U534 and Resurgam at Birkenhead

[Guest]

Hi All,

I've posted about this elsewhere in the forum but it has more relevance to those of us in the UK. My thanks to Ian Oldham for the information.

You can visit the U534 museum and the Reverend Garrett's Resurgam (replica) at the Woodside Ferry Terminal. (Take a "Ferry cross the Mersey" etc etc)

Well worth visiting and its is good to see that the museum for the U boat is moving along. (There were rumours about it being scrapped etc.)

Some sample piccies follow to give you an idea.

David

[u-33]

Thanks for those Davy, I

Thanks for those Davy, I like the tree in pic 2...camofluage?

There looks to be just a spot of work to do in pic 3 before the boat becomes operational again.....

Any more pics of Rev Garrett's boat? That would be a challenge to build in 1-12th scale.

Cheers,

Rich

[anonymous]

Hi Rich,

Camouflage - yes. "Ja

Hi Rich,

Camouflage - yes. "Ja mein Fuhrer we hav a secret plan - a shrubbery!"

The sections of the U boat were cut through with a diamond wire system (I believe that was used on the salvage of the Russian Kursk too.) It is amazing the way it has cut cut along pipes etc.

The next step is to seal the ends with glass plates apparently.

Some more shots of the Resurgam. A model would be interesting - fore and aft stability would be interesting. ( A problem with all early submarine types it seems.)

[Guest]

For those interested in the

For those interested in the Resurgam, I highly recommend the book 'The Garrett Enigma'.

The replica is inaccurate in several areas. The propeller is the main clanger- the Resurgam has a three bladed prop.

There was a modelmaker over her called Ron Evans who was constructing a Resurgam model. Don't know what became of him, rather like the Resurgam he slipped beneath the waves and failed to resurface.

Andy

[anonymous]

Hi Andy,

I've been collecting a

Hi Andy,

I've been collecting a few bits and pieces about the Resurgam with a thought about a model - easy being not more than 2 cones and a cylinder! The problem is I like building models of subs that were successful in their own way. It could never have worked. The thought of most of the internal space being taken up a steam boiler and a steam engine makes me sweat!

The only photo I have (from Marine Modellng April 1989 - picked up at Alsfold this year) shows a 3 bladed prop.

He was a fascinating man - you couldn't have invented him. There is a nice photo of him somewhere as aTurkish admiral (A Pasha , I think)

I will put the book you mention on my reading list. Thanks.

David

[Guest]

http://www.channel4.com/science/microsites/W/wreck_detectives/images/img_resurgam.jpg

http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/northeast/sites/old_photos/images/rhylbook/resurgam_420x300.jpg

[u-33]

Thanks Davy....that would make a

Thanks Davy....that would make a nice model, and very different. I remember Bernie [Wood] talking about making one a few years before his demise, he always wanted something different, bless him.

Thanks for the pics, much appreciated.

Rich

[anonymous]

Thanks Andy for the photos.

Thanks Andy for the photos. I've found the book you suggested on Amazon for £8. A Resurgam model would be interesting. Come to think of it it reminds me of the hull shape of my first submarine - a wind up one when I was about 7!

And thanks Rich. You have met Bernie Woods. I never did. He still has a lot of influence over our hobby. The Holland I've just completed is based on one of his hulls and his trophy is on my fireplace. (For one year only!)

What was he like?

David

[u-33]

Met him? I practically lived

Met him? I practically lived with him during the build of the Patrick Henry. What was he like...an interesting question David. He was a very very clever man, give him a sheet of metal and he'd make you a steam engine in ten minutes. He loved a pint [or six] I could tell you some tales of things we got up to over a bottle of scotch. He was a very generous man, willing to give his time and his knowledge to help anybody with submarine problems. When my ex wife had her heart operation he made me stay at his house, which was quite near the hospital, he and his wife Anita looked after me, fed me, watered me and got me drunk over the whole ten days or so. I have yards of video footage of himself up to his tricks after a scotch or two!

What was he like? Like no other man I have ever met....

Bernie Wood...RIP

[Guest]

Another image. Not a great

Another image. Not a great photo- the model is behind glass, so that makes using a flash awkward, and the lighting is very muted inside the building.

This model is part of the exhibits at the Gosport museum. It's very small- less than a foot I estimate- but nicely made. I'm 99% sure it was made by the Author of the book 'The Garrett Enigma and the early submarine pioneers'.

[u-33]

Build the hull like a

Build the hull like a cooper builds a barrel...two plastic cones...it's practically built.

That really would be an interesting boat to model, but as David says, fore and aft stability would be a problem. Still, at least you could build it in a nice large scale.

Rich

[u-33]

Just found this... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resurgam

And this

Just found this... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resurgam

And this is on the page...Garrett's original sketch of Resurgam. [can't upload the picture, it's too big, but you'll see it on the website]


Rich

[Guest]

I think a weight trimming

I think a weight trimming device would be essential with this boat. With careful building to achieve a low metacentric height, I think the boat will work well enough, just wouldn't want to push it too fast through the water.

Garrett built a precursor to the Resurgam nicknamed the 'curates egg' owing to it's round shape. It was equally quaint looking, but much smaller, powered by treadles, and featured rear vanes. In every respect it would be a more practical model submarine. The boat used a pumped water system (hand pump) for main ballast with a smaller piston tank to adjust trim- Garrett was on top of his game with this system.

Drawings and details are featured in the book I mentioned earlier.

[u-33]

There is a mention of

There is a mention of the "egg" on that webpage Andy, and plenty of links to other sites. It's a facinating story, and quite a challenge to build a working model.

Perhaps after Seaquel 5 leaves the slipway.....?

Rich

[u-33]

And here's another one that

And here's another one that I've been interested in for a while.



At least you wouldn't have the problem of making it dive and you'd have a legitimate reson for running decks awash...

Rich