Sleep with a Torpedo

[Herr Dr. Professor]

On the 5th of July four of us from the Tuesday "Make Modeling Mediocre Again" gang enjoyed an overnight on the USS Cobia, a Gato class submarine built in 1943 by Electric Boat of Groton, Connecticut, US. The Cobia and its associated museum are in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, US, where 28 of the 52 Gato Class submarines were built. The sub is available as a somewhat rugged "Bed and Breakfast" (so wie eine Pension auf Deutsch) for a rather steep price (although the sub can accommodate 72 in bunks, so one might divide the cost). The four of us were treated to the overnight by one of the gang who has been fascinated with WWII submarines since his childhood.

Here's the Cobia itself:

Starbord of Cobia.jpg (134.03 KiB) Viewed 705 times

After playing some poker in the crew's mess area, we split up across various bulkheads to reduce snoring noise. Here's part of the forward torpedo room where I slept. You may have slept with a blond bombshell, but I slept with a torpedo.

[MrChef]

Very cool experience Doc,

I've been on several WWII era subs, never slept on one of course. I even slipped onto a Nuclear attack sub USS Spadefish SSN-668 as a wee lad, in the 70's. Mom dated an officer very briefly. Got the full tour when it was in port in Groton Ct. Even when I was young I was always amazed just how small and tight it was in those tin cans. Major respect for those in the silent service. A good friend of mine was also a nuclear engineer on a boomer in the early 90's.

Thanks for sharing,

Chef

[Will01Capri]

Oh wow, that is definitely an experience to be had.

[Herr Dr. Professor]

Will, can you see the cast metal loop on the side of the torpedo rack? Well, obscured by my brief case, there is also a cast iron cleat, heavy enough to secure a 3000 lb. torpedo. Since I am "of a certain age," during the night I made frequent trips (up the ladder, down the deck through the rain, into the museum) to the "head." On each return, I jumped up into the bunk backward (avoiding the ladder) and rang my noggin against that iron cleat.

[ColemanCollector]

Now that is a cool overnighter! Did it include a screening of "Das Boot"?

I love ships and submarines so long as they're above water, but if I had to dive to look at one underwater, even the props on your sub there, it gives me the willies. I'm fascinated by shipwrecks, but could never visit one--just gives me the creeps. Thought I was just a weirdo, but then learn I have submechanophobia when reading some comments about a shipwreck near a resort that people can kayak around and dive on. A fear of sunken manmade objects! Who knew?!

Could I manage a submarine campout like yours? Definitely!

Mike.

[Herr Dr. Professor]

"Did it include a screening of "Das Boot"?" No, but there is a WWII vintage projector in the crew's mess, along with a record player. (We left them alone.) I would guess that you have seen these already, but the classic WWII submarine movies are "The Enemy Below" and "Run Silent, Run Deep." Neither is as good as "Das Boot," but they are a good watch.

[Will01Capri]

Will, can you see the cast metal loop on the side of the torpedo rack? Well, obscured by my brief case, there is also a cast iron cleat, heavy enough to secure a 3000 lb. torpedo. Since I am "of a certain age," during the night I made frequent trips (up the ladder, down the deck through the rain, into the museum) to the "head." On each return, I jumped up into the bunk backward (avoiding the ladder) and rang my noggin against that iron cleat.

OUCH!
You should have learnt after the first time hahahahaha
But it seems you survived so you can chalk that upto experience for the next time

It is such an unusual place to have a nap

Over the weekend i was doing a show with the local air museum and we decided to stay down overnight, what a view watching the sunset over historic aircraft and then waking up next to some classic ww2 vehicles and aircraft whilst having a bacon sarnie.
These unusual things we all do just make us more interesting