Brooms on subs?

shoot-kill-win · 03-16-07, 04:52 PM

As shown here right next to the radar and the periscope tube there is a broom anyone know why they had brooms on the conning towers, because it is also a piece on my gato model sub, this picture is a balao class sub, but why would they have a broom there?

flyingdane · 03-16-07, 05:03 PM

To clean the bottoms of japanese dds. :rotfl:

metroman · 03-16-07, 05:03 PM

The broom was put up high upon RTB to show that all enemies encountered were sunk, hence a clean sweep. Also seen were things like women's superstructure support garments, to indicate the crew's eagerness for shore leave.

BW

Hans Schultz · 03-16-07, 05:40 PM

a broom signifies a clean sweep!

Tigrone · 03-16-07, 05:43 PM

Look in my sig. It is after Dutch Admiral Maarten Tromp, who legend held, placed a broom at the masthead to show he had swept the sea clean of the foe--the English in his case. There is an old song called "The Admiral's Broom."

"Maarten Tromp was an admiral bold, the Dutchman's pride was he...."

Pevs86 · 03-16-07, 05:50 PM

That's really cool!

I like bits of info like that

Rykaird · 03-16-07, 06:08 PM

Fascinating. Great picture, and as always, the forum knows all.

edjcox · 03-16-07, 08:19 PM

It was intended to provide a target marking method for submariners...

A few crewman would mix up red and white lead based paint and then dip the broom in it.

Running submerged the captain was required to make two diagonal passes under a targeted boat and engage the broom to paint a large pink x on the bottom of the ship..

Running away on the last pass and coming about he would then engage the targeted ship with his topedoes. The key was to sink the boat so that it would roll over as it sank and therby reveal the pink x to any other observers. These were then photgraphed and were secretly kept and known only to those who had access to the "X" files.

Considered a sign of experience and expertise many sub skippers would attach a broom to the periscope shears in anticipation of their marking attempts.

It evolved very much like the "Snipe Hunt" of yore... Where you placed a flashlight in a paper bag at night deep in the woods in attempt to lure in a snipe....

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

Clean sweep..... Argh!! what bilge wash that be.....

Tigrone · 03-17-07, 01:57 AM

"...two diagonal passes under a targeted boat and engage the broom to paint a large pink x on the bottom of the ship."

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

Crosseye76 · 03-17-07, 02:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by edjcox

It was intended to provide a target marking method for submariners...

A few crewman would mix up red and white lead based paint and then dip the broom in it.

Running submerged the captain was required to make two diagonal passes under a targeted boat and engage the broom to paint a large pink x on the bottom of the ship..

Running away on the last pass and coming about he would then engage the targeted ship with his topedoes. The key was to sink the boat so that it would roll over as it sank and therby reveal the pink x to any other observers. These were then photgraphed and were secretly kept and known only to those who had access to the "X" files.

Considered a sign of experience and expertise many sub skippers would attach a broom to the periscope shears in anticipation of their marking attempts.

It evolved very much like the "Snipe Hunt" of yore... Where you placed a flashlight in a paper bag at night deep in the woods in attempt to lure in a snipe....

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

Clean sweep..... Argh!! what bilge wash that be.....

That's utter crap, and you should be ashamed to post it here.

Everyone knows the Boats from Pearl used RED paint, the Fremantle boats used GREEN paint for the X's.

Pink paint indeed, for shame sir !!1!.

sunvalleyslim · 03-17-07, 09:51 AM

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

I do hope that is in SH4, so when you come back from patrol, your peers can be envious.

The WosMan · 03-17-07, 10:02 AM

They still do it today. Here is the USS Virginia;

flintlock · 03-17-07, 12:01 PM

That's a great shot--tac sharp.

Aimbot · 03-17-07, 02:53 PM

My broom will be getting a lot of sun.

03-17-07, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by metroman

The broom was put up high upon RTB to show that all enemies encountered were sunk, hence a clean sweep. Also seen were things like women's superstructure support garments, to indicate the crew's eagerness for shore leave.

BW

Also the womans undergarmets could be used to distract a Japanese surface ship crew in the case of a forced surfacing, allowing the Sub to get away while the sounds of "fapfapfapfap" were heard among the Japaneese ship.

