81 Personal photos from the USS Pampanito

[SteamWake]

Just wanted to pop in and say thanks for these photos ! :p

Really enjoyed browsing them !

Carry on

[Spike88]

At first I thought the first picture was a ingame screenie . Then I realized it was real. (Didn't read what it said before looking at the pictures, heh.)

[Puster Bill]

Originally Posted by sonar732

So...which one is the sonar station?

Anyhow...this sub was used on Down Periscope.

I was going to mention that.

Great pics. Makes me want to get a tattoo on my thingy.

(SF would probably be the place to get it, too)

[thegroo]

Thanks for sharing

Regards
Dieter

[shoot-kill-win]

Nice photos, the Batfish is not in that good of condition, however we are trying our best to get her that way. BTW Awesome photos. Yet at the Batfish they also let people mess around with all the gadgets, and we have more things to make it seem real, like photos, fake food and copies of "Yank" magazine.

[JALU3]

Originally Posted by V.C. Sniper

Your pics r so awesomen3$$!!! The USS Pampanito is one of my favorite Balao class sub!!! She looks so beautiful and elegant in those pics! =D You forgot to take pics of the TDC and the big red buttons that fire the torpedoes though, but that's ok. =D

The USS Pampanito's excellent seaworthyness condition got me thinking that maybe one day: all the sub lovers of America (or maybe the world) could join forces to get her back into tip top shape and out to sea again, load her up with fuel and supplies (and 1 or 2 perfect replica of a MRK 14 Torpedo with a live 643 Ib torpex warhead ), sail the world, dive deep (800 FT!! ), and maybe even participate in a constructive ship sinking event where the target ship would be torpedoed by the USS Pampanito to create new reefs. Ahhhh whadda dream. :hmm:

Sounds like an idea alot of us could get behind, and would contribute to.

[McBeck]

Were there any veterans onboard when you took these pics?

[robbierob2005]

Very nice pics I've never been on a us sub.

[odjig292]

First class pics of a very well preserved boat! Thanks for sharing them with us.

Wow, it must have been in the middle of the week. I went on Saturday and there were people all over. You must have been the only person on the boat when you took the shots.

I was wondering what those two hydralic cylinders in the forward torpedo room were. Why so big if just for sonar. Sure they are not the dive plane actuators ?

Regards
Jib01

[Gino]

Originally Posted by V.C. Sniper

The USS Pampanito's excellent seaworthyness condition got me thinking that maybe one day: all the sub lovers of America (or maybe the world) could join forces to get her back into tip top shape and out to sea again, load her up with fuel and supplies (and 1 or 2 perfect replica of a MRK 14 Torpedo with a live 643 Ib torpex warhead ), sail the world, dive deep (800 FT!! ), and maybe even participate in a constructive ship sinking event where the target ship would be torpedoed by the USS Pampanito to create new reefs. Ahhhh whadda dream. :hmm:

Let me give you a rude awakening...

Sailing the Pampanito is never going to happen! That also goes for the other museum boats out there. The Navy keeps close contact with all museum boats. They have regular inspections etc. The submarines can still be converted to weapons, and as such could be a hazard to the general public. This would be a reason for the Navy to reclaim the boat and turn it into razorblades.

The boats/ships are given away to organizations that can support the boat/ship.
And then only with the following restrictions:
The boat can be taken back by the Navy if:
It has become a public hazard. That could even happen when somebody breaks a leg on a rotten deckplank.
It is a disgrace to the Navy. Like painting a sub in psychedelic colors, and smoke weed aboard.
If the Navy needs the boat for services to the US. Like happened a couple of times with the Iowa class battleships.

So keep dreaming, that's all you've got

BTW, nice pictures, when are you going to visit the USS Cod?
We don't have these acrylic walls around mucking up your shots

groetjes,

[elanaiba]

Originally Posted by Jib01

I was wondering what those two hydralic cylinders in the forward torpedo room were. Why so big if just for sonar. Sure they are not the dive plane actuators ?

They are used to lower the two sonar heads for supersonic listening, and raise them when not in use. Like, for example, before setting on the bottom

[AVGWarhawk]

BTW, nice pictures, when are you going to visit the USS Cod?
We don't have these acrylic walls around mucking up your shots

Yeah the visitors muck up the brass with their greasy fingers:rotfl:

As for Gino's comment, yep the Navy runs a chainsaw behind the electrical boards. These boats would definitely see their last dive if it was attempted. The Torsk main induction is open about 1 inch. Years spent attempting to get it close. Such is life in the museum boat business.

[M. Sarsfield]

As for Gino's comment, yep the Navy runs a chainsaw behind the electrical boards.

The Batfish curator, Rick, says that he's been behind the control room electrical panels, but he didn't mention that it was chewed up or sabotaged. If it was standard procedure, then they must have forgotten to do it. We'd like to get power restored to the main switch board one of the days/years.

[M. Sarsfield]

The radars are SJ-1 and SV, so there's no SD onboard.

I believe that SV replaced SD in the late 40's/early 50's.