The outer lightweight hull of the submarine had the shape of a cylinder, gradually tapering towards the bow and stern. The main deck of the superstructure extended from the bow to frame 124 at the stern. In the bow it rose above the water level by 3.7 m, and in the stern by 1.2 m. The internal cavity between the superstructure and the strong hull was filled with water through scuppers during the dive.
The conning tower, located in the midship frame area, was covered from above by a bridge fence. The deck located immediately behind the wheelhouse was called the “cigarette deck” because sailors were allowed to smoke on it. A Browning anti-aircraft machine gun of 7.62 or 12.7 mm caliber was also installed here.
When submerged, the machine gun was retracted inside the boat. In 1941, machine guns were replaced by 20-mm Oerlikon Mark 4 Mod anti-aircraft guns. 3 with a rate of fire of 450 rounds/min, and in 1944 the Gato began to be equipped with 40 mm Bofors cannons with a rate of fire of 160 rounds/min.
The deck in front of and behind the bridge had a reinforced structure for installing guns. The artillery armament of the Gato boats was very diverse. The type and location of the guns depended on the time the boat was commissioned and the wishes of its commander.
At first, two deck-mounted 76.2 mm guns were installed on the submarines, but they turned out to be very weak weapons and could not cause serious damage even to small ships. During the operation of the boats, these guns were replaced with more powerful 102 mm or 127 mm Mk40 guns.
Their projectiles had several times greater mass and initial flight speed. In addition, the barrels of the 127-mm guns were made of stainless steel, which made it possible not to close the barrel with a plug when diving, and this speeded up bringing the weapon into firing position after surfacing.
At the bottom of the wheelhouse enclosure there were lockers for ammunition.
There were many visual differences between submarines produced by different shipyards. Most noticeable were the number, location and configuration of the scuppers. Some submarines equipped with additional weapons and equipment.
And it is not without reason that naval historians claim that it is impossible to find two absolutely identical boats of the Gato type.
Hydroacoustic equipment
The first series of boats were equipped with WCA type sonars with a JT hydrophone. The hydrophone operated in the range 110 Hz - 15 kHz. The sonar range was 3429 m. It made it possible to determine the bearing and range to the target, and if the target was a submarine, then the diving depth was also determined. In 1945, the more advanced WFA sonar was adopted.
Action analysis is of interest submarines, produced by the Bureau of Research during and after the war. This institution, organized in Washington and located in Pearl Harbor, analyzed 4,873 submarine attacks. It turned out that only 31 of them were produced using sonar devices. Moreover, of these attacks, only seven ended in the sinking of enemy ships.
To determine the temperature of the sea water, a barothermo-graph was used - SVT40131. In addition, a Benedix hydrodynamic log was installed on the submarines.
Series VII submarines were easy-to-manufacture one-and-a-half-hull boats. The side bulges, bow and stern ends and deck superstructure were welded to the durable hull. The diameter of the pressure hull in the area of the central post was only 4.7 meters. The thickness was 16 mm at the ends 18.5 mm in the center, and together with the connections to the deckhouse it was 22 mm. On the C/41 modification, the thickness increased to 18.5 mm at the ends and to 21.5 mm in the central part.
The durable hull of these submarines could withstand not only the outboard water pressure, but also the fire of machine guns and small-caliber cannons of ships and aircraft. In post-war tests of captured boats, it turned out that 20, 23 mm shells and 37 mm incendiary fragmentation shells caused damage only to the light hull. Also, because of this, the Allies observed problems when trying to ram the submarine. There is a known case when an American destroyer Borie Having rammed the submarine, U-405 received severe damage and was sunk by its own aircraft.
The durable body was welded from eight sections, six of them were sheets of metal, bent and welded into cylinders. The bow and stern sections were welded from three sheets of metal. The sections were sequentially welded to each other, then the deckhouse was welded to them. A fairly large hole was left behind it, through which instruments and mechanisms were loaded into the boat.
The latest to be installed were diesel engines. After installing them, the hole was welded with a steel sheet. This made it clear that the boat was not designed for long-term operation; the destruction of the submarine was expected earlier than the time it was put on average for repairs. Type VII was divided into six compartments. The central post was separated from the concavity side by spherical bulkheads designed for a pressure of 10 atm; it could serve as a shelter compartment.
Placement of instruments and mechanisms in the compartments:
1st compartment (bow torpedo)
This compartment housed four torpedo tubes. two in vertical rows and a supply of six torpedoes. Four were stored under the deck deck and two along the side. For loading and loading torpedoes, the boat had special internal transport and loading devices. Also, along each side there were three pairs of folding, two-tier bunks. At the bottom of the compartment, under the spare torpedoes, there were bow trim and torpedo replacement tanks, as well as a manual control drive for the bow horizontal rudders.
2nd compartment (bow accommodation)
The compartment was divided into two parts by a thin bulkhead and a door. The room located closer to the bow was small; it housed a latrine and places for four sergeants. Next came the officer's quarters with two bunks in two tiers on each side. At the bulkhead of the central post, on the left side there was a captain's berth, separated from the aisle by a curtain. Since it was very small, the only furniture it contained was the bed itself, a folding table, a cabinet built into the wall.