03-16-07, 04:52 PM	#1
shoot-kill-win Medic Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 164 Downloads: 9 Uploads: 0	Brooms on subs? As shown here right next to the radar and the periscope tube there is a broom anyone know why they had brooms on the conning towers, because it is also a piece on my gato model sub, this picture is a balao class sub, but why would they have a broom there? __________________ U.S.S. Batfish "The champion Submarine-killing sub of WWII" Official tonnage: 12,332 Sank 3 subs in 3 days

03-16-07, 05:03 PM	#2
flyingdane Weps Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 355 Downloads: 33 Uploads: 0	To clean the bottoms of japanese dds. :rotfl: __________________ It denos't mtater waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, it's olny iprmoatnt taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae.The rset can be a total mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelms.Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.

03-16-07, 05:03 PM	#3
metroman Swabbie Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: southern indiana Posts: 9 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	Clean Sweep... The broom was put up high upon RTB to show that all enemies encountered were sunk, hence a clean sweep. Also seen were things like women's superstructure support garments, to indicate the crew's eagerness for shore leave. BW

03-16-07, 05:43 PM	#5
Tigrone Commander Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Newport Beach, CA Posts: 470 Downloads: 41 Uploads: 0	I've a broom at the mast! Look in my sig. It is after Dutch Admiral Maarten Tromp, who legend held, placed a broom at the masthead to show he had swept the sea clean of the foe--the English in his case. There is an old song called "The Admiral's Broom." "Maarten Tromp was an admiral bold, the Dutchman's pride was he...." __________________ Commander Hiram Cassedy: "Tigrone has saved the Air Force and is now returning to Iwo Jima with 28 rescued zoomies." B-29 SNUFFY & THE SHIF'LESS SKONKS among them. I've a broom at the mast said he, for the broom is a sign for me, that wherever I go, I sweep the mighty sea. Last edited by Tigrone; 03-17-07 at 01:46 AM.

03-16-07, 05:50 PM	#6
Pevs86 Machinist's Mate Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Uxbridge, England Posts: 123 Downloads: 14 Uploads: 0	That's really cool! I like bits of info like that __________________

03-16-07, 05:40 PM	#4
Hans Schultz Sparky Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 150 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	a broom signifies a clean sweep!

03-16-07, 06:08 PM	#7
Rykaird Weps Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 356 Downloads: 36 Uploads: 0	Fascinating. Great picture, and as always, the forum knows all.

03-16-07, 08:19 PM	#8
edjcox Engineer Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Shang Gri La Posts: 219 Downloads: 61 Uploads: 0	The Broom legend It was intended to provide a target marking method for submariners... A few crewman would mix up red and white lead based paint and then dip the broom in it. Running submerged the captain was required to make two diagonal passes under a targeted boat and engage the broom to paint a large pink x on the bottom of the ship.. Running away on the last pass and coming about he would then engage the targeted ship with his topedoes. The key was to sink the boat so that it would roll over as it sank and therby reveal the pink x to any other observers. These were then photgraphed and were secretly kept and known only to those who had access to the "X" files. Considered a sign of experience and expertise many sub skippers would attach a broom to the periscope shears in anticipation of their marking attempts. It evolved very much like the "Snipe Hunt" of yore... Where you placed a flashlight in a paper bag at night deep in the woods in attempt to lure in a snipe.... :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: Clean sweep..... Argh!! what bilge wash that be..... __________________ EJ Cox http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z...jcox/usaCa.gif

03-17-07, 01:57 AM	#9
Tigrone Commander Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Newport Beach, CA Posts: 470 Downloads: 41 Uploads: 0	Ok "...two diagonal passes under a targeted boat and engage the broom to paint a large pink x on the bottom of the ship." :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: __________________ Commander Hiram Cassedy: "Tigrone has saved the Air Force and is now returning to Iwo Jima with 28 rescued zoomies." B-29 SNUFFY & THE SHIF'LESS SKONKS among them. I've a broom at the mast said he, for the broom is a sign for me, that wherever I go, I sweep the mighty sea.

03-17-07, 09:51 AM	#11
sunvalleyslim Ace of the Deep Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Los Angeles, Ca Posts: 1,142 Downloads: 267 Uploads: 0	:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: I do hope that is in SH4, so when you come back from patrol, your peers can be envious. __________________ Crew member/ decommission member TM2(SS)(SD) 3/68-7/70 DIESEL BOATS FOREVER USS SEGUNDO (SS398)

03-17-07, 10:02 AM	#12
The WosMan Watch Officer Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: OH Posts: 332 Downloads: 88 Uploads: 0	They still do it today. Here is the USS Virginia;

03-17-07, 12:01 PM	#13
flintlock Ace of the Deep Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 1,177 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	That's a great shot--tac sharp.

03-17-07, 02:53 PM	#14
Aimbot Medic Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 160 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	My broom will be getting a lot of sun.