Here's how you do bow plane retracts! ;-)

[dietzer]

All,

I made a trip to visit the Pampanito last weekend. There I met up with veteran Bob Taylor (USS Queenfish torpedoman), who took me into the bow free flood area (among other places).

Below are some pics of Pampanito's bow plane retract mechanism. BTW, the air tanks on either side of the bow plane retract mechanism are the air tanks for firing torpedoes (3 per side, one per tube).












Enjoy!

Carl

[Rogue Sub]

Neat stuff. Never been able

Neat stuff. Never been able to get into there before. Looks almost exactly like the D&E setup for the Gato.

[crazy ivan]

Interesting how that rigging gear

Interesting how that rigging gear changed during the War. When I visited the USS Cod last summer, I couldn't get quite that far up into the bow because the area was roped off just forward of the escape trunk. However, I was able to snap this image through a vent hole in the deck. You can see that the rigging rod is supported between two bull gears on the Cod (Gato class), whereas on the Pampanito (Balao class) this has evolved into a single gear and what looks something like an engine crankshaft.

[hakkikt]

I visited the Pampanito in

I visited the Pampanito in 1999, but as a tourist only, not with the "special tour". Ah, what I would have given to see this stuff in person. Thanks for sharing these photos Carl!

-Harald

[dietzer]

Actually, I was going to

Actually, I was going to tour the boat with Harry Nystrom (whose pictures of Pampanito in drydock on available on the web). I had met Harry during my last trip to the Pampanito. But he just had knee surgery a couple of weeks ago and couldn't go into the free flood area with me on this trip. So he was kind enough to make arrangements for Bob Taylor to take me thru the boat. Both are great guys, and a lot of fun to talk to!

Here's two more photos, from the same hatch on Pampanito that Crazy Ivan's photo shows on Cod. I have the feeling, though, looking at the Cod photo that the hatch is bigger on Cod than on Pampanito. See what ya'all think][/url]



Carl

[crazy ivan]

Not a hatch, Carl. Actually

Not a hatch, Carl. Actually there is a wide gap along the outboard edge of the deck plate. I just stuck the camera up to that and hoped for the best.

[dietzer]

Thanks for the explanation, George!

Thanks for the explanation, George! That explains a lot!

Carl

[petn7]

Seems like activating those things

Seems like activating those things would make a ton of noise.

[crazy ivan]

No doubt it would likely

No doubt it would likely be noisy, but they would "rig for dive" while still on the surface, and possibly while the loud diesels were still running. So they would not be all that concerned about silent running at that point. Once under, the planes would remain rigged out. Can any of you "Smoke Boat" vets out there verify?

[wlambing]

Gents,
The bow planes would

Gents,
The bow planes would be rigged out and tested in normal and emergency power on the approach to the desired dive point, surface running. Stern planes would also be tested in both power modes. This is normally one of the last things done on the "Rig for Dive" check list.

"Silent Running" is a condition above and beyond normal ships routine. It is equivalent to the more modern "Ultra Quiet", all unnecessary equipment secured, off-watch in bunks, and watch standers on sound powered phones, etc. "Patrol Quiet" is the normal level of noise condition when not actually sneaking up on a target or trying to evade a bogy. You pretty much go about your business, taking care not to slam doors, or sh%&er seats, and having normal conversations.

Take care,
Bill "I've been there!" Lambing

[ricknelson]

Once riggedout the planes do

Once riggedout the planes do not make very much noise when being tilted. Since it is just a linkage to a Hydraulic Waterberry Speed gear there's not much to make noise with.

BTW, if you are a qualified submarine sailor and make mention of it to any of the guides at the Pompanito they will be more than happy to give you the keys and let you go anywhere on the boat. At least they did for me.

We are brothers of the Phin.