Missing Propeller guards - Gato

skirich · 10-08-19, 10:23 PM

Huh. Ok, But the Balao has Guards.
I wonder what the thought process behind removing the guards was in wwii.

propbeanie · 10-08-19, 11:05 PM

They of course kept another ship coming alongside from fouling the props and causing major damage, but they also probably affected the dive planes and speed of the boat... Might have been a skipper-dictated option.

Randomizer · 10-08-19, 11:22 PM

According to Capt Paul Schratz in the book Submarine Commander, USS Sterlet SS-392 had her screw guards removed before she deployed to the Pacific in 1944. She was a Balao Class boat so screw guards were almost certainly not universally fitted in the Pacific.

Cannot see how it matters one way or the other in SH4 terms.

-C

skirich · 10-09-19, 01:05 AM

Cool pictures.

jimmbbo · 10-09-19, 01:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skirich

Cool pictures.

Navsource.com is a great site, but suggest setting an alarm before surfing it...

jimmbbo · 10-08-19, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skirich

Huh. Ok, But the Balao has Guards.
I wonder what the thought process behind removing the guards was in wwii.

I think it was far from a certainty...

At the end of the war, the subs were mothballed and all but one (USS Roncador, No 41) appear to have had the guards removed
Pic of USS Balao, 1944.
It appears that many Balao class boats were constructed without them - Bang (SS-385) & Pilotfish (SS-386) just prior to launch

10-08-19, 11:05 PM	#2
propbeanie CTD - it's not just a job Join Date: May 2016 Location: One hour from Music City USA! Posts: 10,098 Downloads: 451 Uploads: 2	They of course kept another ship coming alongside from fouling the props and causing major damage, but they also probably affected the dive planes and speed of the boat... Might have been a skipper-dictated option. __________________ "...and bollocks to the naysayers" - Jimbuna

10-08-19, 10:23 PM	#1
skirich Chief Join Date: Aug 2019 Location: Patroling the south pacific Posts: 321 Downloads: 75 Uploads: 0	Huh. Ok, But the Balao has Guards. I wonder what the thought process behind removing the guards was in wwii.

10-08-19, 11:22 PM	#3
Randomizer Weps Join Date: Mar 2019 Location: Vancouver Island Posts: 366 Downloads: 138 Uploads: 0	According to Capt Paul Schratz in the book Submarine Commander, USS Sterlet SS-392 had her screw guards removed before she deployed to the Pacific in 1944. She was a Balao Class boat so screw guards were almost certainly not universally fitted in the Pacific. Cannot see how it matters one way or the other in SH4 terms. -C

10-09-19, 01:05 AM	#4
skirich Chief Join Date: Aug 2019 Location: Patroling the south pacific Posts: 321 Downloads: 75 Uploads: 0	Cool pictures.