Moderator: Community Manager
[Post Reply] [*]  Page 1 of 1  [ 4 posts ] 
Author Message
Colosseum
Post subject: USS Dolphin (SS-169)Posted: December 18th, 2017, 12:50 am
Offline
Posts: 5218
Joined: July 26th, 2010, 9:38 pm
Location: Colorado
Contact: Website
[ img ]

This is DOLPHIN (SS-169) in July of 1933, at completion of her final trials and acceptance period at Portsmouth Navy Yard. The boat displays the usual #5 Standard Navy Grey applied to all units prior to World War II.

DOLPHIN was the seventh of the "V-boats", the large submarines intended for a possible Pacific war with Japan. A reduction in size from the preceding NARWHAL and ARGONAUT classes, DOLPHIN was similar in dimensions to the later GATO/BALAO/TENCH wartime classes. Her size was ideal for the long-range patrols later made during the war. A distinctive feature of DOLPHIN is the large deck house extending aft of the conning tower fairwater; originally intended to store boats, it was later rebuilt to store three reload torpedoes in canisters. Loop antennas for long-range radio communication run fore and aft (a common feature for the V-boats as built), and the telescoping antenna mast aft of the periscope shears connects wire antennas to derricks fore and aft as well. A 4"/50-caliber deck gun sits ahead of the fairwater.

DOLPHIN was commissioned after the V-boats were named, and so never went to sea with the "V-7" designation on her fairwater - having instead the "D-1" class number and the hull number "SS-169".

---

[ img ]

This is DOLPHIN (SS-169) in January of 1938. The boat has repainted into the overall gloss black favored by the Pacific Fleet submarines at the time. A WCA hydrophone has been added forward, but otherwise the boat is unchanged from its previous appearance.

---

[ img ]

This is DOLPHIN (SS-169) in October of 1942 during her third war patrol off the Kurile Islands. She is camouflaged in the overall black of Measure 9.

DOLPHIN was not extensively modified during the war, receiving only basic upgrades in 1942 and 1943. An SJ surface search radar sits on the open bridge, with an SD air search antenna on the old antenna mast. A radio DF loop has been added aft of the fairwater, and the heavy kingposts of the original design have been removed and replaced with only basic masts for supporting antenna rigging lines. Her armament remains unchanged.

DOLPHIN returned from her third war patrol to be relegated to training duties at Pearl Harbor, before being sent to New London, Connecticut, for service as a school boat. DOLPHIN would end the war in New London, training submariners, before being sold for scrap in 1946.

---

All DOLPHIN class submarine drawings available here: http://shipbucket.com/drawings/search?c ... =&drawing=

_________________
USN components, camouflage colors, & reference links (World War II only)


Top
[Profile] [Quote]
Charguizard
Post subject: Re: USS Dolphin (SS-169)Posted: December 18th, 2017, 12:57 am
Offline
User avatar
Posts: 410
Joined: January 28th, 2017, 1:17 am
Location: Santiago Basin
An outstanding set of drawings, again, as you have made us accustomed to. The newest entry does seem a fair bit more sleek and handsome than her burly forebearers, doesn't she.

_________________
w o r k l i s t :
Hatsuyuki-class Escort Ships . . . <3


Top
[Profile] [Quote]
emperor_andreas
Post subject: Re: USS Dolphin (SS-169)Posted: December 18th, 2017, 1:08 am
Offline
Posts: 3867
Joined: November 17th, 2010, 8:03 am
Location: Corinth, MS USA
Contact: YouTube
Awesome work!

_________________
[ img ]
MS State Guard - 08 March 2014 - 28 January 2023

The Official IJN Ships & Planes List

#FJB


Top
[Profile] [Quote]
eswube
Post subject: Re: USS Dolphin (SS-169)Posted: December 18th, 2017, 7:09 pm
Offline
Posts: 10635
Joined: June 15th, 2011, 8:31 am
Excellent! :D


Top
[Profile] [Quote]
Display: Sort by: Direction:
[Post Reply]  Page 1 of 1  [ 4 posts ]  Return to “Real Designs”

Jump to: 

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 46 guests


The team | Delete all board cookies | All times are UTC


cron
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Limited
[ GZIP: Off ]