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Nautilus
League of
Extraordinary Gentlemen
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The Nautilus was described as "a masterpiece
containing masterpieces." Much of the ship was
decorated to standards of luxury that were
unequalled in a seagoing vessel of the time.
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U-99
Otto Kretschmer
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One of the best known and most
dread German
U-Boat of WWII.
Her captain was the most successful Ace
of the Deep. From September 1939 to 1941,
he sank 47 ships for a total of 274,333 tons.
For this the commander received the Knights Cross
with Oak Leaves and Swords.
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U-47
Günther Prien
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On 14 October 1939 Prien risked shallow water,
unknown shoals, tricky currents and detection to
penetrate the Royal Navy's primary base and sank the
battleship Royal Oak. He sank the British
battleship HMS Royal Oak in the heavily defended
British North Fleet main harbor at Scapa Flow.
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U-48
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U-48 was the most successful
commissioned U-boat of the WWII. During her two
years of active service, she undertook a total of 12
patrols and sank 53 ships with a combined total of
321,000 tons. She was very fast and agile, thanks to
her dual rudders, and could patrol for approximately
a month at a time, giving her a range comfortably
across the North Atlantic.
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USS Pampanito
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Pampanito earned six battle stars for her
World War II service in the Pacific, sinking five
vessels with a total tonnage of 27,332 tons. Her
biggest day came on September 12, 1944, when she and
two other submarines surprised an 11-ship convoy and
sank seven. Later, Pampanito rescued
more than 73 Allied prisoners of war who had been
carried aboard the enemy transports unbeknown to the
submariners. USS Pampanito is one of the best
restored WW II fleet boats.
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Bushnell's Turtle
(1775) |
David Bushnell’s
Turtle, the first American submarine. Built in
1775, its intended purpose was to break the British
naval blockade of New York harbor during the
American Revolution. With slight positive buoyancy,
Turtle normally floated with approximately
six inches of exposed surface. Turtle was
powered by a hand-driven propeller. The operator
would submerge under the target, and using a screw
projecting from the top of Turtle, he would
attach a clock-detonated explosive charge. This 1875
drawing by Lt. Francis Barber is the most familiar
rendering of Turtle. However, it contains
several errors, including internal ballast tanks and
helical screw propellers.
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Nautilus
20,000 Miles under the Seas
32" long
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This model is wood. Copper plates are
attached to the hull by hundreds of tiny nails.
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USS Los Angles
SSN-688
34" long |
USS LOS ANGELES (SSN 688) is the lead ship of her
class. Designed as a follow-on to the STURGEON class
submarines built during the 1960s, the Los Angeles
class incorporated a
larger propulsion plant than previous classes. Her
many capabilities include wartime functions of
undersea warfare, surface warfare, strike warfare,
mining operations, special forces delivery,
reconnaissance, carrier battle group support and
escort, and intelligence collection. Her missiles
can hit on target 75 percent of the Earth’s land
surface.
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HMS Astute
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HMS Astute represents the
world's new generation of submarine. The
310-foot nuclear-powered attack sub generates its
own air and water. Perhaps the most extraordinary
feature is that it never needs to be refueled
throughout its 25-year lifespan, meaning it can sail
round the world 40 times without surfacing.
The Astute weapons is 50% greater than the previous
class. A total of 38 weapons, including
Spearfish torpedoes and Tomahawk cruise missiles,
can be carried. The HMS Astute costs $2.33
billion. The contractor, BAE Systems, in Barrow,
says it learned a lot from US sub builder Electric
Boat —namely to build sections of the sub vertically
(hence the 12-story construction towers at the
plant.) The Astute went for its test drive in
October 2007.
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I-4OO
40" long
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The world's largest
submarine. In many ways HIJMS I-400 was decades
ahead of her time -- a submarine aircraft carrier
that was able to carry 3 torpedo-bombers underwater
to their destinations. I-400 was armed with eight
torpedo tubes, a 5.5 inch 50 caliber deck gun, a
bridge 25mm antiaircraft gun, and three triple 25mm
A/A. The advent of guided missiles and atomic bombs
transformed her from an overspecialized undersea
dinosaur to a menacing strategic threat. The I-400 was originally
designed so that it could travel round-trip to
anywhere in the world, and it was specifically
intended to destroy the U.S.-controlled Panama
Canal. Only three boats of this class were built.
