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Anyhoo, decided I'd post something tangetial to fandom and conveniently tied to work I'm doing anyway.... Having now developed a limited amount of knowledge of the submarine force, I figured I'd to add some belated commentary on this episode. Specifically, the Submarine.
It's really important to note that WWII submarines are markedly different than modern submarines. We tend to think of submarines as underwater ships - boats that spend most of their time under water. And that's what a modern submarine does.
Contemporary US Navy subs have nuclear propulsion - the reactor only needs to be refeuled once every fifteen or so years and the ship can make it's own oxygen and water. They're shaped like cigars and designed to stay underwater all of the time. Our subs can cross the ocean without resurfacing - spends months at a time underwater without resurfacing... until they run out of food for the crew, pretty much.
Drawing of USS Virginia (SSN 774) one of our newest submarines.
World War II subs didn't work that way. Our WWII era subs were essentially surface vessels that had the capability of going underwater. These boats had an outside deck with mounted guns - and diesel powered engines. A design that optimized the speed of the ship, both on the surface and underwater.
Underwater, the boat ran on batteries, and those WWII era batteries were limited in capability. The subs couldn't run at high speed for very long, without needing to resurface and recharge. The WWII era sub also couldn't make it's own oxygen - so it had to resurface usually once a day to refresh the air supply. Beyond that, the sub could carry limited supplies of diesel fuel and would need refueling.
We don't actually know what specific time the episode takes place - which would make it harder to determine which class of submarine it would have occured on. Assuming we don't fanwank it being a magical mystery sub not listed in the Vessel Registry.
In particular, the submarine in WWF would likely have been a Balao Class Submarine. If the episode occurred after April 1944 - it's possible the boat in the episode may have been a Tench Class Submarine. The Tenches were newer and improved - and you'd use your best sub for that mission... though Balao (SS 285) would be funnier. (Balao is the submarine shown in the film "Operation Petticoat".
USS Balao (SS 285)
They goofed on Angel's entry to the sub. The standard torpedo tube was 21" diameter, which would be a huge challenge for someone with as broad shoulders as Angel has. More accurately - submarines had escape trunks - a locking module that one could enter, and then pressurize before escaping out. I suppose, if you knew someone was coming, you could let them in that way.
Beyond that, I'm not really going to get into characterization - Lawson's not matching up with the psychology of the submarine force and all.
Just talking on technical grounds. Which is to say - if you needed to get access to a WWII submarine from the outside... and if you knew where the boat was... the limitation would be the security issue. Are you free to reach your vessel without somebody else going after it? The submarine would have to surface every day to stay functional, so rather than chain up your diver, you'd just wait for that.
Though, granted, your submariners downside don't know whether it's day or night, so who knows if they'll surface with the sun up.
Any questions?
It's really important to note that WWII submarines are markedly different than modern submarines. We tend to think of submarines as underwater ships - boats that spend most of their time under water. And that's what a modern submarine does.
Contemporary US Navy subs have nuclear propulsion - the reactor only needs to be refeuled once every fifteen or so years and the ship can make it's own oxygen and water. They're shaped like cigars and designed to stay underwater all of the time. Our subs can cross the ocean without resurfacing - spends months at a time underwater without resurfacing... until they run out of food for the crew, pretty much.
Drawing of USS Virginia (SSN 774) one of our newest submarines.
World War II subs didn't work that way. Our WWII era subs were essentially surface vessels that had the capability of going underwater. These boats had an outside deck with mounted guns - and diesel powered engines. A design that optimized the speed of the ship, both on the surface and underwater.
Underwater, the boat ran on batteries, and those WWII era batteries were limited in capability. The subs couldn't run at high speed for very long, without needing to resurface and recharge. The WWII era sub also couldn't make it's own oxygen - so it had to resurface usually once a day to refresh the air supply. Beyond that, the sub could carry limited supplies of diesel fuel and would need refueling.
We don't actually know what specific time the episode takes place - which would make it harder to determine which class of submarine it would have occured on. Assuming we don't fanwank it being a magical mystery sub not listed in the Vessel Registry.
In particular, the submarine in WWF would likely have been a Balao Class Submarine. If the episode occurred after April 1944 - it's possible the boat in the episode may have been a Tench Class Submarine. The Tenches were newer and improved - and you'd use your best sub for that mission... though Balao (SS 285) would be funnier. (Balao is the submarine shown in the film "Operation Petticoat".
USS Balao (SS 285)
They goofed on Angel's entry to the sub. The standard torpedo tube was 21" diameter, which would be a huge challenge for someone with as broad shoulders as Angel has. More accurately - submarines had escape trunks - a locking module that one could enter, and then pressurize before escaping out. I suppose, if you knew someone was coming, you could let them in that way.
Beyond that, I'm not really going to get into characterization - Lawson's not matching up with the psychology of the submarine force and all.
Just talking on technical grounds. Which is to say - if you needed to get access to a WWII submarine from the outside... and if you knew where the boat was... the limitation would be the security issue. Are you free to reach your vessel without somebody else going after it? The submarine would have to surface every day to stay functional, so rather than chain up your diver, you'd just wait for that.
Though, granted, your submariners downside don't know whether it's day or night, so who knows if they'll surface with the sun up.
Any questions?
no subject