Why did WW2 subs have to surface?
World War II submarines were basically surface ships that could travel underwater for a limited time. Diesel engines gave them high surface speed and long range, but speed and range were severely reduced underwater, where they relied on electric motors powered by relatively short-lived storage batteries.
Did WW2 submarines have showers?
Water had the highest priority. Making fresh water from sea water meant running it through a condenser situated in the lower flat of the engine room. This process used up electricity that was being generated by an auxillary engine, which needed precious fuel to operate. As a result, we only had one shower a week.
How many sailors were on board the submarine when it sank?
The Thresher sank with 129 men aboard. In its wake, the Navy created a submarine safety program, SUBSAFE, to ensure that future submarine hulls would stay watertight and that they can recover from unanticipated flooding.
Did U-boats have to surface to fire?
While U-boats were faster on the surface than submerged, the opposite is generally true of modern submarines. The most common U-boat attack during the early years of the war was conducted on the surface and at night.
Did the Allies have submarines in ww2?
Both the axis and the allies had submarines in World War II. The main class of American submarines was the Gato the British classes included the Rainbow, Grampus and S Class. The allied Submarines saw more use in the Pacific since the Germans were mainly a land power.
How many German submarines were lost in ww2?
In World War II Germany built 1,162 U-boats, of which 785 were destroyed and the remainder surrendered (or were scuttled to avoid surrender) at the capitulation.
Why can’t females be deployed on a submarine?
Britain, Canada and the U.S. Navy do not put women on submarines primarily because of these irresolvable health risks and operational complications. In addition, habitability standards on subs are well below minimum standards on surface ships.
Are submarines air conditioned?
Even though the entire submarine has air cooling facility, only two decks are air-conditioned. The temperature in the rest of the submarine is around 30-35 degrees and the crew works in sweltering heat. The quality of the air is monitored constantly for impurities.
What did submariners eat in WW2?
Meat, vegetables (mainly potatoes), bread and fruits were the basic ingredients in the submariners’ menu on German U-Boats during World War 2.
How successful were British submarines in ww2?
British submarines fought a deadly battle with their German counterparts during World War Two. The British submarines succeeded in sinking 12 German U-boats, for the loss of 4 of their own (P-615, Spearfish, Thristle and Doris) to U-boats.
How many American ships were sunk by German U-boats in ww2?
5 nations hit the hardest
| Country | Ships hit |
|---|---|
| British | 1,660 |
| American | 549 |
| Norwegian | 314 |
| Dutch | 137 |
How deep can a ww2 submarine go?
World War II German U-boats of the types VII and IX generally imploded at depths of 200 to 280 metres (660 to 920 feet).
Can you smoke on a submarine?
The Navy announced today a ban on smoking aboard submarines while they are deployed below the surface after medical testing showed non-smokers suffered effects of second-hand smoke. It will take effect by Dec. 31, 2010.
Why are naval ships GREY?
United States Navy saying
Haze gray is a paint color scheme used by USN warships to make the ships harder to see clearly. The gray color reduces the contrast of the ships with the horizon, and reduces the vertical patterns in the ship’s appearance.
Do you get seasick on a submarine?
On the surface the submarine was subject to the same forces as a surface ship, buffeted by wind and waves. Sea-sickness was common among those prone to it. The close proximity to machine oils and other noxious smells cannot have helped.
What do submarines do with human waste?
So, what we do is all the poop and all the excrement and all that stuff goes into the sanitary tanks. There’s three sanitary tanks onboard a submarine. So what you have to do to discharge it is you have to pressurize a sanitary pump that blows the sanitary waste outside of the boat.
Do your ears pop in a submarine?
No. The effect on air pressure of the compression of the hull at depth is minimal. There may be a pop when equalizing with the atmosphere prior to opening hatches on the surface. The ability to clear one’s ears (valsalva) is critical to serving on a submarine however.
Can you feel waves in a submarine?
Can you Feel the Waves on a Submarine When it’s Under the Water? Normally, a submerged submarine will not rock with the motion of the waves on the surface. It is only in the most violent hurricanes and cyclones that wave motion reaches as much as 400 feet below the surface.
Can a submarine withstand a tsunami?
Some small and strong-hulled titanium submarines could survive stronger impacts and tsunami waves, but larger submarines with thinner hulls could be better adapted to long-term survival in a contaminated world.
Why do you have to hydrate on a submarine?
Excess humidity is bad for the inside of a submarine, as it can condense on the walls and equipment. To tackle this, submarines consist of ‘dehumidifiers’ that prevent the buildup of humidity within the chamber as a result of breathing and perspiration.
Can submarines sit on the ocean floor?
Originally Answered: Can a submarine go to the bottom of the ocean? Yes, in areas where the depth is generally less than 2000 feet. Not good for then to sit directly on the bottom as coolant water intakes and other hull openings can get clogged. Research suns can go very very deep.
Has a submarine ever hit a whale?
This is the amazing moment a submarine encounters a huge and rare sperm whale deep in the Gulf of Mexico. A team from the Nautilus expedition used a small craft called Hercules to spot the giant underwater mammal.
What is the longest a submarine has stayed submerged?
111 days
The longest submerged and unsupported patrol made public is 111 days (57,085 km 30,804 nautical miles) by HM Submarine Warspite (Cdr J. G. F. Cooke RN) in the South Atlantic from 25 November 1982 to 15 March 1983.
How deep can US Navy submarines go?
Modern nuclear attack submarines like the American Seawolf class are estimated to have a test depth of 490 m (1,600 ft), which would imply (see above) a collapse depth of 730 m (2,400 ft).
How shallow can a submarine go?
A nuclear submarine can dive to a depth of about 300m. This one is larger than the research vessel Atlantis and has a crew of 134. The average depth of the Caribbean Sea is 2,200 meters, or about 1.3 miles. The average depth of the world’s oceans is 3,790 meters, or 12,400 feet, or 2 1⁄3 miles.
How long can a nuclear aircraft carrier go without refueling?
20 years
As a result of the use of nuclear power, the ships are capable of operating for over 20 years without refueling and are predicted to have a service life of over 50 years. They are categorized as nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and are numbered with consecutive hull numbers between CVN-68 and CVN-77.
How thick is a submarine hull?
2 to 4 millimeters thick
The external hull, which actually forms the shape of submarine, is called the outer hull, casing or light hull. This term is especially appropriate for Russian submarine construction, where the light hull is usually made of steel that is only 2 to 4 millimeters thick, as it has the same pressure on both sides.
How thick is the glass in a submarine?
As a result, when glass is evenly squeezed from all sides – as it would be under the ocean – the molecules cram closer together and form a tighter structure. The result is that a glass sphere about four-to-six inches (10-15cm) thick should be able to withstand most of the blows of ocean exploration.
Are submarines designed to look like whales?
The new Nautilus, as envisioned by young designers and engineers from technology nonprofit UKNEST, looks like a cross between a manta ray and a whale. Like an actual fish, flexible wingtips facilitate the vessel’s steering.
What is the bottom of a submarine called?
A submarine hull has two major components, the light hull and the pressure hull. The light hull (casing in British usage) of a submarine is the outer non-watertight hull which provides a hydrodynamically efficient shape.
What is the deck of the submarine called?
In naval parlance, the sail (American usage) or fin (European/Commonwealth usage) (also known as a fairwater) of a submarine is the tower-like structure found on the dorsal (topside) surface of submarines.
What does down bubble mean on a submarine?
Up bubble means the bow is angled up, and down bubble means the bow is angled down. As others have said, the angle is traditionally controlled by the stern planes operator, who sits to the left (outboard) of the helmsman/bow planes operator.