The K class - Lawn-darts of the sea?
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- čas přidán 5. 09. 2023
- Today we look at the origins and history of the infamous K class submarines, why they were built and the incredibly long list of things that went wrong with them.
Thanks to Dr Sam Willis for the 3d animation, visit the Mariners Mirror podcast here: snr.org.uk/the-mariners-mirro... and / @marinersmirrorpodcast
Sources:
www.amazon.co.uk/K-Boats-amaz...
www.amazon.co.uk/Fighting-Gre...
www.amazon.co.uk/British-Subm...
www.amazon.co.uk/Boat-Catastr...
www.amazon.co.uk/British-Subm...
www.amazon.co.uk/British-Subm...
Naval History books, use code 'DRACH' for 25% off - www.usni.org/press/books?f%5B...
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Pinned post for Q&A :)
The scariest part about the K class is that the stern can be poking out of the water and the bow can still be below crush depth.
Has any class of ship's design caused its crews to receive medals for Bravery simply for being assigned and operating it? Cause these crews deserve to have them.
I can't believe that they actually put Prince Albert in a can.
To be fair, the future
The most insane thing about this class of ships is that they built THAT many of them
I alternated between cringing for the safety (danger) of the crews, and wanting to thrash the leadership that refused to recognize the utter unsuitability of these deathtraps.
The K-class: a submarine with the engineering of the Mk 14 torpedo and the luck of the Second Pacific Squadron
Subs are supposed to sink but the K-Class are a little bit too enthusiastic on the sinking part
With all the "friendly fire" incidents between RN cruisers and submarines that were traveling together, you'd think one of those incidents would include the claim of "Japanese torpedo boats".
Having scuba dived on both the subs sank in the battle of isle of May it was one of the most sombre set of dives thinking of all the poor buggers that got killed that night. We looked, paid respects but did not touch the 4 pieces of those 2 subs on the sea floor. That was 25 years ago and they were still on remarkably good condition. I hope that they still are as a memorial to the brave men who sailed in them knowing their history even then.
There were so many awful incidents that I had to keep notes:
Monty Python couldn't write a more tragically hilarious skit.
There was a quote from a K boat captain that went " the K boats handled like a battle ship but had the bridge of a picket boat"
Really enjoy the 3D animation bits..they definitely help to visualize the ship's systems as you describe their functions. Hopefully you can collaborate with Dr. Willis more in the future!
A major reason for the USN trying to develop Fleet Boats was the Treaty Regime. Commerce raiding had to be conducted under the Cruiser Rules, which it considered suicidal. So the prewar USN subs were designed and crews trained under the doctrine that they would only be used against warships. Of course, that was ditched on the afternoon of Dec 7 1941 when the famous signal, "Execute unrestricted air and submarine warfare against Japan" was broadcast
As a long time commercial fisherman, the idea of fuel tanks being open to the sea at the bottom is currently giving me a waking nightmare
The whole Battle of May Island sequence is something straight out of a very dark comedy film.
I really liked the 3-D renderings, they really helped show exactly how the machinery plant was supposed to work, as well as give an idea of the actual size of the subs.
"I say, Number One, my end is diving... What the hell is your end doing...?"