On the starboard side of the boat, opposite the captain’s seat, there were sonar and radio operator posts. Under the deck flooring there was a bow battery group (consisting of 62 elements), high-pressure air cylinders and an artillery magazine.
3rd compartment (central post)
The anti-aircraft periscope was located here, the commander's was located higher in the conning tower. Also, control posts for kingston valves and ventilation, and remote control drives for horizontal rudders were placed. Here was the navigator's combat post. The largest mechanisms in this compartment are two pumps and a hydraulic motor that raised the periscopes.
Along the sides there were tanks with drinking water and hydraulic oil. An equal-strength, large-volume ballast tank was located under the central post; it played the role of the middle group. Fuel tanks are located on both sides of it. Above the central post, in the narrow conning tower, there was the commander’s combat position during a torpedo attack - a folding seat (rotated along with the commander’s periscope), a PSA (counting and solving device) for controlling the firing of torpedoes.
4th compartment (aft accommodation)
In the jargon of submariners it was called "Potsdamer Platz" because of the prevailing noise, din and running around, since this compartment connected the galley, diesel and electric motor compartments with each other. Also in the compartment there were beds for four non-commissioned officers, a second latrine and a second electrical station. Under the deck flooring there was a second group of batteries, high-pressure air cylinders and a fuel tank.
5th compartment (diesel)
Almost the entire compartment above the deck flooring was occupied by two huge diesel engines. Also here, there were cylinders with compressed air for starting engines and a cylinder with carbon dioxide for extinguishing fires. At the bottom of the compartment under the diesel engines there were oil tanks.
6th compartment (electric motor and stern torpedo)
The compartment housed two high-pressure air compressors, diesel on the starboard side, electric on the left. There were two electric motors, a stern torpedo tube, power and manual control posts for horizontal rudders. Under the deck flooring, between the electric motors, there was a spare torpedo; closer to the stern, there was a trim and torpedo replacement tank. There was a hatch in the roof of the compartment for loading torpedoes. At the end of the war, a device similar to a torpedo tube, but inferior in size, appeared in the compartment; it was intended to release imitation Bold cartridges.
Superstructure
Inside the light hull and superstructure there were systems and mechanisms, the most important of which were hydrophones, a capstan device, an anchor, four waterproof cases for inflatable rafts, camouflage nets, two cases for storing spare torpedoes (one case was closer to the bow, the other closer to the stern , they could store G7a torpedoes). There were waterproof fenders for the first shots for the 88 mm deck gun, an air supply shaft for the diesel engines, exhaust valves and diesel mufflers, and most of the high-pressure air system cylinders.
The deck of the superstructure was made of wooden planks, since wood matured later than iron. The deckhouse fence was used to accommodate anti-aircraft guns, numerous movable and fixed devices, as well as for watchkeeping. Behind, inside the fence, there was an air intake for the air supply shaft to diesel engines and fenders for the first shots for anti-aircraft guns.
Dive and ascent system
The main ballast of the boat consisted of five tanks. The first and fifth tanks were located in a light hull, the fifth tank was in the bow, there was also a quick submersion tank, and the first tank was located in the aft end, the second and fourth tanks were in the side bulges, the third tank was in the durable hull of the 3rd compartment. All tanks, except the first and third, could be filled with fuel.
In addition to the middle group, the main ballast tanks were kingless, and the valve control was located at the central station of the boat. Between the second and fourth tanks, there were two small fuel and ballast tanks, a surge tank and an onboard buoyancy tank. The VVD system was assembled from steel pipes and was not designed for long-term operation.
The total volume of VVD cylinders is 3.46 m³, since 1944 the volume has been 5.2 m³. The compressed air was under a pressure of 295 kg/cm². To replenish compressed air supplies there were two 6-liter compressors - diesel and electric. Two pumps were part of the drainage and trim systems, with a capacity of 30 and 18 tons, respectively.
At a signal, the top watch personnel jumped into the wheelhouse and battened down the hatch, the watchmen of the central post shifted the horizontal rudders to dive and opened the ventilation valves of the main ballast tanks from bow to stern. The well-thought-out shape of the horizontal rudders allowed German boats to dive with a large trim on the bow and not be afraid to make a somersault.
To speed up the dive, “live” ballast was used; the entire crew of the boat, free from watch duty, had to run to the bow compartment. These actions were practiced both during the introductory combat training course and during combat campaigns. Within 25-27 seconds, a trained crew could take the boat to a depth of 10 meters.
Power plant
The power plant of the Type VII submarines consisted of two six-cylinder four-stroke diesel engines F46, which were installed on most boats, or MAH M6V 40/46 engines with mechanical supercharging. Engine power on modifications A was 1169 hp, on all other modifications 1400 hp. The maximum speed on diesel engines was 16.9 knots; when running on diesel engines with electric motors, the speed was 17.4 knots.
