So how deep did the u.s subs go max?

oscar19681 · 12-12-06, 05:37 PM

I know that the earlier class of us subs was about 90 meters of test depth . Later it was 120 meters . But could they go deeper then the test depth? Of was this just the depth at which they imploded . German u-boats had a test depth of 150 meters but could go much deeper . Was this the same with u.s subs?

Hylander_1314 · 12-12-06, 06:40 PM

Yes later subs could go 300 to 400ft, but there were cases where they went passed 600ft. Not too often as it was very dangerous to do.

bookworm_020 · 12-12-06, 09:12 PM

U.S.S Tang went to 600 feet during her first depth test. She went deeper when she went on patrol.

Schatten · 12-13-06, 11:52 AM

Well technically they can go down all the way...but you probably wouldn't want to be on it.

I know that's not what you meant but I just couldn't resist. The actual depth varied from class to class and boat to boat, but the accepted max safe depths for the US subs were:

S-Class, Baracuda Class : ~200 feet
P-Class, Salmon, Sargo, Tambor, Gar Classes: ~250 feet
Gato Class: ~300 feet
Argonaut, Narwhal Classes: ~330 feet
Balao, Tench Classes: ~400 feet

I know the Gato, Tench and Balao classes were actually test dove to the figures given for them. The others I'm not sure if they were actually tested or if the figures were based on builders' specs. Also those were the "safe" depths, the subs could and did go deeper. The only people who found out the actual crush depth of a boat would never be able to tell.

CCIP · 12-13-06, 02:43 PM

Yep, just remember that U-boats technically had a safe rated depth of 90m (300ft), whereas in actuality they'd go down to 200m (700ft) and deeper, with the deepest recorded dives being in the area of 270m (900ft). It'd only be fair to assume the relationship between tested and actual maximum dive depths would be about same for US subs. Just that they didn't push it as often as the U-boats.

WilhelmSchulz. · 12-13-06, 03:15 PM

The Gato's had a Test depth of 315 feet but they could comonly go to 400+/- feet. The Balo and Trench classes could go down to 600 feet. They could of gon deeper but that was as far as the depth guage went.

TwistedFemur · 01-07-07, 10:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bookworm_020

U.S.S Tang went to 600 feet during her first depth test. She went deeper when she went on patrol.

All the way to the bottom?

cmdrk · 01-08-07, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TwistedFemur

Quote:

Originally Posted by bookworm_020

U.S.S Tang went to 600 feet during her first depth test. She went deeper when she went on patrol.

All the way to the bottom?

Yes, which was about 180 feet in the Formosa Straits.

AS · 01-08-07, 06:11 PM

Talking about US dive depths we shoudn´t forget that real deep (I mean deeep) diving wasn´t that important for U.S subs, because the Japanese had mayn depth charge problems and in the beginning of the war they couldn´t actually re-set the depth parameters. From what I´ve read so far they didn´t even care much and their depth charges were often misplaced or went off in shallow depths like 35m.

Another point is that Japanese subs couldn´t dive very deep (about 75m), so they didn´t expect enemy subs to go deeper.

To cut it short: Dive depths were not as important for US skippers than it became in the Atlantic. Japanese ant-submarine technology and SKILL was rather limited---

Cheers, AS

bookworm_020 · 01-10-07, 10:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmdrk

Quote:

Originally Posted by TwistedFemur

Quote:

Originally Posted by bookworm_020

U.S.S Tang went to 600 feet during her first depth test. She went deeper when she went on patrol.

All the way to the bottom?

Yes, which was about 180 feet in the Formosa Straits.

Some of the crew were able to escape before being overcome by chlorine gas. These were people who weren't aft of the control room when the torpedo hit.

12-12-06, 05:37 PM	#1
oscar19681 Admiral Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: netherlands Posts: 2,020 Downloads: 119 Uploads: 0	So how deep did the u.s subs go max? I know that the earlier class of us subs was about 90 meters of test depth . Later it was 120 meters . But could they go deeper then the test depth? Of was this just the depth at which they imploded . German u-boats had a test depth of 150 meters but could go much deeper . Was this the same with u.s subs? __________________ we live we die but death does not ends it. Jim Morrison 1943-1971

12-12-06, 06:40 PM	#2
Hylander_1314 Sea Lord Join Date: May 2006 Location: 5 Miles Inland West Of Lake Huron Posts: 1,936 Downloads: 139 Uploads: 0	Yes later subs could go 300 to 400ft, but there were cases where they went passed 600ft. Not too often as it was very dangerous to do. __________________ A legislative act contrary to the Constitution is not law. -John Marshall Chief Justice of the Supreme Court ---------------------

12-12-06, 09:12 PM	#3
bookworm_020 Navy Seal Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Sinking ships off the Australian coast Posts: 5,966 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	U.S.S Tang went to 600 feet during her first depth test. She went deeper when she went on patrol. __________________ "There is always one person in any organization who knows whats going on, That person must be fired"

12-13-06, 02:43 PM	#5
CCIP Navy Seal Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Waterloo, Canada Posts: 8,700 Downloads: 29 Uploads: 2	Yep, just remember that U-boats technically had a safe rated depth of 90m (300ft), whereas in actuality they'd go down to 200m (700ft) and deeper, with the deepest recorded dives being in the area of 270m (900ft). It'd only be fair to assume the relationship between tested and actual maximum dive depths would be about same for US subs. Just that they didn't push it as often as the U-boats. __________________ There are only forty people in the world and five of them are hamburgers. -Don Van Vliet (aka Captain Beefheart)

12-13-06, 03:15 PM	#6
WilhelmSchulz. The Old Man Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Virgina Beach Posts: 1,301 Downloads: 17 Uploads: 0	The Gato's had a Test depth of 315 feet but they could comonly go to 400+/- feet. The Balo and Trench classes could go down to 600 feet. They could of gon deeper but that was as far as the depth guage went. __________________ "Some ships are designed to sink… others require our assistance."

12-13-06, 11:52 AM	#4
Schatten Engineer Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 212 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Well technically they can go down all the way...but you probably wouldn't want to be on it. I know that's not what you meant but I just couldn't resist. The actual depth varied from class to class and boat to boat, but the accepted max safe depths for the US subs were: S-Class, Baracuda Class : ~200 feet P-Class, Salmon, Sargo, Tambor, Gar Classes: ~250 feet Gato Class: ~300 feet Argonaut, Narwhal Classes: ~330 feet Balao, Tench Classes: ~400 feet I know the Gato, Tench and Balao classes were actually test dove to the figures given for them. The others I'm not sure if they were actually tested or if the figures were based on builders' specs. Also those were the "safe" depths, the subs could and did go deeper. The only people who found out the actual crush depth of a boat would never be able to tell.

01-08-07, 06:11 PM	#9
AS 中国水兵 Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Germany Posts: 275 Downloads: 135 Uploads: 0	Talking about US dive depths we shoudn´t forget that real deep (I mean deeep) diving wasn´t that important for U.S subs, because the Japanese had mayn depth charge problems and in the beginning of the war they couldn´t actually re-set the depth parameters. From what I´ve read so far they didn´t even care much and their depth charges were often misplaced or went off in shallow depths like 35m. Another point is that Japanese subs couldn´t dive very deep (about 75m), so they didn´t expect enemy subs to go deeper. To cut it short: Dive depths were not as important for US skippers than it became in the Atlantic. Japanese ant-submarine technology and SKILL was rather limited--- Cheers, AS __________________ Whenever people agree with me I always feel I must be wrong. (Oscar Wilde)