Inside a Submarine

[Neapolitan Ice Cream]

Here we have HMS Ocelot, a submarine built for the Royal Navy in the 60's, powered by hybrid Diesel and Electric motors. Talk about a sardine can! I'd hate to be stuffed up in there for weeks on end!

 

[antmaril]

Many years ago, my son’s Cub Scout troop (and their parents) spent the night on the SS Silversides submarine located in Muskegon, Michigan. It was so interesting and we had so much fun. Quite the experience!

 

[kdonnel]

Many years ago, my son’s Cub Scout troop (and their parents) spent the night on the SS Silversides submarine located in Muskegon, Michigan. It was so interesting and we had so much fun. Quite the experience!

We did some really fun things as a family that we would never have done because of Scouts.

While we did not spend the night on a submarine, we did on an aircraft carrier, the USS Yorktown. We only got to tour the submarine there.

 

[peabody58]

About a sardine can! I'd hate to be stuffed up in there for weeks on end!

As an 8 year USN Sub Vet, MM1 (SS), I spent close to 2 years of my life under the water in 90 day stretches in an SSBN (60's era '41 for Freedom'). These are experiences I wouldn't trade for anything. We have a Sub reunion coming up in Nov at Kings Bay, GA and am looking forward to seeing many of my fellow ship mates as well as tour a new SSN. And as far a 'sardines', after a few weeks you hardly notice the smell anymore! That's me in the funky glasses fixing tube leaks at 400+ ft under the North Atlantic on our Evaporator (source of fresh water). 3 days of no showers for the crew. Once I had it fixed, the Captain allowed me the first shower. Ah, good times. Also me jumping off the sail fins during my one and only ever swim call.

 

[bcla]

Never been in a real military sub, although there's one on display in San Francisco.

Nuclear powered subs have a really tiny reactor. I heard maybe the size of a basketball, but then all the other stuff takes up room like the boilers.

This is the closest I've been to being in a real submarine.

 

[hertamaniac]

I've been on one submarine for a self-guided tour (decommissioned). I know it wasn't a Los Angeles class but was used during WWII. It was very small.

I always enjoyed reading/studying/playing-simulations submarine warfare. I can't imagine being on a current day nuclear powered SSN; it must be spectacular to see the latest technologies. I worked with ONR (Office of Naval Research), but my specialty was directed energy weapons.

 

[MamaMermaid]

Thank you for sharing this! My 5 year old son loves submarines!

 

[bcla]

I've been on one submarine for a self-guided tour (decommissioned). I know it wasn't a Los Angeles class but was used during WWII. It was very small.

I always enjoyed reading/studying/playing-simulations submarine warfare. I can't imagine being on a current day nuclear powered SSN; it must be spectacular to see the latest technologies. I worked with ONR (Office of Naval Research), but my specialty was directed energy weapons.

Would you even be allowed to see the latest technologies?

I've toured a few US Navy vessels (and even one Canadian one) in my day. Most wouldn't go to this level, but once our tour passed through the combat information center of a Spruance-class destroyer. No cameras were allowed (and I these days bags aren't allowed on public tours - with no storage dockside). Little of it made sense (just a bunch of mostly monochrome screen in the late 90s with dials, buttons, and switches) and it wasn't fully operational anyways while in port. But the one thing I remember was that it was really cold in there. Hollywood movies get it totally wrong that sailors will be sweating. These rooms are quite cold to protect the electronics from overheating.

 

[OrangeBirdGirl]

after a few weeks you hardly notice the smell anymore!

My husband is a sub vet as well (nuke vs boomer). The smell though, after 20 years when we open a box of some of his old uniforms the smell still is strong.

I was able to go on a dependen’s cruise, very interesting and scary. I didn't like to think of him that far underwater. Got to drive, fire a water slug torpedo and go to the top of the sail for lookout. Had a little qual book the captain signed.

 

[BlueStarryHat]

I toured the submarine Becuna at Penn's Landing. The tour was given by a veteran that had served on her in WWII. I don't recall much about the tour itself because it was something like forty years ago, but I *do* recall that when we went to one of the crew sections with all the narrow bunks the old veteran said all you smelled in there was "feet and farts."

 

[pinkxray]

We toured the USS Bowfin while at Pearl Harbor last year. It is so narrow! I can’t imagine being on there for long, especially under water.

 

[Mrs.Milo]

in my 9th grade science class in the 60’s, we did a field trip to a sub docked in the Detroit River. I don’t remember the name of the sub or model, but it was so interesting and so small! After that we went to a Belle Isle marine museum, Detroit was a great place to grow up.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

That looks wild, thanks for sharing!

As a side effect, I am going to have Yellow Submarine stuck in my head... but that's OK it's a cute song.

 

[hertamaniac]

Would you even be allowed to see the latest technologies?

I've toured a few US Navy vessels (and even one Canadian one) in my day. Most wouldn't go to this level, but once our tour passed through the combat information center of a Spruance-class destroyer. No cameras were allowed (and I these days bags aren't allowed on public tours - with no storage dockside). Little of it made sense (just a bunch of mostly monochrome screen in the late 90s with dials, buttons, and switches) and it wasn't fully operational anyways while in port. But the one thing I remember was that it was really cold in there. Hollywood movies get it totally wrong that sailors will be sweating. These rooms are quite cold to protect the electronics from overheating.

I was referring to being an enlisted U.S. Navy submarine sailor, not the general public. Interesting note about the cooler temps, but I expected that is necessary with more electronics/touchscreens/etc. onboard compared to previous generations.

I've worked directly with the Seals on an SDV (Seal Delivery Vehicle via a submarine), but that really isn't new (although our energy storage was and is what drew their interest). I have to think the UUV's are also a large part of the assets used in modern submarine technology.

 

[bcla]

I was referring to being an enlisted U.S. Navy submarine sailor, not the general public. Interesting note about the cooler temps, but I expected that is necessary with more electronics/touchscreens/etc. onboard compared to previous generations.

I've worked directly with the Seals on an SDV (Seal Delivery Vehicle via a submarine), but that really isn't new (although our energy storage was and is what drew their interest). I have to think the UUV's are also a large part of the assets used in modern submarine technology.

Maybe not modern touchscreens, which are really efficient and barely generate any heat. But certainly back then (90s), CRT monitors would have generated a lot of heat. I don't think the CRTs would have had issues with high temps, but the various computers driving all that stuff might. I remember back in the late 90s everyone working in one office I was working at were told to just go home when the A/C failed in the building. They needed to do that because the server room was getting hot and they can crash without A/C.