". In the next scene the Kaluen and his watch crew pop the hatch and climb onto the conning tower to find that they are now no longer in the Atlantic but part of the U505 exhibit! The Kaluen says "Mien Got!" or something and that errie sci fi music plays...

OK, maybe a lame idea for a whole movie but a cool premise none the less!

Rosencrantz · 07-10-06, 04:05 PM

cmdr wrote:

Quote:

Maybe the periscope height/depth has something to do with visibility from the air.
How much water does it take to hide a sub from AC?

No one can answer your question, I afraid. It depends on the situation: How clear is water, sea state and so on. For example Mediterrainian was really clear, so few meters would not make any difference. Also Nord Sea was pretty clear and I think so was actually the pacific too.
But basicly = more depth means more safe you are. Not only for visual sighting, but think also possiblity for collisions for example.

-RC-

DIRTY DEALER · 07-10-06, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by don1reed

Dirty Dealer: You lucky dog!

If it was me, I'd be down there weekly.

I've not made it to see the USS Cod yet, so tell us...is she on dynamic display, or static? ...erm, is she in her element (afloat) or thrown up on the beach?

She's in the water. You have to walk a gangway to get aboard, down the for hatch into the for torpedo room to enter. The exit is through the aft hatch in the rear torpedo room.

Last time I went, a couple of years or so ago, the conning tower was "being worked on" and off limits. That may have changed since then.

If you have time be sure to check out the "comforts" of the Cod. She has an ice cream maker, air conditioning and radio to listen to Tokyo Rose ! Not a "pig boat" that's for sure !

07-09-06, 05:50 PM	#1
CruiseTorpedo Torpedoman Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 112 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	Why dont american subs have german like conning towers? All the american subs I've seen always had their periscopes up and even when they're down they appear to be up compared to the german uboats. I dont get it? I thought that was a dead give away siloette when your showing scopes up and it was a no no. Can some one fill me in on american uboats, were they even called uboats or submarines? I guess I'm used to the look of the german stuff, havent seen an american uboat in real life yet, saw the u505 last month, hope to stop by cleveland and see the boat they have docked up there sometime this month! Excited about it cuz they never cut away any of the doors for better access, it's all still in tact just the way they made it back in the 40's.

07-09-06, 06:08 PM	#2
don1reed Ace of the Deep Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Valhalla: Silent Generation Posts: 1,149 Downloads: 910 Uploads: 0	US boats were larger and their periscope depth was deeper 65' (19.8m). The scopes were housed in the sheers above the conning tower which also served as lookout platforms, which enabled the lookouts to see farther. You might want to check out the USS Cobia at Manitowoc, Wis., while you're at it. 75 Maritime Drive, Manitowoc, WI 54220 920-684-0218 or Toll free 1-866-724-2356 FAX 920-684-0219 __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act. ~ George Orwell Last edited by don1reed; 07-09-06 at 06:11 PM.

07-09-06, 07:43 PM	#7
don1reed Ace of the Deep Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Valhalla: Silent Generation Posts: 1,149 Downloads: 910 Uploads: 0	Angriffseerohr (attack periscope_the one aft) __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act. ~ George Orwell

07-10-06, 07:32 AM	#11
don1reed Ace of the Deep Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Valhalla: Silent Generation Posts: 1,149 Downloads: 910 Uploads: 0	Dirty Dealer: You lucky dog! If it was me, I'd be down there weekly. I've not made it to see the USS Cod yet, so tell us...is she on dynamic display, or static? ...erm, is she in her element (afloat) or thrown up on the beach? __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act. ~ George Orwell

07-09-06, 06:38 PM	#3
CruiseTorpedo Torpedoman Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 112 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	That's a little too far to drive, the drive to Chicago was a bit much but I figured I love the SH3 game so it would be great to see a real uboat! Was 5 hours from central ohio to see the boat, maybe a 2.5 hour drive to see the one in cleveland from here which is doable. I almost went to see the boat in cleveland rather than go to chicago but I wanted to see the big city too! LOL Was a great trip and the boat was well worth seeing! Here are a few pictures http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c1.../DSC01298b.jpg http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c1.../DSC01288b.jpg http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c1.../DSC01285b.jpg http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c1...t/DSC01281.jpg http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c1...t/DSC01287.jpg

07-09-06, 06:40 PM	#4
CruiseTorpedo Torpedoman Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 112 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	So see if I have this right, the reason the scopes stick up on the american boats is because they were longer for the boat to operate a little deeper with them up? Why would they do this? What's the benefit?

07-09-06, 07:26 PM	#6
CruiseTorpedo Torpedoman Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 112 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	What's the ASR?

07-09-06, 08:12 PM	#8
CruiseTorpedo Torpedoman Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 112 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	Ah thanks! I'm no expert on these things as you can tell LOL! Thanks for the help!

07-10-06, 12:59 AM	#10
DIRTY DEALER Swabbie Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Crush Depth Posts: 14 Downloads: 210 Uploads: 0	Nice photos, you could have lifted them from my camera, I was there last year. I live in Cleveland, so I can visit the Cod anytime. Here's a link : http://www.usscod.org/ Look up the hours and days befor you make your drive !

07-10-06, 12:27 PM	#12
cmdrk Planesman Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 184 Downloads: 3 Uploads: 0	Maybe the periscope height/depth has something to do with visibility from the air. How much water does it take to hide a sub from AC?

07-10-06, 03:40 PM	#13
Quagmire Watch Officer Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 335 Downloads: 52 Uploads: 0	Great pics! I love the U505. I saw her when I was a kid but at that time she was outdoors on the museum grounds. That new indoor exhibit looks awesome! Here is a cool idea for a sci fi, time travel type film. Imagine the crew of the U505 is patrolling somewhere in the Atlantic when they decide to submerge in a heavy storm. One of those goofy time warp storms like in the movie "The Final Countdown". In the next scene the Kaluen and his watch crew pop the hatch and climb onto the conning tower to find that they are now no longer in the Atlantic but part of the U505 exhibit! The Kaluen says "Mien Got!" or something and that errie sci fi music plays... OK, maybe a lame idea for a whole movie but a cool premise none the less!