In the summer of 1943, due to Allied aviation, German submarine operations in the Atlantic were stopped. In February 1944, after repairs, U-264, the first German Type VII submarine equipped with a snorkel, entered service. The snorkel itself consisted of the following: two pipelines from the diesel compartment were connected in the bow of the wheelhouse to a special folding mast; at the end of this mast there was a valve for air intake and exhaust gas release from diesel engines. The design of the valve provided for its automatic closing when water entered, but the diesel engines did not stop and took air from the internal compartments of the boat, this could create a large vacuum in a closed environment.
Despite the difficulties in operation, the snorkel was a device thanks to which the boat, in a submerged position, fully charged its battery in three hours at a speed of 3-4 knots. Every 20 minutes, the underwater passage using a snorkel and diesel engine was stopped and a hydroacoustic search was carried out.
Typically, electric motors were used to move underwater. The Type VII boats had two twin-anchor electric motors from the company Siemens , A.G. or Brown Boweri with a power of 375 hp As on Soviet submarines, electric motors and diesel engines were connected to the propeller shaft by mechanical couplings. Battery 124 cells types 27-MAK 800, later 33-MAL 800W. The ventilation of the elements is individual, the flooring of the pits is hermetic.
The normal supply of fuel in the internal tanks was 62.14 tons, the total supply in the fuel and fuel-ballast tanks was 105.3 tons, when the surge tank was filled with fuel, it was 113.47 tons. fresh water on board the boat was 3.8 tons, oil 6 tons, and oxygen 50 liters. The endurance of Type VII submarines is approximately 40 days. The cruising range at a speed of 10 knots is 8,500 miles; with diesel-electric transmission, the range increases to 9,700 miles. The diving range depended on the type of batteries, 130 miles at 2 knots or 80 miles at 4 knots.
Submarines of the Shch type, or, as they were also called, pikes, occupy a special place in the history of domestic shipbuilding. These were the most numerous (86 units!) medium submarines of the Soviet fleet during the Great Patriotic War. They actively participated in hostilities in the Baltic, Black Sea, and Arctic; their torpedoes and artillery sank a German submarine, a patrol ship, two landing craft and at least 30 enemy transports. But the price of victory turned out to be extremely high: 31 “pike” did not return to their home base and remained at sea forever. Moreover, the circumstances of the death of many submarines are unknown to this day...
However, we will not dwell on the history of submarine service. We offer exclusive material - reconstruction appearance"pike" of all six series: III, V, V-bis, V-6hc-2, X and X-bis. The developed drawings are based on original documentation from the funds of the Central Naval Museum (TsVMM), the Russian State Archive navy(RGAVMF), as well as special literature and numerous photographs.
Despite the fact that all series of boats of the “Shch” type were quite similar in their characteristics, in appearance they differed significantly from each other. Thus, the first four submarines Shch-301 - Shch-304 (III series) had a straight stem, a narrow superstructure and a wheelhouse fence, in the aft part of which there were gratings for the ventilation shafts. The bow horizontal rudders were of a unique design - they “horned” in the front part into special slots in the hull. The bow gun originally had a bulwark, but immediately after testing it was removed, and the wheelhouse fence itself was completely rebuilt. For the convenience of the crew of the 45-mm gun, folding semicircular platforms were installed, and later, during the overhaul, these platforms became permanent and were equipped with a tubular railing.
On submarines of the V series, built for Pacific Fleet, changed the shape of the bow rudders (it became standard for all subsequent series of pikes) and increased the width of the superstructure. The wheelhouse fence was radically reconstructed, placing a second 45-mm gun on it. The stem became inclined, and its contours in the upper part formed a small “bulb”. The length of the light hull has increased by 1.5 m.
The submarines of the V-bis series differed from their predecessors only in the shape of the false keel and the fencing of the wheelhouse (the latter lost a kind of “balcony” above the first gun). But on the V-6nc-2 series, the contours of the light hull were changed and the wheelhouse fence was again redone. Moreover, Pacific boats of this type differed from the Baltic and Black Sea ones in the shape of the sides of the navigation bridge.
The X series submarines looked the most exotic due to the introduction of a streamlined wheelhouse fencing of the so-called “limousine” type. Otherwise, they were practically no different from the V-bis-2 series ships, with the exception, perhaps, of the “hump” that appeared above the deck tank and diesel mufflers.
Since the expected increase in speed underwater in the X series boats did not occur, and the flooding of the navigation bridge increased, the last series of X-bis pikes used a more traditional wheelhouse fencing, reminiscent of that designed for C-type submarines. The bow 45-mm cannon was now installed directly on the deck of the superstructure. The hull remained unchanged, but the underwater anchor disappeared from its equipment.
The racks of antennas and network outlets on boats of the III, V and V-bis series were L-shaped and connected by crossbars. The net drain cables ran from bow to stern; in front of the bow strut they were combined into one.
