Real Submarine Technology & History Q&A

[Platapus]

Originally Posted by stephenf555

Interesting.
So why then the return, or continuation at least, of designing boats that were much slower submerged, with deck guns and AA and all that? Did the fast running submerged boats not work strategically for some reason?

I suppose that it may have just been down to battery characteristics...if you can only stay running submerged for a few hours and it takes a few hours to recharge on the surface, then you're going to have to spend a lot of time surfaced, and therefore you require AA and deck guns, and hence you go slower when submerged.

I would like to recommend you read "Ship Killers"

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=178746

This book is one of the few that goes into the strategic intent of torpedoes (and submarines). It explains how the Navy, in the 1920's-1930's) intended to use submarines.

That may help you understand why the design of submarines changed from a more hydrodynamic design to one that is more suitable for surface use.

As it turned out the 20-30' Navy's plan did not occur and submarines were used in a more individual tactical manner.

Anyway, I can highly recommend this book.

Good luck

[Nuc]

Originally Posted by Platapus

I would like to recommend you read "Ship Killers"

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=178746

This book is one of the few that goes into the strategic intent of torpedoes (and submarines). It explains how the Navy, in the 1920's-1930's) intended to use submarines.

That may help you understand why the design of submarines changed from a more hydrodynamic design to one that is more suitable for surface use.

As it turned out the 20-30' Navy's plan did not occur and submarines were used in a more individual tactical manner.

Anyway, I can highly recommend this book.

Good luck

Another good reference on the evolution of the design is:
http://www.amazon.com/U-S-Submarines...0182971&sr=8-1

[Platapus]

Did the US Navy ever build SKINC?

I know that there were some tests of the technology, but I have not been able to find out if either a prototype or an actual production version was ever made.

The Internets Tubes are lacking in detail on this.

[Oleif]

Hello all. I was wondering if I understand this correctly. German Uboats' diesels were directly coupled to the driveshaft during surface running, when underwater the driveshafts were connected to the electric motors and the diesels disengaged. American fleet boats however, the diesels were used exclusively as generators and when surface running the dieseles powered the electric motors directly without battery use. So in effect the diesels were never directly coupled to the driveshaft. Is this correct?

[Sailor Steve]

That is correct:
German: http://www.uboatarchive.net/U-570ONIReport.htm Section II-C-1

American: http://www.maritime.org/fleetsub/diesel/chap1.htm#1D

[Oleif]

Thanks Steve, untill I road trip to Manitowoc this summer does anyone have a good photo collection of life inside a gato or any other fleet boat??

PS. During a deep dive and or a depth charging, would any crew remain in the conning tower or is that part of the boat sealed off? It seems a bit vulnerable.

[Platapus]

I am re-re-re...-reading O'Kane's Clear the Bridge.

I have a question about what he wrote at the start of Chap 2

All hands execpt the executive officer, his assistant navigator - a chief petty officer (CPO) - and me [O'Kane] would stand watches either in their specialties, or manning the radar, as ....

The Captain and Exec don't stand watches, that's understandable. Why wouldn't the Assistant Navigator not stand a watch when presumably the Navigation Officer would?

Also, I would have assumed that the Chief of the Boat would also not stand a regular watch as he would have to be everywhere/anywhere in the sub.

Can someone learn this lubber o' land sumpten about watch standing?

[Stealhead]

He is meaning I think that the XOs assistant is a Senior NCO so he could be any E-7,E-8,or E-9 not the Chief of the Boat they are not one and the same person.

But it is confusing based just on the context of that sentence. I am not sure why it says assistant navigator in reference to a CPO that does not make sense seeing as any navigator would be a commissioned officer not an SNCO or this is a Navy term I don't know.

The CPO he is talking about does not appear to be the COTB though just an SNCO which you are going have more than one of even on a sub one of them being the COTB.You are correct the Chief of the Boat would be going around the boat maintain discipline by being stern or praising depending on what he saw and I dont see why that would be different in the Tangs case.

The Chief of the Boat is one of the all hands he refers to.Though different sub commanders did have different systems for parts of watch I dont think any of them would take the Chief of the Boat away from his primary duty of maintaining discipline of the enlisted men he cant do that standing next to the XO all day.

[TorpX]

Originally Posted by Platapus

I am re-re-re...-reading O'Kane's Clear the Bridge.

I have a question about what he wrote at the start of Chap 2



The Captain and Exec don't stand watches, that's understandable. Why wouldn't the Assistant Navigator not stand a watch when presumably the Navigation Officer would?

Have not read it recently, but I think the navigator was the XO.

[Oleif]

How was information loaded into the tube before firing? I assume there was a connection to the torpedo while the torpedo was in the tube to allow instant updates from the TDC and split second firing. Was there a wire leading to the motor? would a crewmember have to turn a knob or something then quick shut the door?

[sharkbit]

I believe rods went into the tube and into the torpedo that rotated to set the information into the torpedoes. They were automatically rotated based on info from the TDC or they could be manually set. They were withdrawn prior to firing.

In pictures of torpedoes I've seen, you can see the holes where the rods go into the torpedo.

[Ducimus]

Originally Posted by Oleif

Thanks Steve, untill I road trip to Manitowoc this summer does anyone have a good photo collection of life inside a gato or any other fleet boat??

How about a virtual tour?
http://www.maritime.org/tour/index.php

[FADM Gryphon]

Probably not a new link but just incase. I was viewing the SS-383 USS Pampanito web site and came across the Fleet Type Submarine Manual Online. Here is the link to the online manual.

http://www.maritime.org/fleetsub/index.htm

[Daniel Prates]

The last two posts are just AWESOME!

[Sailor Steve]

Thanks for reviving the thread, FADM Gryphon. I somehow missed the following at the time, but I do have the answer.

Originally Posted by Oleif

How was information loaded into the tube before firing? I assume there was a connection to the torpedo while the torpedo was in the tube to allow instant updates from the TDC and split second firing. Was there a wire leading to the motor? would a crewmember have to turn a knob or something then quick shut the door?

There was a connection that ran through the tube wall to controls on the torpedo itself.
http://www.maritime.org/fleetsub/tubes/chap7.htm