AlienFTM Posted October 10, 2007 Share Posted October 10, 2007 Bear with me. It's an unusual one this one. I just saw Sapper's signature block, reading "Indefatigable", possibly referring to his never being rubber-dicked for fatigues or to a one-time capital ship. It set off a chain of thought. I was reminded of a conversation at work this morning. One of the lads commented about two huge vehicles by the side of the M275 (visible on Google Earth at grid, I have since determined, 50°49'34.66"N, 1° 5'16.81"W). "What has this got to do with 'Indefatigable?'" I hear you ask. Indefatigable was a capital ship. In recent times, submarines have come to be thought of as the new capital ship. ("There are two types of vessel at sea: submarines and targets.") If you have gone to this location in Google Earth (other aerial view applications are available), if you now scroll northwestward a couple of hundred metres across the M275 to 50°49'43.93"N, 1° 5'32.54"W, you will see a derelict submarine. (Actually thinking about it, if you use another application you may not get the same pic, because there were two submarines but one has been dismantled: with another app, they might both be there or both be gone.) The aforementioned lad addressed the question, "What are those two giant vehicles?" at Jane, who sat next to me. Her husband served on boats, and had indeed served on the boat which is no longer at the second location, having been dismantled. I then noticed something unusual about the submarine in the picture at the second grid reference on Google Earth, which Jane could not explain. So. Your starter for 10: What is unusual about the derelict submarine at location 50°49'43.93"N, 1° 5'32.54"W? (Notwithstanding the obvious fact that anything removable has already been removed.) And your bonus question: Why? Jane immediately picked up the phone to her husband and asked "Why?" Her husband explained. She thought it would be a great question in the next Software Group UK IT Department Quiz Competition, then she remembered that my team never won without me (we won fairly comfortably in the summer and they got stuffed last month while I was absent for my daughter's wedding) and giving the quiz a question that only I would ever get in a million years was hardly fair to the rest of them. Go for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted October 10, 2007 Share Posted October 10, 2007 It looks like the conning tower is not mounted on the centre line of the sub. The reason is that a) the captain now doesn't need to walk as far to get ashore b) the gangway wasn't long enough!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted October 10, 2007 Share Posted October 10, 2007 Pounds scrapyard and the vehicles are LARC-60 's, ex-US forces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlienFTM Posted October 10, 2007 Author Share Posted October 10, 2007 It looks like the conning tower is not mounted on the centre line of the sub. The reason is that a) the captain now doesn't need to walk as far to get ashore b) the gangway wasn't long enough!! The conning tower is indeed displaced to one side. Which leaves us with "Why?" (Your answer was wrong, not surprisingly.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted October 10, 2007 Share Posted October 10, 2007 It had twin conning towers by the looks of it and one has been removed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted October 10, 2007 Share Posted October 10, 2007 it appears that one side of the vessel has been cut away, making it look like the conning tower is offset. :dunno: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlienFTM Posted October 10, 2007 Author Share Posted October 10, 2007 It had twin conning towers by the looks of it and one has been removed. nope - I did wonder that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlienFTM Posted October 10, 2007 Author Share Posted October 10, 2007 it appears that one side of the vessel has been cut away, making it look like the conning tower is offset. :dunno: nope - I thought that one too. The conning tower IS displaced to the starboard side. Why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted October 10, 2007 Share Posted October 10, 2007 To fit extra ballast tanks to the port side Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bodge Deep Posted October 10, 2007 Share Posted October 10, 2007 to carry something large on deck? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlienFTM Posted October 10, 2007 Author Share Posted October 10, 2007 To fit extra ballast tanks to the port side nope Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlienFTM Posted October 10, 2007 Author Share Posted October 10, 2007 to carry something large on deck? nope Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abn deuce Posted October 10, 2007 Share Posted October 10, 2007 if the conning tower is shifted above deck and the reason is not above deck then something below deck must be taking up the space and offsets the weight of the conning tower , I d guess a weapons system . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlienFTM Posted October 11, 2007 Author Share Posted October 11, 2007 if the conning tower is shifted above deck and the reason is not above deck then something below deck must be taking up the space and offsets the weight of the conning tower , I d guess a weapons system . Wrong by using the word "weight" but the thinking is very close. And no it isn't a weapons system (apart from the fact that a submarine IS a weapons system). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 Early version of a side scanning sonar system ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 Or a High Test Hydrogen Peroxide Engine sub (HTP) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 Or plastics used on the super structure before and aft the bridge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 I've seen these things they have been up on the mud for years. They can be seen as you go down to the harbour for the ferries. There was an HP powered sub, but she was only ever experimental. The details were in the old Observer book on Naval Vessels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlienFTM Posted October 11, 2007 Author Share Posted October 11, 2007 Early version of a side scanning sonar system ?? nope Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlienFTM Posted October 11, 2007 Author Share Posted October 11, 2007 Or a High Test Hydrogen Peroxide Engine sub (HTP) nope Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlienFTM Posted October 11, 2007 Author Share Posted October 11, 2007 Or plastics used on the super structure before and aft the bridge nope Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtistsRifles Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 Mine layer?? Or carried a mni-sub for covert ops?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abn deuce Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 not having seen the photo's I have another blind stab at a guess....is the offset caused by a deck hatch required for a sub based missile launcher Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlienFTM Posted October 12, 2007 Author Share Posted October 12, 2007 Mine layer?? Or carried a mni-sub for covert ops?? nope Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlienFTM Posted October 12, 2007 Author Share Posted October 12, 2007 not having seen the photo's I have another blind stab at a guess....is the offset caused by a deck hatch required for a sub based missile launcher nope Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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