In the “pike” \/-bis-2 and X series, the power outlet racks became single; on the X-bis series they were absent altogether. Some of the boats were equipped with “Som” and “Crab” net cutters, which were a system of cutters (four on the stem, two on the forecastle linearly elevated and one on each side), as well as a system of guy ropes that protected the protruding parts of the boat from getting caught by net fence cables. In practice, these devices turned out to be ineffective, and they were gradually dismantled, covering the saw on the stem with metal sheets.
The exhaust openings of the mufflers in the superstructure on the boats of the first four series were located on both sides, on the submarines of the X and X-bis series - on one, left side. Only on the left side was there an anchor, which was used in the surface position.
The location of scuppers in the superstructure, which is often an individual feature of the ship and therefore of particular interest to modellers, is, as a rule, not indicated on design drawings (since it is not of fundamental importance). In the proposed drawings of the pikes, the scuppers are drawn from photographs and therefore their location may not be entirely accurate (this especially applies to the Shch-108). It should also be borne in mind that the cutting of scuppers on boats of the same series often differed greatly; These differences are most clearly demonstrated by the Baltic and Black Sea “pikes” of the X series.
The appearance of the Shch type submarines also changed due to modernizations carried out during the service. Thus, the folding parts of the gun platforms were gradually replaced by permanent ones and equipped with railings. Based on the experience of sailing in broken ice and in fresh weather, the outer covers of the torpedo tubes were removed from some of the boats. Instead of a second gun, a DShK machine gun was sometimes installed, and the Pacific Fleet had homemade installations, along with a standard pedestal one. External 7.62-mm M-1 (Maxim) machine guns were not always placed in their standard places on the surface. The emitters of the underwater communication installation were located on the deck (upper) and in a special enclosure (lower). During the war, some pikes received Asdik sonars (Dragon -129) and a demagnetizing device with windings outside the hull at the level of the superstructure deck.
Coloring: the hull and superstructure of the Baltic boats above the waterline were gray-spherical, those of the Black Sea were dark gray, and those of the North Sea were gray-green. The underwater part is black (kuzbasslak) or coated with anti-fouling compounds No. 1 and 2 (dark red and dark green). In besieged Leningrad, in addition to camouflage nets, they used to paint boats white to match the snow background. The screws are bronze. Rescue buoys were painted in the color of the hull; after the war they became red and white (three sectors of each color). The letters of the boat names in the bow (on III, V, V-bis, \/-bis-2 series) are brass. The letter-numeric designation on the wheelhouse is white (except for the V series, where it was yellow or blue with a black outline); during the war years they were painted over to match the main color of the body. The number of declared victories was indicated by a number in a circle located in the center of a red star with a white outline, drawn on each boat individually. The star was always placed in the bow of the cabin, approximately in the middle of the height or below the portholes.
Shch type submarines:
1 - rudder blade; 2- wave-cutting shields of torpedo tubes; 3.9 - wake lights; 4 bale strips; 5 - ducks; 6 - rescue buoys; 7,13,37 - racks of network outlets; 8- network outlet (combined with radio antenna); 10- gyrocompass repeaters; 11 - periscopes; 12 - magnetic compasses; 14 - radio direction finder antennas; 15 - 45 mm 21-K guns; 16 - mooring spiers; 17 - bollards; 18 - noise direction finder antennas; 19.35 - bow horizontal rudders; 20 - fender beam; 21 - wheelhouse hatches; 22 - emergency exit hatches; 23 hinged covers over the boats; 24 - folding superstructure grilles; 25 - aft horizontal rudders; 26 - folding gratings above the torpedo loading hatch; 27- stern flagpole; 28 muffler exhaust valves; 29 - retractable masts; 30 - anti-aircraft machine gun "Maxim"; 31,32 - running lights; 33 - guy rod; 34 - hatches above the fenders of 45 mm cartridges; 36 - anchor hawse (on all submarines - only on the left side); 38-V-shaped radio antenna post; 39 - bale strips with net outlets; 40- radio antenna; 41 - retractable davit; 42 lifting hook niches
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Performance characteristics of "Shch" type submarines |
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V bis |
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Displacement normal, cubic meters |
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Maximum length, m |
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Maximum width, m |
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Average draft (keel), m |
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Diesel power, hp |
2x685 |
2x685 |
2x685 |
2x800 |
2x800 |
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Electric motor power, hp |
2x400 |
2x400 |
2x400 |
2x400 |
2x400 |
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Travel speed, knots: maximum. surface |
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economy, surface |
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most underwater |
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savings, underwater |
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Cruising range, miles: surface economic speed |
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underwater in full swing |
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economically underwater |
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Crew, people |
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Number of 533 mm torpedo tubes: bow |
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feed |
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Artillery armament: number of guns X x caliber in mm |
2x45 |
2x45 |
2x45 |
2x45 |
2x45 |
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Number of boats built (years of entry into service) |
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This section is written based on materials taken from the site http://randewy.narod.ru/nk/pl.html“Online club for a young sailor”, and is intended to give a general idea of the design and structure of submarines. Although the illustrations date back to the mid-twentieth century, they nevertheless give an idea of the design of modern submarines, which differ from those shown in the drawings, first of all, in their size and shape, adapted for swimming under water, and not for swimming on the surface and “diving” “, as was the case before the advent of nuclear submarines and developed anti-submarine defense.
