tmh10
Major
- Joined
- Mar 2, 2012
- Location
- Pipestem,WV
It’s the USS Alligator, built in 1861 during the Civil War. The inventor of this strange looking machine, was a Frenchman named Brutus De Villeroi, who came to the United States during these times and wanted to help his new country in that war. He presented a submarine to the authorities and the US Navy got interested and ordered him to build one.
Now what you see here is the result. The green colored submarine about 47 ft long, was called the Alligator by some news people and the name stuck. It was powered by no less than 20 brave souls with the help of oars! (that’s what those small things hanging down on both sides are) In this configuration it achieved a breathtaking terminal speed of no less than 1 – 2 knots. This was perhaps the reason it was later rebuild with a handcrank driven propeller. By that the speed was doubled to 2 -3 knots. It also was the first submarine which had a lockout chamber through which the diver could enter and leave the submarine to attach mines and similar devices to the attacked target. It was planned to use the Alligator but while being towed on way to its target due to a storm it sank and was never seen again.
http://www.shipmodels.info/mws_forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=96181
Expired Image Removed
Now what you see here is the result. The green colored submarine about 47 ft long, was called the Alligator by some news people and the name stuck. It was powered by no less than 20 brave souls with the help of oars! (that’s what those small things hanging down on both sides are) In this configuration it achieved a breathtaking terminal speed of no less than 1 – 2 knots. This was perhaps the reason it was later rebuild with a handcrank driven propeller. By that the speed was doubled to 2 -3 knots. It also was the first submarine which had a lockout chamber through which the diver could enter and leave the submarine to attach mines and similar devices to the attacked target. It was planned to use the Alligator but while being towed on way to its target due to a storm it sank and was never seen again.
http://www.shipmodels.info/mws_forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=96181
Expired Image Removed