Some updated USS Torsk Photos

[AkbarGulag]

Nice clear pics... it shows those pipes LukeFF was talking about... Start modelling my damn torpedo room luke :rotfl:*makes whip cracking sound while wearing the face of Xerxes*

[LukeFF]

Originally Posted by AkbarGulag

Nice clear pics... it shows those pipes LukeFF was talking about... Start modelling my damn torpedo room luke :rotfl:*makes whip cracking sound while wearing the face of Xerxes*

Pay me a thousand bucks, and I'll think about it.

Nice photos,

A big thank you to all those who work so hard to preserve our history and heritage.

[Biggles]

I know that "Torsk" is Cod in english, I was just a bit surprised over seeing a swedish word being the name of an american Sub.:hmm:

Besides, "Torsk" have more than one meaning in Sweden

[M. Sarsfield]

Or does Batfish's painted gray more authentically relect a ship in anger?

The Batfish's paint scheme reflects 30 years of service in the Navy and another 35 years as a museum boat. Anything and everything got painted to the point that you really have to chisel and chip away in some areas to take bolts apart and what-not. My grandmother's 80 year-old house looks the same way (I think the paint is thicker than the plaster at this point).

Originally, the interior color was like an anodized green and brass normally didn't get painted. If they wanted an item to be painted, it wasn't made out of brass. These days, many sub museums will grab any free can of paint thrown their way and will find a use for it. Especially on the exterior. Batfish looks more like a modern warship with her dull gray paint, than a WWII sub.

[AVGWarhawk]

Originally Posted by shoot-kill-win

I really wish that everything inside the Batfish had not been coated with grey paint, because as you can see in those photos, right next to the high pressure air manifold there is a bunch of piping, and it looks so much cooler in brass than paint.

The brass is under there. Clean it off. We have uncovered numerous brass fighting in all compartments. We find the paint is so old it chips away. Sometimes a wire brush is used depending on the piece we are cleaning up. The is brass all over the boats. Unfortunate most has been entombed by paint. Set it free

[AVGWarhawk]

Are you using real brass polish or the 'Never-dull-very-expensive-museum-polish'?

At Cod we use the Never dull, since it doesn't polish away the copper and brass over time. Pipes get awfully thin after a lot of polishing, and the text on name plates disappears before you know it...

We use Brasso for the most part and Tim Calvert got this new cleaner that works great(dont recall the name of it). It may be never dull. It is expensive. I do remember Tim stating that. What helps is putting a coat of auto wax on it after you polish. This greatly reduces finger marks and dulling. Visitors tend to touch shiny things. Lucky for me my youngest daughter likes to polish the brass. Save everyone time to do other things.

[AVGWarhawk]

Originally Posted by Biggles

I know that "Torsk" is Cod in english, I was just a bit surprised over seeing a swedish word being the name of an american Sub.:hmm:

Besides, "Torsk" have more than one meaning in Sweden

They ran out of English words for fish and used other languages for the same type fish. Cod=Torsk. Every intention was the same fish in different language. Swedish in this case.

[AVGWarhawk]

Originally Posted by Rockin Robbins

Does the condition of the Torsk reflect the condition during wartime? Would they really have all that polished brass and brightwork during wartime operations? Or does Batfish's painted gray more authentically relect a ship in anger?

The Torsk is being returned to the 1960 configuration. Her hull is pure WW2 but her sail was changed during the Guppy transformation. The 1960's was selected as the target year to restore because parts are easier to find from the 60's then 1945. Paint on the other hand is going to the original color from 1945 in the interior. Right now the paint used after her decommissioning was any color they could find. It looks like jungle gym. The exterior is what she looked like in the 60's. The brass and brightwork are as you see it today and back during the war. RR, let me tell you the quality of work that went into these boats is simply amazing. Each piece reeks of pride. Brass is solid and shiny. Steel is solid. Yes, the brasswork would look like that during wartime. Again, the pride in the handwork of these boat is unbelievable.

[seafarer]

Warhawk, are you planning to open up the conning tower in some way? When I was onboard her back in July, you could not even really see up into it at all, while I was dying to go right up in there.

[M. Sarsfield]

On the Batfish they created a domed cage to cover the hatch up there to allow for a better view. Of course, the Batfish isn't a very anal boat to visit. Some boats, like the Requin, make you feel lke you're on hallowed ground and if you touch anything, you'll feel the wrath of the tour guide.

[AVGWarhawk]

Originally Posted by seafarer

Warhawk, are you planning to open up the conning tower in some way? When I was onboard her back in July, you could not even really see up into it at all, while I was dying to go right up in there.

It is very inaccessible for visitors and not practical to have it open. In all reality, it is a broken ankle waiting to happen. Heck, I bang my head no less the three times climbing up the ladder. My daughter has to step on my head when climbing down because her legs are too short reach the ladder. Just impractical. Anyway, if you make another visit let me know and you can have the golden key to the conning tower. Look up there all you like. Let me tell you, the attack scope can zoom in on the scantly clad girls walking around the inner harbor

[AVGWarhawk]

Originally Posted by M. Sarsfield

On the Batfish they created a domed cage to cover the hatch up there to allow for a better view. Of course, the Batfish isn't a very anal boat to visit. Some boats, like the Requin, make you feel lke you're on hallowed ground and if you touch anything, you'll feel the wrath of the tour guide.

The Torsk is a hands on boat. You can pull levers and turn knobs. Those knobs that do not need turning for obvious reasons are removed. The sub is set up as a living classroom and as such we get money from the city. Not great but a way for revenue to get things.

[M. Sarsfield]

And that's really the way to do it. Make visitors feel at home and they'll keep coming back. Rick is going to turn the forward battery compartment into a sort of recreation room. They frequently get visited by Sea Cadets and other youth groups and they let them sleep over. In turn, they work on the boat and the memorial grounds to earn their keep.

[Torvald Von Mansee]

Originally Posted by AVGWarhawk

It is very inaccessible for visitors and not practical to have it open. In all reality, it is a broken ankle waiting to happen. Heck, I bang my head no less the three times climbing up the ladder. My daughter has to step on my head when climbing down because her legs are too short reach the ladder. Just impractical. Anyway, if you make another visit let me know and you can have the golden key to the conning tower. Look up there all you like. Let me tell you, the attack scope can zoom in on the scantly clad girls walking around the inner harbor

Ooooh!!! I know me (and my father, the retired Engineering Duty and flag officer) would like to get in on such conning tower action, if possible!!!!