Submarines can be of one of three architectural and structural types. The figure above shows cross sections of boats of various architectural and structural types (the numbers indicate: 1 - strong hull, 2 - superstructure, 3 - fencing of the wheelhouse and retractable devices, 4 - strong deckhouse, 5 - main ballast tanks, 6 - light hull; 7 - keel; the meaning of these terms is explained further in the text ):
single-hull(s), having a “bare” durable hull, which ends at the bow and stern with well-streamlined ends of a lightweight structure;
one-and-a-half-hull (b), having, in addition to a durable body, also a lightweight one, but part of the surface of the durable body remains open;
double-hulled (in), having two housings: internal - lasting and external - easy. At the same time, the lightweight hull has a streamlined shape, completely envelops the robust hull and extends the entire length of the boat. The inter-hull space is used to accommodate various equipment and parts of tanks.
Submarines of the USSR and Russia are double-hulled. Most US nuclear submarines (they haven't built diesel-electric ones since the early 1960s) are single-hulled. This is an expression of the top priority for naval strategists of various qualities: surface unsinkability for the USSR and Russia and stealth for the USA.
Rugged housing- the main structural element of a submarine, ensuring its safe stay at depth. It forms a closed volume, impenetrable to water. Inside the durable hull there are premises for personnel, main and auxiliary mechanisms, weapons, various systems and devices, batteries, various supplies, etc. Its internal space is divided along the length by transverse waterproof bulkheads into compartments, which are named depending on their purpose and, accordingly, - the nature of the weapons and equipment placed in them.
In the vertical direction, the compartments are separated by decks (stretching along the entire length of the boat's hull from compartment to compartment) and platforms (within one compartment or several compartments). Accordingly, the boat’s premises have a multi-tier arrangement, which increases the amount of equipment per unit volume of the compartments. The distance between decks (platforms) “in the clear” is more than 2 m, i.e. slightly larger than the average human height.
The structurally sound hull consists of frames and plating. The frames, as a rule, have a circular annular shape, and at the ends they can have an elliptical shape and are made of profile steel. They are installed one from another at a distance of 300 - 700 mm, depending on the design of the boat, both on the inner and outer sides of the hull, and sometimes in combination on both sides.
The casing of the durable hull is made of special rolled sheet steel and welded to the frames. The thickness of the skin sheets reaches 35 - 40 mm, depending on the diameter of the pressure hull and the maximum immersion depth of the submarine.
Pressurized hull bulkheads are strong and lightweight.
Bulkheads divide the internal volume of modern submarines into 6 - 10 waterproof compartments. Strong bulkheads They fence off shelter compartments in it, in which the crew members who survived the accident can prepare to independently ascend from the sunken boat to the surface or wait for outside help. By location, strong bulkheads are internal and end; in shape - flat and spherical (spherical ones are somewhat lighter than flat ones with the same strength and the internal spherical bulkheads are convexly facing the shelter compartments).
Light Bulkheads are designed to separate functionally specialized rooms and ensure the surface unsinkability of the ship (i.e., when the compartments are flooded, they withstand water pressure only if the boat is on the surface or at a depth within 20 - 30 m).
Structurally, bulkheads are made of frames and sheathing. A bulkhead set usually consists of several vertical and transverse posts (beams). The casing is made of sheet steel.
The end waterproof bulkheads of the durable hull are of equal strength and close it at the bow and stern ends. These bulkheads serve on most submarines as rigid supports for torpedo tubes, shafting, steering gear drives, set mountings, and internal structures of light ends.
The compartments communicate with each other through waterproof doors having a round or rectangular shape. These doors are equipped with quick-release locking devices.
In the upper part of the strong hull, a strong wheelhouse is installed, communicating through the lower wheelhouse hatch with the central post (inside the strong hull) and through the upper wheelhouse hatch with the navigation bridge (in the upper part of the wheelhouse fencing and retractable devices - periscopes, antennas). On most modern submarines, the strong deckhouse is made in the form of a round cylinder with a vertical axis or is a combination of a cylindrical part and truncated cones. On some boats, the robust deckhouse is designed so that it can be used as a pop-up rescue chamber, the purpose of which is to evacuate the entire crew or some part of it (which after the accident retained the ability to access the central control room and the pop-up camera) from a dying or sunken submarine.
Currently, on most boats, the main purpose of a strong deckhouse is to place the entrance to the strong hull as high as possible above the surface of the water when sailing on the surface. In addition, since the central post on many boats is one of the shelter compartments, the strong deckhouse is designed to serve as an airlock when people exit a sunken boat.
