What are the holes on the side of a submarine?

The casing is outside the pressure hull and free-flooding so is usually perforated with numerous holes, allowing water to enter and trapped air to escape easily, eliminating any buoyancy contributed by the casing and allowing the submarine to submerge with as little delay as possible.

How long can a World War 2 submarine stay submerged?

After 48 hours, it would be unbearable and you would have to surface. The World War II submarine that had the longest possible underwater endurance was the German Type 21. It could stay down for up to 75 hours, which gives you a tad over 3 days.

Did ww2 submarines have air conditioning?

Most WWII submarines had several different kinds of air systems that served different purposes, from operating tanks to “firing” torpedoes. More advanced submarines also had air conditioning. However, by all accounts a submarine of that era was a rather dank place to live and work.

How thick is the hull on a submarine?

2 to 4 millimeters thick
The external hull, which actually forms the shape of submarine, is called the outer hull, casing or light hull. This term is especially appropriate for Russian submarine construction, where the light hull is usually made of steel that is only 2 to 4 millimeters thick, as it has the same pressure on both sides.

What was the crush depth of a Gato class submarine?

300 feet
Crush depth for the Gatos (9/16 inch of mild steel) was only about 500 feet, so operational depth (test depth) was held to 300 feet.

Did WWII submarines have showers?

Water had the highest priority. Making fresh water from sea water meant running it through a condenser situated in the lower flat of the engine room. This process used up electricity that was being generated by an auxillary engine, which needed precious fuel to operate. As a result, we only had one shower a week.

What was the purpose of the submarine in WW2?

Submarines in WWII. Submarines are very valuable attack vehicles. In World War II they were basically surface ships that could travel underwater for a limited time—however, as you will understand after exploring these pages, German U-boats had a number of considerably more advanced features than those of the United States.

Why do submarines have oxygen bottles in them?

US Navy submarines of the era carried small oxygen bottles for use in case of emergencies. This photo is from the forward torpedo room of USS Bowfin, a Balao-class submarine preserved as a museum ship at Pearl Harbor. By late World War II, some German U-boats were fitted with snorkels, allowing them to replenish the air while submerged.

How do submarines work?

The submarine can travel with great agility, guided by a gyro and propelled by steam (generated by passing water through burning alcohol). Torpedoes can carry 500 pounds of TNT, to explode either directly upon striking the target or detonated by the influence of the magnetic field of the target’s hull.

How did they store compressed air in WWII submarines?

Compressed air was stored in internal tanks when the submarine was surfaced or running at schnorkel depth. It had to be periodically replenished. Endurance could sometimes by increased by the use of CO2 absorbing chemicals (it is an excess of CO2 that kills you first, not a lack of oxygen).