A question on numbering

[big jim]

I am going to build a WWII Fleetboat with a fictitious name. How would I come up with a number that would be in line with the Gato/Balao numbering?

[sam reichart]

I'm sure someone 'round here has to know the highest number WWII fleet boat. A quick search says 288 were built in WW II.
Add 1 to that one.

SS-289? SS-290?

One of the Fleet Boat gurus will be able to confirm that...

[JWLaRue]

Jim,

There are a number of Balao-class subs where their construction was cancelled. You could use one of those numbers, some of them even had names assigned to them. If you're a Ned Beach fan and like his novel Run Silent, Run Deep one of the cancelled Balao subs was to be named the USS Walrus (SS-437)....

Check out:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Balao-class_submarines

...for a good list of possible numbers to use.

-Jeff

[Ralph --- SSBN 598]

A list at NavSource may help.
Shows cancelled boats

http://www.navsource.org/archives/08/04idx.htm

[salmon]

If you are going to make it while it was on patrol, numbers were removed. When you see numbers painted on, as I understand it, it is either pre-war or post war photos. Ralph gave a great link to looking through images of Gato/Balao subs both pre, during, and post war.

[sam reichart]

the collective knowledge round this place is amazing.
thanks guys.

[big jim]

Thank you guys. I'll look up the cancelled boats.

[tom dougherty]

I would suggest the SS-380, USS Nerka, a cancelled Balao class. She lived on fictionally in Edward L. Beach's "Run Silent, Run Deep".

[big jim]

As mentioned in the Wiki source, there seems to be some differences in which cancelled boats were classed as Balao and which were Tench. It seems odd to me that some Balao class boats have higher numbers than some Tench class boats. Maybe someone can explain that for me.
I haven't had a chance to do a lot of comparisons, but, what I am looking for is an unnamed Balao number. With the information you have provided I now have hope that this can be done.

[JWLaRue]

Jim,

As I recall reading (somewhere) the oddity in the numbering was sometimes due to when a yard was able to convert production over from one class to another based on materials availability and/or updated drawings being provided.

-Jeff

[big jim]

Thanks Jeff. Sounds like something not to fret over.