On the outside, the strong wheelhouse and the retractable devices located behind it, to improve flow around when moving in a submerged position, are covered with lightweight structures called the wheelhouse fencing or the retractable device fencing. At the top of the fence there is a navigation bridge with a full set of devices necessary to control the boat on the surface and means of communication with the central post. From the wheelhouse enclosure there are exits to the upper deck (in fact, the entrance to the strong hull through the hatches of the strong wheelhouse is the main one, since the hatches in the strong hull are prescribed by the boat operating manual to be kept closed in most cases).
The torpedo-loading and access hatches are located in the upper part of the durable hull and are covered on top with lightweight structures called superstructure. In most cases, these hatches are located in shelter compartments and are rescue hatches, for which purpose they are equipped with locking devices. The superstructure also contains devices designed for mooring, towing the boat and ensuring its anchorage.
Tanks designed for immersion, ascent, signboarding and trimming the boat, as well as for storing liquid cargo (fuel, oils, etc.). Depending on their purpose, tanks are divided into tanks: main ballast, auxiliary ballast, ship stores and special. Structurally, depending on the purpose and nature of use, they are either durable, i.e. designed for the maximum immersion depth, or light, capable of withstanding pressure of 1 - 3 kg/cm 2 (kg is an off-system unit, a kilogram of force, equal to the weight of 1 kg of mass with a free fall acceleration of 9.81 m/s 2). They can be located inside the strong hull, as well as in the space between the strong and light hull in the middle part of the ship and in the light ends fore and aft of the strong hull.
Keel- a welded (formerly riveted) beam of box-shaped, trapezoidal, T-shaped, and sometimes semi-cylindrical section, located in the bottom of the boat hull. It is designed to provide longitudinal strength, protect the hull from damage when placed on rocky ground, and to accept and redistribute the load when docking the boat. It can be located in the space between the hulls on double-hull boats, and on one-and-a-half and single-hull boats it can be located both inside the durable hull and outside - depending on what is more important for the customer - good hydrodynamics or protection of the durable hull from mechanical damage if the boat is in for certain tactical purposes they are placed on the ground.
Lightweight body- structurally includes a rigid frame (set), consisting of frames (transverse stiffeners), stringers (longitudinal stiffeners and plate elements of the set), transverse impenetrable bulkheads; the frame is the carrier of the light hull skin. Structurally, the light body kit is connected to a durable body located inside it. The lightweight hull has a streamlined shape that provides the necessary seaworthiness both on the surface and in the submerged position. The light hull is divided into parts: the outer hull, the bow and stern ends, and the superstructure. At the same time, it contains both permeable and impermeable structures (tanks). In addition to the light hull, the design of the boat includes separate, mostly permeable, structural elements: the deckhouse fencing, stabilizers, fairings of various kinds of devices located outside the durable hull and extending beyond the contours of the “ideal” shapes of the light hull.
The outer hull is the waterproof part of the lightweight hull located along the durable hull. It encloses the pressure hull along the perimeter of the boat's cross-section from the keel to the top watertight stringer and extends the length of the ship from the fore to aft end bulkheads of the pressure hull or main ballast tanks. Some boats have an ice belt, which is a thickening of the skin of a light hull in the area of the cruising waterline.
The ends of the light hull serve to streamline the contours of the bow and stern of the submarine; extend from the end bulkheads of the pressure hull to the stem (at the bow) and the sternpost (at the stern), respectively. However, boats (primarily nuclear-powered, which spend most of their voyages underwater) can have a teardrop-shaped hull without a stem or sternpost (the stem and sternpost are vertical stiffening ribs as part of the ship’s hull, giving a sharpness to the bow and stern, respectively, which is necessary to reduce resistance of water when floating on the surface).
The bow end houses: bow torpedo tubes, main ballast and buoyancy tanks, a chain box, an anchor device, receivers and emitters of the main hydroacoustic stations.
The aft end houses: main ballast tanks, horizontal and vertical rudders, stabilizers, propeller shafts and propellers. Some boats have stern torpedo tubes (most modern boats do not have stern torpedo tubes: this is primarily due to large sizes propellers and stabilizers, as well as the fact that torpedo control algorithms allow them to be placed on almost any course, regardless of the direction of the shot).
Below is a longitudinal section of a diesel-electric submarine from the mid-twentieth century, with an explanation of the design elements and devices. (A longitudinal section of the Kursk nuclear submarine with explanations is presented in Fig. 5 in Chapter 6).
1. Durable body. 2. Bow torpedo tubes. 3. Lightweight body. 4. Bow torpedo compartment. 5. Torpedo loading hatch. 6. Superstructure. 7. Durable cutting. 8. Cabin fencing. 9. Retractable devices. 10. Entrance hatch. 11. Stern torpedo tubes. 12. Aft end. 13. Rudder feather. 14. Aft trim tank, the purpose of which is to level the trim - the longitudinal inclination of the boat. 15. Aft watertight bulkhead. 16. Aft torpedo compartment. 17. Internal watertight bulkhead. 18. Main propulsion motors compartment. 19. Ballast tank. 20. Engine compartment. 21. Fuel tank. 22, 26. Stern and bow battery groups. 23, 27. Team living quarters. 24. Central post. 25. Hold of the central post. 28. Nasal trim tank. 29. Bow watertight bulkhead. 30. Nasal extremity. 31. Buoyancy tank (an attribute of some diesel-electric submarines; its purpose is to be empty when floating on the surface in order to give additional buoyancy to the bow so that the boat can easily rise to the wave, and not buried her nose in it - this reduces the speed and worsens controllability).
