Hey /k/, I'm a volunteer on a WW2 museum submarine, anything you guys want to see or have questions about? I'm no expert but I'll do what I can.
crawl into torpedo tube and post pics looking back inside into the sub, go feet first
>>28018850
I don't know much about subs, but how big is the sub you're volunteering at? How many people could live in it, and for how long?
>>28018870
I'd love to but there's an issue with one of the tubes. Has a leak, all in the forward room are sealed as a safety precaution, aft room is either full of junk or a torpedo
>>28018888
This particular boat is 311 feet long, had a crew of around 80, normal deployment was 2-3 months
>>28018899
Wow, I thought they were half that size, and crew wise too. Was 311 feet considered a large submarine back then? How deep could/did the sub go down in the Ocean in WWII? Did someone keep a record of things like that, or were there any records in general in/about the deployments of it?
>>28018930
She was rated for 600 feet, rumors are that she made it down to 850 though but we have nothing to confirm that. An older boat made it to 1000 feet once in an un controlled dive. Overall I think this is considered to be a medium sized boat, the Japanese had some bigger subs and I think the Germans did too.
>>28018982
Are those depths considered incredibly deep for subs in that era? Also, define an un-controlled dive, I don't understand in that phrasing. And, all the pictures you've posted are of the sub, correct? Where do you have access in the sub?
>>28018850
View through periscope
>>28019011
Yeah these are deep dives for boats of this era. The uss chopper was the one that went down, she lost power and depth control and nosed down. Everything I've posted is onboard the sub I work on. I have complete access though she's mostly open to the public.
>>28019026
Will do as soon as I get back up to the conning tower
>>28019026
Here you go, view through the No. 2 attack periscope. No. 1 has a camera mounted on it feeding to a screen in the control room for visitors
>>28019050
That sounds like one of the worst ways to die ever. That's nice though. Are there functioning shitters in the sub, or do they not work? Never knew how they made 'em in subs.
>>28018850
Can we see the engines?
>>28019113
There are 4 heads onboard, 1 in each torpedo room and two in crews breathing. 3 work, one has the door cut open for display. They're gravity assist, you shit then open a valve and gravity does the rest.
>>28019123
Here is engine no. 3. She has 4 Fairbanks Morse diesels, 1400 hp a piece, uses a diesel electric system with two GE electric motors. Batteries are used under water
>>28019123
And engine no. 4. Sadly none run, 3 and 4 are packed with cosmoline, we've been talking about getting 1 or 2 running though
>>28019203
Cheers mate, always wanted to serve aboard a sub, but I am too tall and wide to qualify l. Good luck with the engines.
How heavily weighted/ballsed do subs need to be to prevent rolling? Doesn't all the support from buoyancy not apply underwater?
>>28019324
Im not 100% sure to be honest, she weighs 1500 tons surfaced and 2500 submerged.
can you make pics of oxygen generator? Thanks.
In Kure Japan, there is a JMSDF submarine attached to the JMSDF museum. They lifted the submarine whole out of the dry dock and moved it two blocks inland.
It is a little low inside. I'm 6'2" and when I went inside, I couldn't stand upright. My head would have been in the pipes and cables overhead.
>>28019351
There is no oxygen generator, whatever they dove with is what they had, they would use the diesels on the surface to draw in fresh air. Max time underwater was 48 hours, normal during the war she'd charge batteries and air on the surface at night at patrol during daylight
>>28018850
are you in portsmouth?
>>28019203
Where is this sub? Former navy engineman, current diesel machinist for a class 1 railroad, I'd be very interested in volunteering for a project like this. The engines are opposed piston 16s correct?
>>28019385
Ah, thanks for the info. Do you have idea to what year they used this technology +,- ?
>>28019402
Nope
>>28019404
its in Baltimore, if you're close I can give you contact info but the project is currently on hold
>>28019432
This particular boat was in service from 44 to 1968, the tech by that date was outdated and oxygen generators were on the newer subs.
What type is this?
Balao? Gato?
>>28020395
Its a Tench, which is basically just an improvement on the Balao design. Hull is thicker and she can carry 4 more torpedoes among other things
I'm off the boat now and heading home but ill still try to answer any questions and post what pictures I took before I left.
This is the control board for firing torpedoes, you select a tube and press the big button under the panel. Behind it in the background is the torpedo data computer or TDC. Its all manual inputs but it'll line up a shot pretty well if your numbers are right.
>>28019497
>Baltimore
I've been on this sub. Spent the night on the Cutter around the block too.
She's in the process of being repainted. The teeth are not historically accurate so they're being painted over, they're already gone on the starboard side. They were added on in 1972 when it first became a museum.
Yup that's her.
>>28021019
Meant for>>28020922
Mobile is being a bitch right now.
>>28018850
>>28018894
>>28019193
>>28019203
This is a shot looking aft in the conning tower, no. 1 periscope is center with the camera mounted to it. On the left is a plot table and radar equipment. Right side is all torpedo related. Typically during battlestations there would be 8 men crammed up here
Last picture I took, next time im onboard ill do this again though.
Radioman on a Los Angeles class here. Kudos to keeping that old Tench class afloat.
>>28021516
Thanks mate, our radio room is actually somewhat functional. We operate it from time to time as an amateur radio club. Its not easy keeping 50-70 year old radios running though
>>28019088
Thanks bru