1,408 AntifoulAwl ∞ Alpha Tester 2,289 posts 8,802 battles Report post #1 Posted September 14, 2015 The H L Hunley was launched in July 1863, for the Confederate States of America during their Civil War. She sank twice during sea trials, killing a total of 13 crew members, including her designer. She was successfully salvaged and put into active service. She attacked the Union ship Housatonic in Feb 1864, sinking again, once more killing all her own crew. Surely a bad ship to serve on. But this is the part I love about her~ She was powered by a hand cranked propeller! She had a crew of 8, seven of which provided the muscle to turn the prop and one man to steer her. She was 12 metres in length and 1.2 metres in height. Cramped conditions indeed. Interior light was provided by candles!! All water ballast pumps were hand operated. There was no air supply, only what the hull contained. Her weapon consisted of 41 kilos of black powder encased in a barbed tube, placed on the end of a 6.7 metre pole which protruded from her bow. The plan was to gain enough speed to ram the enemy ship, burying the 'torpedo' within the enemie's hull. Then a detonator was activated by a pull cord, hopefully wrecking enemy ship. Unbelievably, she sunk the Housatonic (1260 t), sending both the target ship and herself to the bottom. The Hunley was less than 20 feet away when the bomb exploded. Too close for comfort...It would have killed all her own crew. The Hunley's wreck was found in 1995. She was raised in the year 2000, spending 136 years submerged. Her crew were still at their posts albeit being skeletons. Hunley today. Don't forget, at the time this was cutting edge technology. I take my hat off to the brave sailors who maned her. It would have been terrifying. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
95 _Storm Alpha Tester 512 posts 308 battles Report post #2 Posted September 14, 2015 That's in pretty good shape for a submarine that sink thrice, rammed a boat with a bomb strapped to it, and then proceeded to spend 136 years on the sea floor. It's things like this that make me wonder why we don't bring up more sunken boats, they are surviving fragments of history, to have them rust away into oblivion just seems like a waste. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
201 Saito_Himea Alpha Tester 2,046 posts 277 battles Report post #3 Posted September 14, 2015 So.... she's a TOG? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
677 NguyenArchitakuVN Beta Tester 1,825 posts 7,355 battles Report post #4 Posted September 15, 2015 So.... she's a TOG? Yeah... They call the first submarines U-TOG. U-TOGs were designed to cross underwater obstacles and sink enemy warships using 20-pounder guns. #BetheBoat i mean... #BetheTOG Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
1,408 AntifoulAwl ∞ Alpha Tester 2,289 posts 8,802 battles Report post #5 Posted September 15, 2015 That's in pretty good shape for a submarine that sink thrice, rammed a boat with a bomb strapped to it, and then proceeded to spend 136 years on the sea floor. It's things like this that make me wonder why we don't bring up more sunken boats, they are surviving fragments of history, to have them rust away into oblivion just seems like a waste. The sub was covered in silt, helping to preserve it. It costs a fortune to recover sunken relics like this. Once they are bought to the surface they have to be preserved to prevent deterioration caused by contact with the air, this also is expensive. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
891 dead_man_walking Senior Moderator 4,798 posts 2,063 battles Report post #6 Posted September 16, 2015 That's in pretty good shape for a submarine that sink thrice, rammed a boat with a bomb strapped to it, and then proceeded to spend 136 years on the sea floor. It's things like this that make me wonder why we don't bring up more sunken boats, they are surviving fragments of history, to have them rust away into oblivion just seems like a waste. Many are war graves as well and protected (well at least by law) from interference. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
48 war4sure Alpha Tester 845 posts 522 battles Report post #7 Posted September 16, 2015 Many are war graves as well and protected (well at least by law) from interference. HMS Prince of Wales,HMS Repulse, IJN Kuma & Haguro says something else to differ. Protected war graves yet people STILL tried to salvage them. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
891 dead_man_walking Senior Moderator 4,798 posts 2,063 battles Report post #8 Posted September 16, 2015 HMS Prince of Wales,HMS Repulse, IJN Kuma & Haguro says something else to differ. Protected war graves yet people STILL tried to salvage them. As I said "well at least by law" - I can guarantee that if any serving/ex-serving member caught hold of those responsible for the desecration of those graves/sites it wouldn't be pretty (and wouldn't make the news)..... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
9 [LN] Red_Knight Member 334 posts 7,407 battles Report post #9 Posted October 30, 2015 this submarine reminds me of Japanese manned torpedo Kaiten. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
229 [TWR] Metal_illness Alpha Tester 1,636 posts 5,689 battles Report post #10 Posted October 30, 2015 Many war graves you can't even dive on anymore. I once saw a picture of a submarine washed up on a beach in the caribean, I can't remember if it's a civil war or a Japanese midget sub, but I always think wtf, how did it get there?. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 NaponeonI Member 1 post 456 battles Report post #11 Posted November 7, 2015 well, so much Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 kidjoe73 Member 9 posts 424 battles Report post #12 Posted December 3, 2015 Awl that was a great post thanks!! loved reading this... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