The Japanese were ahead
of the Allies in many aspects of submarine
development and underwater weapons. During the
Second World War, the Japanese had 30 different
classes of submarines. Their torpedoe "Long
Lance" were the world's most efficient. Like
Germany's Type XXI U-boat, I-400 was too late to
influence World War II.
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U-25
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U-25 participated in five war cruises, sinking eight
enemy ships. On August 3, 1940, while on a mine
laying mission near Norway, U-25 struck a mine and
sank with all hands on board.
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U-505 |
The US Navy
towed the U-505t to Bermuda to study her military
secrets. The trip would cover 2,500 nautical miles —
the longest tow of the war. The U-505 was full of seawater, her
conning tower barely above the surface at times. Her
rudder was stuck hard to starboard.
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Type XXI
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Type XXI U-boats were the first submarines
designed to operate entirely submerged, rather
than as surface ships that only submerge as a
temporary means to escape detection or launch an
attack.
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Type XXIII
Coastal U-boat
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Being a smaller cousin of the Type XXI Elektroboat,
type XXIII of coastal boat was one of the most
advanced submarine designs of WWII. It was the
first submarine in the world to use a single hull
design. As the boat should have to operate in
the Mediterranean and Black Sea theaters, it had had
to be transportable by rail. This meant that
sectionalized parts of the hull were limited in size
in order to fit into the standard rail car
compartment. By the end of the war, of the 61
Type XXIIIs completed, only six boats carried out
war patrols. The patrols were very successful,
resulted in five Allied ships sunk with no loss to
the attacking boats.
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Type VIIC
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The Type VIIC was the workhorse of the German U-boat
force, with 568 commissioned from 1940 to 1945.
The Type VIIC was an effective fighting machine and
was seen almost everywhere U-boats operated. The
VIIC saw the final defeat
by the Allied anti-submarine
campaign in late 1943 and 1944. Sign
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Neger
German human torpedo
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The Neger human
torpedo was the brainchild of Richard Mohr, a naval
engineer. The sumarine consisted of two G7e torpedoes
superimposed one on top of the other. The top
torpedo was partially emptied and had
its warhead removed to allow the installation of a
basic cockpit and create enough buoyancy to carry
the second torpedo. Sign
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Molch
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A
successor to the Neger was the
Molch
(Salamander). This was basically a slug-like craft
which was a carrier for G7e torpedoes slung
externally on either side.
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Biber (Beaver)
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6.5 ton one-man midget
submarine which
could carry two underslung torpedoes. They had the
range of 130 miles at 6 knots surfaced and 8.6 miles
at 5 knots submerged. This boat had the diving depth
of 65 feet.
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Seehund
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The Seehund (seal) was
the most successful of several Nazi attempts to
perfect a midget submarine. Operated by two men and
carrying two underslung torpedoes, the Seehund was
used very effectively in the waning months of World
War II, sinking over 120,000 tons of allied
shipping. Their small size and rapid evasive action
made them virtually undetectable and depth charges
seemed to bounce off of their resilient hulls.
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Alligator
(1861) |
The Union's first submarine 47-foot
long Alligator was primarily intended to counter the
threat of the Confederate ironclad Virginia. In
1863, the Alligator's system of oars was replaced by
a screw propeller. President Lincoln observed a
demonstration of the “improved” vessel. Shortly
thereafter, RADM Samuel Dupont ordered the Alligator
to participate in the capture of Charleston.
Towed by the USS Sumpter, the unmanned Alligator
left Washington for Port Royal on March 31, 1863. On
April 2nd, a fierce storm forced the crew of the
endangered Sumpter to cut the submarine adrift.
According to reports sent to Secretary of the Navy
Welles, the Alligator was "lost" at sea. Sign
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HL Hunley
(1863) |
The Confederate Submarine
H.L. Hunley is credited with the first
recorded successful underwater attack. It used a torpedo which was projected from
the submarine by a pole. Maximum speed was 4
knots. Eight men turned the
propeller using a handcrank. Air was provided by two four-foot pipes
and the hull contained enough air for
approximately ½ hour of submerged operations.
