deck weapons preservation WWII subs??

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - deck weapons preservation WWII subs??

Posted: 4/15/2002 8:15:57 PM EDT

How were deck weapons preserved/readied for action aboard WWII subs??

TIA

Tate

Posted: 4/15/2002 8:43:59 PM EDT

[#1]

I would assume one or both of two things: Grease, or(knowing the military) an assload of paint.

Posted: 4/15/2002 8:55:46 PM EDT

[#2]

From the reading I've done, I thought the guns were broken down and stowed below until the sub surfaced, at which time the crews deployed and mounted the guns.

Posted: 4/15/2002 9:06:17 PM EDT

[#3]

[img]http://www.kriegsmarine.net/Uboat_deck_gun.jpg[/img]

Posted: 4/15/2002 9:11:00 PM EDT

[#4]

Hmmmm...well, I was thinking more along the lines of machineguns, not five inch guns.

Posted: 4/15/2002 9:16:33 PM EDT

[#5]

Achtung!

[url]http://uboat.net/technical/guns.htm[/url]

[url]http://uboat.net/technical/flak.htm[/url]

Posted: 4/16/2002 2:08:09 AM EDT

[#6]

WWII subs spent the vast majority of their time on the surface, so the main gun was just left there when they submerged. There was a boatload of swabbies to clean it once they came back up, after all. [:D]

Posted: 4/16/2002 3:54:38 AM EDT

[#7]

Something along the lines of a giant cork was probably involved.

Kharn

Posted: 4/16/2002 4:17:00 AM EDT

[#8]

Quoted:
Something along the lines of a giant cork was probably involved.

Kharn

View Quote

If you tried that, you'd never get it out.

Posted: 4/16/2002 4:32:02 AM EDT

[#9]

It looks like there were some deck guns that were stored in water tight lockers on deck, and others that were "wet" guns. Ready ammo was also stored in water tight lockers.

"The 5-inch, 25 caliber wet gun has a stainless steel liner inside the barrel to resist corrosion from sea water and can thus be submerged and flooded without harm to the gun.
Cod also carried a number of 50 caliber machine guns which were stowed in water-tight lockers when not in use. When needed the machine guns can be quickly attached to mounts located on the bridge and on the main deck near the bridge.

A quote from this site: [url]http://www.usscod.org/gun.html[/url]

Posted: 4/16/2002 6:29:52 AM EDT

[#10]

My Dad was a Gunnersmate on the USS SUNFISH in WWII, The Sub involved in what ADM NIMITZ called :"The most sucessful surface battle of a US submarine in WWII".
The 5" gun had a stainless steel barrel liner which was supposed to be sealed with plug when the sub was submerged, however water always seemed to get into the barrel so when they surfaced, prior to firing, a special powder charge(no projectile) was fired to "clean" out the barrel of any water.

Posted: 4/16/2002 6:34:36 AM EDT

[#11]

Thanks, ELEFTARIA, for your reply!

[b]And thank your Dad from all of us if he is still around![/b]

If he's not, then we will thank him personally when we meet him.

Eric The(Thankful)Hun[>]:)]

Posted: 4/16/2002 9:35:12 AM EDT

[#12]

The German deck guns were plugged.

I recall reading that Doenitz' or somebody's son was killed when...

They fired the gun without taking the plug out.

Imagine that, Murphy poking his head out in all that confusion and smoke of battle.

Posted: 4/16/2002 10:04:49 AM EDT

[#13]

Quoted:
My Dad was a Gunnersmate on the USS SUNFISH in WWII, The Sub involved in what ADM NIMITZ called :"The most sucessful surface battle of a US submarine in WWII".
The 5" gun had a stainless steel barrel liner which was supposed to be sealed with plug when the sub was submerged, however water always seemed to get into the barrel so when they surfaced, prior to firing, a special powder charge(no projectile) was fired to "clean" out the barrel of any water.

View Quote

Your Dad and others that rode those boats during WW II are my heroes.

There was a time early in the war when about 3 out of 5 went on patrol but did not return.

To the USN Submarine Service they remain eternally...... on patrol.

Posted: 4/16/2002 10:48:59 AM EDT

[#14]

Jeepers, [b]subsailor[/b], I was beginning to wonder when you were gonna 'surface' on this thread!

You know at our age, neither of us should be holding our breath for [u]that[/u] long!

BTW, did they have deck guns on boats when you were in the service, Granddaddy? [:D]

Eric The(AndWereThey'BlackPowder'?)Hun[>]:)]

Posted: 4/17/2002 9:52:45 AM EDT

[#15]

ERIC THE HUN and 5SUBSLR5
Thanks for your kind words.
Eric, you can thank him yourself when we get there
The men who manned those old deisel boats were a rare breed.
If anyone is interested, The USS SUNFISH website is:
www.geocities.com/heartland/hills/2364
This site is a tribute by the son of a sailor who served on the SUNFISH with my Dad.
The son is serving with the 3MARDIV on Okinawa. He is retiring next month after 20 years of service.
Both of our fathers are deceased, but the legacy of their service and sacrifice lives on.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - deck weapons preservation WWII subs??

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