Fleet BoatsLand Lubber |
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| Old Salt Posts: 402 | Subject: Fleet Boats I just read a bulletin issued by the Submarine Research Center (Bangor Wa.) concerning the USS Razorback. A man who served on board was quoted as saying the Razorback dove below 900 feet to escape light depth charges fired from a Soviet warship. Can this be true? I did not believe a Fleet Sub could go more than 400 feet. I have read of fleet subs going deeper but only by accident and then only briefly. Anyone have any info on this? | ||
| DaveyJ576 |
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| Mess cooking Posts: 36 | Subject: RE: Fleet Boats The Balao and Tench class fleet boats had a theoretical safety factor of 1.5 built into the strength of the pressure hull. That is, the calculated crush depth should be in the neighborhood of 600 feet. However, there have been numerous documented instances of these boats going deeper than 600 feet. Dick O'Kane reported taking the Tang to 612 feet on trials with no ill effect. The USS Chopper went to approximately 1000 feet during a loss of AC power casualty in 1969 and survived. It is my opinion that the designers were being extremely conservative in their calculations of crush depth, and with good reason. So what is the real crush depth of a Balao/Tench? Hard to say exactly, but I would say that the Chopper was a hair's breadth away from disaster. I would say that taking a Balao/Tench to 500 feet routinely would not be a problem. Taking one below that depth for any reason other that pure survival would be foolish in the extreme. Dave Johnston http://pigboats.com | ||
| Land Lubber |
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| Old Salt Posts: 402 | Subject: RE: Fleet Boats Thanks for the info. I've read about the Chopper incident, sounds pretty hairy to say the least. I wonder sometimes about the boats that were lost in the war. I wonder if some could have survived if they pushed deeper but then again that depth is un-relenting. Thanks again...Steve | ||