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CSS David
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CSS David, a 50-foot steam torpedo
boat of "cigar-shaped" hull design, was privately
built at Charleston, South Carolina, in 1863. After
being taken over by the Confederate States Navy, she
made a daring spar torpedo attack on the Federal
ironclad New Ironsides on the night of 5 October
1863. The Union ship was damaged and David was
nearly lost when the splash from her torpedo's
explosion swamped her powerplant. However, her
engineer was able to get her underway, allowing her
to escape back to Charleston. David attacked the
Federal gunboat Memphis in March 1864 and the
frigate Wabash on 18 April of that year. As a result
of her actions, several similar torpedo boats were
begun at Charleston in 1864-65, with a few of them
entering service. Some "David" type craft were
captured when the city fell to Union forces in
February 1865, along with a considerably larger
steamship based on her hull form. It is possible
that the original David was among them. Sign
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USS Albacore
(1953)
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USS Albacore
AGSS-569
was the basis for the
teardrop hull form (sometimes referred to as an
"Albacore hull") of modern submarines.
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USS Bowfin
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One of the
top-scoring U.S. submarines of World War II,
Bowfin is credited with sinking a record-high 16 Japanese
vessels with a total tonnage of 67,882 tons. On a
noteworthy patrol in November 1943,
Bowfin
sank 12 vessels. In recognition,
Bowfin
was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation.
Bowfin was also awarded the Navy Unit
Commendation and the Philippine Republic
Presidential Unit Citation.
She was the boat selected by Admiral Christie
when he went on a war patrol, thus becoming the only
U.S. Flag Officer to be aboard a submarine during
combat.
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USS Growler
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In June 1942 the growler came upon 3 Japanese
warships. She fired at all three. One
sank, the others were put out of service.
People called that something to growl about. ....USS
Growler earned nine battle stars for her World War
II service.
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USS Croaker
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Croaker
made six war patrols, and attacked and sank a
cruiser, four tankers, two freighters, an ammunition
ship, two escort craft, and a minesweeper. With eleven sinkings,
totaling 40,000 tons, Croaker's war career typifies the tremendous
success of the submarine war against Japan.
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USS
Cavalla
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USS Cavalla was called
"The Luckiest Ship in the Submarine Service". She
logged 90,000 miles, made 570 dives, and sank 34,180
tons of Japanese shipping. Her greatest sinking,
during six war patrols, was the aircraft carrier Shokaku that had participated in the attack on Pearl
Harbor. She was present in Tokyo Bay in September
1945 for the surrender signing aboard Missouri.
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USS Batfish
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USS Batfish earned nine battle stars for her
World War II service in the Pacific. She sank 14
ships and damaged three others during her seven war
patrols. Over a period of four days in February
1945, she sank three Japanese submarines. For this
feat, the "sub killer" was awarded the Presidential
Unit Citation. Her other WW II exploits included
blasting a grounded destroyer, bombarding a Japanese
village, and rescuing downed aviators.
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USS Gato
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Gato received the Presidential Unit Citation in
recognition of daring exploits during war patrols
four through eight and 13 battle stars for service
in World War II.
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USS Drum
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USS Drum was among the
first fleet boats in combat. On her first war patrol
from Pearl Harbor in April 1942, she sank the
Japanese Navy seaplane tender Mizuho and
three merchantmen. She made two more
patrols that year, sinking three and damaging three. In
1943, Drum damaged the Japanese carrier Ryuho, sank
three merchantmen and damaged another on her 4th
through 8th patrols; receiving heavy damage from
escort ships. On her 9th through 12th patrols in
1944, she sank four merchantmen. USS Drum earned 12 battle
stars for her World War II service.
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USS Seawolf
SS-197
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Seawolf received 13 battle
stars for World War II service. She ranked
fourteenth in confirmed tonnage sunk (71609 tons)
and tied for seventh in confirmed ships sunk (with
Rasher and Trigger), according to the JANAC
accounting postwar. Sign
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USS Tunny
SS-282
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The USS Tunny saw service
in World War II and in the Vietnam War. She
received nine battle stars and two Presidential Unit
Citation for her World War II service and five
battle stars for her operations during the Vietnam
War. Sign
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USS Cod
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In 1986, Cod was designated a
National Historic Landmark. The lowest numbered
surviving fleet submarine, Cod is also the only
example that has not been modified to provide easier
access for visitors, who must still use the original
vertical ladders in the forward and after torpedo
rooms. Located on the Cleveland waterfront adjacent
to Burke Lakefront Airport, Cod is open to the
public seven days a week, from 10:00 am until 5:00
pm.
