(TEC) How many planesmen?

[perisher]

Originally Posted by perisher

I do know that in a British sub the fore planes were manned at Diving Stations, when radical manoeuvring was expected, and Action Stations, as we call GQs. Otherwise they were not manned, they can be linked to the stern plane control wheel.

I may be wrong on this, I saw an old propaganda short today, Submarine On Patrol (Admiralty ref A 141). It stated that at watch diving both planes were manned. This was a T class boat. I have seen anecdotal evidence that suggests that this was not always the case.

[Torpex752]

I know for fact that the Bow-Stern and rudder stations were be manned while submerged.

Frank

[perisher]

Okay, we have established - Two men while submerged.

How about surface running. There is simply no point in manning the fore planes if they are rigged in. I am sure that in RN boats the after planes were manned at all times while underway at sea (I have seen this in both factual and fictional movies). I think this was the same in the USN. As for the KM, it would seem that they were not routinely manned while surface running, but I'll bet they were in bad weather.