[Robe]

The article is full BS.... They note that the sub surfaced to signal the shore lookouts, The article states,"Soon after the signal had been FIRED, the sub sank about 4 miles off Charleston.". Nothing was "FIRED" it surfaced opened the forward hatch and showed a "BLUE LANTERN". The lantern was found directly under the forward hatch, it''s on display at the lab. These "Hull Plates" were indeed removable but as noted they were designed to keep the sub upright,if removed the sub would have surfaced but it would wallow and ride on it's sides or top all not allowing the hatches opened without sinking the submarine. It had forward and stern ballast tanks like a modern submarine which were flooded or pumped out to surface or dive the vessel. How do I know all this? Because I was on the volunteer conservation team

[smokingfrog]

Contradictory information is stated. I guess they don’t bother to proofread much.

[TXnMA]

Hey FRiend, I didn't know we had another FReeper who was a Hunley volunteer!

As soon as I saw that article, I immediately started responding -- so, I didn't see your #13 -- until after I'd posted my #29. But, as you can see, we agree about the stupid article!

BTW, most of my Hunley efforts were prior to her recovery. I created and hosted a private web forum for project archaeologists, historians and engineers -- on how the torpedo was deployed.

We were the first to come up with the solution that the torpedo was deployed off the bottom of the bow on a ~16-18 foot (now known to be 18-20 foot) pipe spar, pivoted vertically on a y-yoke -- and for attack, deployed at a thirty (30) degree downward angle.

It was only a couple of days after I put my sketch of the above up on the forum -- when historian/member, Mark Ragan, posted the three sketches of "Singer's Torpedo -- Used for Blowing Up the Housatonic" -- featuring a spar socket -- at exactly a thirty (30) degree angle -- that he'd just found in the archives!

What a hoot! '-)

I now, occasionally correspond with Mike Scafuri on torpedo issues -- as will be seen in some of the sketches in my follow-on post tomorrow...

TXnMA