Conning tower windows ?

Collin Dougherty · 02-24-11, 05:08 PM

My guess is They use it to view and it is most likely bullet proof.
But they would have to flood the area behind it otherwise the glass would crack underwater

FlankSpeed · 02-24-11, 05:19 PM

Thanks for all the replies. While I neglected to mention in the first post, it did always seem strange to me that submarines could have windowed areas and still operate at great depths, it never occured to me that they could simple flood the bridge when diving. I suppose the Barents Sea is a hellish place for sub crews to operate in, so any shelter must be apreciated when on the surface.

Sailor Steve · 02-24-11, 06:06 PM

Early US fleet boats also had windows, and yes, they were strictly to provide an enclosed space for the helmsman in bad weather. And as far as I know they weren't bulletproof.

Kapt Z · 02-25-11, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

Early US fleet boats also had windows, and yes, they were strictly to provide an enclosed space for the helmsman in bad weather. And as far as I know they weren't bulletproof.

Was always curious what the interior of that enclosed forward bridge space looked like on early US subs.

Has anyone every found pics of these spaces?

Sailor Steve · 02-25-11, 11:10 AM

Try SH4. I'm pretty sure they did their research properly. What's in there is the steering wheel, compass and engine controls.

UKönig · 04-30-17, 02:20 PM

According to Clay Blair's account, Hitler's U-boat war, he states..."early submarines had glass portholes in the conning tower, enabling the boat to be steered or conned, on the surface from this elevated space. However, glass portholes cannot withstand the shock of depth charge explosions and had been eliminated. While traveling on the surface, the boat was actually conned from the bridge above the conning tower."
Later on, the screens were provided so that the watch officers wouldn't have to deal repeatedly with getting salt water splashed in their faces.

05-08-17, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UKönig

Later on, the screens were provided so that the watch officers wouldn't have to deal repeatedly with getting salt water splashed in their faces.

What screens ? Do you have any picture ?

On the pic below, are they windows ? If not, what is it ?

razark · 02-25-11, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

Early US fleet boats also had windows, and yes, they were strictly to provide an enclosed space for the helmsman in bad weather. And as far as I know they weren't bulletproof.

I've also seen references to the windows having the glass removed or painted over to prevent reflections from giving away the boat's position.

Schöneboom · 02-26-11, 12:41 AM

Some Italian subs had windows in the tower -- without glass in this case. Great for the hydrodynamics, as you can imagine!

FlankSpeed · 02-26-11, 02:24 AM

It seems this feature was much more common than I thought, especially in earlier subs. I was reading about WW2 British S-Class boats and found this pic from the 1950s of the heavily modified HMS/M Scotsman looking sleek with a new windowed tower.

kibeldede · 02-26-11, 07:26 AM

The russian Kilo diesel-electric submarine has a bridge in the tower as does the Kursk's class (Oscar i think it was)

UKönig · 05-21-17, 11:58 AM

When I said "later on, screens were provided", I meant by the time the nuclear submarine age had arrived. There were no 'windscreen upgrades' to any WWII submarine that I am aware of.

02-24-11, 05:08 PM	#1
Collin Dougherty Torpedoman Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 119 Downloads: 10 Uploads: 0	My guess is They use it to view and it is most likely bullet proof. But they would have to flood the area behind it otherwise the glass would crack underwater __________________ Gunther Prien Merchant Ships sunk:30 War Ships Sunk:1 (HMS Royal Oak) 9 Ships Damaged Iron Cross 193,808 Tonnage U-Boat Ace 1/16/08-3/7/41

02-24-11, 06:06 PM	#3
Sailor Steve Eternal Patrol Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: High in the mountains of Utah Posts: 50,369 Downloads: 745 Uploads: 249	Early US fleet boats also had windows, and yes, they were strictly to provide an enclosed space for the helmsman in bad weather. And as far as I know they weren't bulletproof. __________________ “Never do anything you can't take back.” —Rocky Russo

02-25-11, 11:10 AM	#5
Sailor Steve Eternal Patrol Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: High in the mountains of Utah Posts: 50,369 Downloads: 745 Uploads: 249	Try SH4. I'm pretty sure they did their research properly. What's in there is the steering wheel, compass and engine controls. __________________ “Never do anything you can't take back.” —Rocky Russo

04-30-17, 02:20 PM	#6
UKönig Captain Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Victoria, British Columbia, Canada Posts: 495 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	According to Clay Blair's account, Hitler's U-boat war, he states..."early submarines had glass portholes in the conning tower, enabling the boat to be steered or conned, on the surface from this elevated space. However, glass portholes cannot withstand the shock of depth charge explosions and had been eliminated. While traveling on the surface, the boat was actually conned from the bridge above the conning tower." Later on, the screens were provided so that the watch officers wouldn't have to deal repeatedly with getting salt water splashed in their faces. __________________ Because I'm the captain, that's why!

02-26-11, 12:41 AM	#9
Schöneboom Seasoned Skipper Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 651 Downloads: 36 Uploads: 0	Some Italian subs had windows in the tower -- without glass in this case. Great for the hydrodynamics, as you can imagine! __________________ Dietrich Schöneboom, U-431 "Es wird klappen, Herr Kaleun. Ganz sicher."

02-24-11, 05:19 PM	#2
FlankSpeed Seaman Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 32 Downloads: 12 Uploads: 0	Thanks for all the replies. While I neglected to mention in the first post, it did always seem strange to me that submarines could have windowed areas and still operate at great depths, it never occured to me that they could simple flood the bridge when diving. I suppose the Barents Sea is a hellish place for sub crews to operate in, so any shelter must be apreciated when on the surface.

02-26-11, 02:24 AM	#10
FlankSpeed Seaman Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 32 Downloads: 12 Uploads: 0	It seems this feature was much more common than I thought, especially in earlier subs. I was reading about WW2 British S-Class boats and found this pic from the 1950s of the heavily modified HMS/M Scotsman looking sleek with a new windowed tower.

02-26-11, 07:26 AM	#11
kibeldede Torpedoman Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: England Posts: 112 Downloads: 69 Uploads: 0	The russian Kilo diesel-electric submarine has a bridge in the tower as does the Kursk's class (Oscar i think it was)

05-21-17, 11:58 AM	#12
UKönig Captain Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Victoria, British Columbia, Canada Posts: 495 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	When I said "later on, screens were provided", I meant by the time the nuclear submarine age had arrived. There were no 'windscreen upgrades' to any WWII submarine that I am aware of. __________________ Because I'm the captain, that's why!