Conning tower: door as exit?

[pratolano]

Hello!

This may be a bit of a silly question, but I'm playing a Sargo class sub (TMO mod). From within the conning tower, I see a door located by the TDC. From the other side, though, I don't see a door there, just the two door-shaped openings that lead from an empty space to the port and starboard bow (no actual door).

In the real sub, was there a door there from the conning tower out to the bridge like it shows from the internal view in SH4, or did crewmen always have to climb up the ladder and through the hatch to get to the bridge? It looks like that ladder + hatch leads to a little, semi-covered area on the bridge that then has two tiny staircases up to the main part of the bridge.

I'm just trying to visualize what paths the crewmen in WW2 would have to take to get up to the bridge, or down into the boat when going back in. I've tried to find actual photos of how all this works, but not much luck.

[KaleunMarco]

Originally Posted by pratolano

Hello!

This may be a bit of a silly question, but I'm playing a Sargo class sub (TMO mod). From within the conning tower, I see a door located by the TDC. From the other side, though, I don't see a door there, just the two door-shaped openings that lead from an empty space to the port and starboard bow (no actual door).

In the real sub, was there a door there from the conning tower out to the bridge like it shows from the internal view in SH4, or did crewmen always have to climb up the ladder and through the hatch to get to the bridge? It looks like that ladder + hatch leads to a little, semi-covered area on the bridge that then has two tiny staircases up to the main part of the bridge.

I'm just trying to visualize what paths the crewmen in WW2 would have to take to get up to the bridge, or down into the boat when going back in. I've tried to find actual photos of how all this works, but not much luck.

Pratolano,

in the early WWII subs, there was a non-pressurized hatch in the conning tower that lead to either the bridge above or to a pressurized hatch into the control room. yes, there was a vertical ladder to get to the bridge.

as soon as the war began and the US discovered that the large conning towers were huge targets for enemy spotters, the US began to trim down the conning towers, both in mass and in height. when that happened, those non-pressurized doors went away.

as far as photos are concerned, you have to find an exterior shot from a pre-war sub. you can see the hatch in the after part of the tower in this photo. it is difficult to find this feature in the few WWII subs that have survived into the 21st century because they were updated as previously mentioned.


try and visit one of the few remaining subs: Pampanito in SF Wharf (this is a herded tour so you may not get the chance to wander), Cod, in Cleveland (have not been there in many years and do not know her condition), Silversides (Muskegeon, MI), Cobia (Manitowc, WI) which is in excellent condition. they even take her out once or twice a year. there are others but i have not visited them so i cannot comment.

i hope that helps.

[pratolano]

Thanks for the great information! I think I know what you mean about the changes - I see a hatch there next to the TDC in-game, but when I look at "Conning Tower Aft" photos of the USS Pampanito, it's a solid wall, so that might be part of the changes. The USS Torsk does seem to have the hatch, but when I toured it, the conning tower was not accessible.

In the USS Growler photo then, if I'm interpreting it correctly, you would climb up a ladder from the conning tower to the bridge, and you'd end up in the space underneath those portholes. Then you would ascend a few steps to the main part of the bridge where the lookouts were. So during a crash dive, for example, you'd descend those steps and climb down the ladder back inside.

[jimmbbo]

Slightly O/T but an informative guide to Gato class visual changes is found in Part One of the "Visual Guide to US Fleet Submarines"

[propbeanie]

Oooh-ooo-ooh... nice one jimmbbo... all other tasks have now stopped for the day...

[KaleunMarco]

Originally Posted by pratolano

Thanks for the great information! I think I know what you mean about the changes - I see a hatch there next to the TDC in-game, but when I look at "Conning Tower Aft" photos of the USS Pampanito, it's a solid wall, so that might be part of the changes. The USS Torsk does seem to have the hatch, but when I toured it, the conning tower was not accessible.

In the USS Growler photo then, if I'm interpreting it correctly, you would climb up a ladder from the conning tower to the bridge, and you'd end up in the space underneath those portholes. Then you would ascend a few steps to the main part of the bridge where the lookouts were. So during a crash dive, for example, you'd descend those steps and climb down the ladder back inside.

most likely.

the hatch is difficult to explain without actually being able to experience it either in the past or in a present day archive/exhibit. for example, the Cobia center allowed certain visitors to access the conning tower from the control room hatch but no one was allowed on the bridge in any way, shape, or form.

don't feel badly. this is similar to asking about anything that has become obsolete. we can read about them and maybe see photos of the exterior but there is no one alive who actually used one and the object itself no longer exists.