The following figure shows a cross-section of the deckhouse fence of a one-and-a-half-hull submarine from the mid-twentieth century, indicating the hull structural elements.
1. Navigation bridge. 2. Durable cutting. 3. Superstructure. 4. Stringer. 5. Leveling tank (designed to accurately balance the buoyancy force and weight of the boat in a submerged position). 6. Reinforcing stand (bracket). 7, 9. Brackets (plates to which the set elements are attached, they are designed to distribute the load and eliminate stress concentrations. 8. Platform. 10. Box-shaped keel. 11. Diesel foundation. 12. Sheathing of the strong hull. 13. Frames of the strong hull. 14. Main ballast tank 15. Struts (brackets) 16. Tank cover 17. Light hull frame 19. Upper deck.
Submarines are a special class of warships that, in addition to all the qualities of warships, have the ability to swim underwater, maneuvering along the course and depth. According to their design (Fig. 1.20), submarines are:
Single-hulled, having one strong hull, which ends at the bow and stern with well-streamlined ends of a lightweight design;
- half-hulled, having, in addition to a durable body, also a lightweight one, but not along the entire contour of the durable body;
- double-hulled, having two hulls - strong and lightweight, the latter completely encircling the perimeter of the strong one and extending the entire length of the boat. Currently, most submarines are double-hulled.
Rice. 1.20. Design types of submarines:
a - single-hull; b - one and a half hull; c - double-hull; 1 - durable body; 2 - conning tower; 3 - superstructure; 4 - keel; 5 - light body
Rugged housing- the main structural element of a submarine, ensuring its safe stay at maximum depth. It forms a closed volume, impenetrable to water. The space inside the pressure hull (Fig. 1.21) is divided by transverse waterproof bulkheads into compartments, which are named depending on the nature of the weapons and equipment located in them.
Rice. 1.21. longitudinal section of a diesel battery submarine:
1 - durable body; 2 - bow torpedo tubes; 3 - light body; bow torpedo compartment; 5 - torpedo loading hatch; 6 - superstructure; 7 - durable conning tower; 8 - cutting fence; 9 - retractable devices; 10 - entrance hatch; 11 - stern torpedo tubes; 12 - aft end; 13 - rudder blade; 14 - aft trim tank; 15 - end (aft) watertight bulkhead; 16 - aft torpedo compartment; 17 - internal waterproof bulkhead; 18 - compartment of the main propulsion electric motors and power plant; 19 - ballast tank; 20 - engine compartment; 21 - fuel tank; 22, 26 - aft and bow groups of batteries; 23, 27 - team living quarters; 24 - central post; 25 - hold of the central post; 28 - bow trim tank; 29 - end (bow) waterproof bulkhead; 30 - nasal extremity; 31 - buoyancy tank.
Inside the durable hull are quarters for personnel, main and auxiliary mechanisms, weapons, various systems and devices, bow and stern groups of batteries, various supplies, etc. On modern submarines, the weight of the durable hull in the total weight of the ship is 16-25 %; in the weight of only hull structures - 50-65%.
The structurally sound hull consists of frames and plating. The frames, as a rule, have an annular shape and an elliptical shape at the ends and are made of profile steel. They are installed one from the other at a distance of 300-700 mm, depending on the design of the boat, both on the inside and outside of the hull skin, and sometimes in combination on both sides closely.
The shell of the durable hull is made from special rolled sheet steel and welded to the frames. The thickness of the skin sheets reaches up to 35 mm, depending on the diameter of the pressure hull and the maximum immersion depth of the submarine.
Bulkheads and pressure hulls are strong and light. Strong bulkheads divide the internal volume of modern submarines into 6-10 waterproof compartments and ensure the ship's underwater unsinkability. According to their location, they are internal and terminal; in shape - flat and spherical.
Light bulkheads are designed to ensure the ship's surface unsinkability. Structurally, bulkheads are made of frames and sheathing. A bulkhead set usually consists of several vertical and transverse posts (beams). The casing is made of sheet steel.
End watertight bulkheads are usually of equal strength to the strong hull and close it in the bow and stern parts. These bulkheads serve as rigid supports for torpedo tubes on most submarines.
The compartments communicate through watertight doors having a round or rectangular shape. These doors are equipped with quick-release locking devices.
In the vertical direction, the compartments are divided by platforms into upper and lower parts, and sometimes the boat’s rooms have a multi-tier arrangement, which increases the useful area of the platforms per unit volume. The distance between the platforms “in the light” is made more than 2 m, i.e. slightly greater than the average height of a person.