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X-1
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USS X 1, the U.S. Navy's only
midget submarine, was built by the Engine Division
of Fairfield Engine and Airplane Corporation. It was
originally powered by a hydrogen peroxide/diesel
engine and battery system. However, an explosion of
its fuel supply in May 1957 resulted in its
conversion to diesel-electric drive.
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USS Cusk
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The USS Cusk made history as the world's first
missile submarine.
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USS Nautilus
SSN-571
(1954)
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USS Nautilus was the world's first
operational nuclear-powered submarine and the
first vessel to complete a submerged transit across
the North Pole.
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USS Batfish
SSN-681
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USS Batfish is a Sturgeon
class submarines. She was equipped to carry the
Harpoon missile, the Tomahawk cruise missile, and
the MK-48 and ADCAP torpedoes. Torpedo tubes are
located amidships to accommodate the bow-mounted
sonar. The sail-mounted dive planes rotate to a
vertical position for breaking through the ice when
surfacing in Arctic regions.
Attracting little publicity during its heyday, this
class of ship was the platform of choice for many of
the Cold War missions for which submarines are now
famous. While almost all Cold War operations remain
classified, recently declassified missions showcase
Submarine Force capabilities.
On 17 March, Batfish detected a Navaga-class
ballistic missile submarine (NATO reporting name
"Yankee II") at the north end of the Norwegian Sea
some 200 miles above the Arctic Circle. She began
tailing the enemy, collecting valuable information
on how the Soviets operated. During the next 50
days, the Yankee never detected Batfish, and Batfish
lost the Yankee only twice: once was during a bad
storm, and once when a fishing fleet passed
overhead. Both times the Soviet boat was quickly
reacquired.
The Soviets remained unaware that their boat had
been followed until Warrant Officer John Anthony
Walker sold them the information. (Walker pleaded
guilty to espionage in 1985.)
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USS Narwhal
SSN-671
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Much of Narwhal’s design was
based on the Sturgeon class of attack submarine, but
her powerplant and engineroom was unlike any other.
Elements of her propulsion were incorporated in
later ship classes, especially the Ohios, but no
other submarine has used all of Narwhal’s
innovations, which included a natural circulation
reactor plant, scoop seawater injection, and a
directly-coupled main turbine. The result was the
quietest submarine in the US Navy.
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USS Lafayette
SSBN-616
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USS Lafayette (SSBN-616),
the lead ship of her class of ballistic missile
submarine. Sign
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USS Jimmy Carter
SSN-23
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USS Jimmy Carter (SSN-23) is
the third and last Seawolf-class submarine.
Carter is 100 feet longer than the other two ships
of her class due to the insertion of a section known
as the Multi-Mission Platform (MMP), which allows
launch and recovery of ROVs and Navy SEAL forces.
The MMP may also be used as an underwater splicing
chamber for tapping of undersea fiber optic cables.
This role was formerly filled by the decommissioned
USS Parche (SSN-683). Seawolf-class submarines
are quieter than the previous Los Angeles class.
They are larger, faster, has twice as many torpedo
tubes, and carry more weapons. The Seawolf
class were intended to combat the large numbers of
advanced Soviet ballistic-missile submarines in deep
ocean, such as the Typhoon class and the new Soviet
Akula class attack submarines. However they
also have extensive equipment for shallow-water
operations, including a floodable silo capable of
deploying eight combat swimmers and their equipment
at once. The boat can also carry up to 50 BGM-109
Tomahawk cruise missiles for attacking land and
shipping targets. Sign
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USS Ohio
SSBN-726
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The largest and quite sub in the West.
A launch platform for 24 Trident ballistic missiles.
On November 11, 1981,
Ohio was commissioned. The principal speaker,
The Honorable George H. W. Bush, Vice President of
the United States, remarked to the 8,000 assembled
guests that the ship introduced a "new dimension in
our nation's strategic deterrence," and Admiral
Hyman G. Rickover noted that the Ohio should "strike
fear in the hearts of our enemies."
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USS Virginia
SSN-774
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The USS Virginia incorporates several innovations.
Instead of periscopes, the subs have a pair of
extendable "photonics masts" outside the pressure
hull. Each contains several high-resolution cameras
with light-intensification and infrared sensors, an
infrared laser rangefinder, and an integrated
Electronic Support Measures array. Signals from the
masts' sensors are transmitted through fiber optic
data lines through signal processors to the control
center. They also make use of pump-jet propulsors
for quieter |