In the upper part of the durable hull there is a strong (combat) deckhouse, which communicates through the deckhouse hatch with the central post, under which the hold is located. On most modern submarines, a strong deckhouse is made in the form of a round cylinder of small height. On the outside, the strong cabin and the devices located behind it, to improve flow around when moving in a submerged position, are covered with lightweight structures called the cabin fencing. The deckhouse casing is made of sheet steel of the same grade as the robust hull. The torpedo-loading and access hatches are also located at the top of the durable hull.
Tank tanks are designed for diving, surfacing, trimming a boat, as well as for storing liquid cargo. Depending on the purpose, there are tanks: main ballast, auxiliary ballast, ship stores and special ones. Structurally, they are either durable, that is, designed for maximum immersion depth, or lightweight, capable of withstanding pressure of 1-3 kg/cm2. They are located inside the strong body, between the strong and light body and at the extremities.
Keel - a welded or riveted beam of box-shaped, trapezoidal, T-shaped, and sometimes semi-cylindrical section, welded to the bottom of the boat hull. It is designed to enhance longitudinal strength, protect the hull from damage when placed on rocky ground and placed on a dock cage.
Light hull (Fig. 1.22) - a rigid frame consisting of frames, stringers, transverse impenetrable bulkheads and plating. It gives the submarine a well-streamlined shape. The light hull consists of an outer hull, bow and stern ends, deck superstructure, and wheelhouse fencing. The shape of the light hull is completely determined by the outer contours of the ship.
Rice. 1.22. Cross section of a one-and-a-half-hull submarine:
1 - navigation bridge; 2 - conning tower; 3 - superstructure; 4 - stringer; 5 - surge tank; 6 - reinforcing stand; 7, 9 - booklets; 8- platform; 10 - box-shaped keel; 11 - foundation of main diesel engines; 12 - casing of a durable hull; 13 - strong hull frames; 14 - main ballast tank; 15 - diagonal racks; 16 - tank cover; 17 - light hull lining; 18 - light hull frame; 19 - upper deck
The outer hull is the waterproof part of the lightweight hull located along the pressure hull. It encloses the pressure hull along the perimeter of the boat's cross-section from the keel to the top watertight stringer and extends the length of the ship from the fore to aft end bulkheads of the pressure hull. The ice belt of the light hull is located in the cruising waterline area and extends from the bow to the midsection; The width of the belt is about 1 g, the thickness of the sheets is 8 mm.
The ends of the light hull serve to streamline the contours of the bow and stern of the submarine and extend from the end bulkheads of the pressure hull to the stem and sternpost, respectively.
The bow end houses: bow torpedo tubes, main ballast and buoyancy tanks, a chain box, an anchor device, hydroacoustic receivers and emitters. Structurally, it consists of cladding and a complex mounting system. Made from sheet steel of the same quality as the outer casing.
The stem is a forged or welded beam that provides rigidity to the bow edge of the boat hull.
At the aft end (Fig. 1.23) there are located: aft torpedo tubes, main ballast tanks, horizontal and vertical rudders, stabilizers, propeller shafts with mortars.
Rice. 1.23. Diagram of stern protruding devices:
1 - vertical stabilizer; 2 - vertical steering wheel; 3 - propeller; 4 - horizontal steering wheel; 5 - horizontal stabilizer
Sternpost - a beam of complex cross-section, usually welded; provides rigidity to the aft edge of the submarine hull.
Horizontal and vertical stabilizers provide stability to the submarine when moving. Propeller shafts pass through horizontal stabilizers (with a two-shaft power plant), at the ends of which propellers are installed. Aft horizontal rudders are installed behind the propellers in the same plane with the stabilizers.
Structurally, the aft end consists of a frame and plating. The set is made of stringers, frames and simple frames, platforms and bulkheads. The casing is of equal strength to the outer casing.
Superstructure(Fig. 1.24) is located above the upper waterproof stringer of the outer hull and extends along the entire length of the durable hull, passing beyond its limits at the tip. Structurally, the superstructure consists of sheathing and frame. The superstructure contains various systems, devices, bow horizontal rudders, etc.
Rice. 1.24. Submarine superstructure:
1 - booklets; 2 - holes in the deck; 3 - superstructure deck; 4 - side of the superstructure; 5 - scuppers; 6- pillers; 7 - tank cover; 8 - casing of a durable hull; 9 - strong hull frame; 10 - light hull lining; 11 - waterproof stringer of the outer casing; 12 - light hull frame; 13 - superstructure frame
Retractable devices(Fig. 1.25). A modern submarine has a large number of different devices and systems that ensure control of its maneuvers, use of weapons, survivability, normal operation of the power plant and other technical means in different conditions swimming.
Rice. 1.25. Retractable devices and systems of a submarine:
1 - periscope; 2 - radio antennas (retractable); 3 - radar antennas; 4 - air shaft for diesel operation under water (RDP); 5 - RDP exhaust device; 6 - radio antenna (collapsing)
Such devices and systems, in particular, include: radio antennas (retractable and retractable), exhaust device for diesel operation under water (RDP), RDP air shaft, radar antennas, periscopes, etc.
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