Historic overview of submarine technology

Some 400 years before Christ, Alexander the Great explored the depths of the sea in a glass diving bell

Again our friend Alex the Great in his glass diving device, [picture from the web]. Comparing this picture with the previous one, it is obvious that determining the construction of Alex's diving bell of Alex is not an easy task. 

Wooden pre-submarine the Rotterdam, 1654 (NL) [Francis, 1997].  

Design of a 'Diving Bell' by father Giovanni Alfonso Borelli, published in this 'De montu Animalium' (on the motion of animals) published in 1680 in Rome [van der Vat, 1994].

 

So much for copyright! Boat built by Nathaniel Symons in 1747, seventy years after the Borelli design [van der Vat, 1994] . This boat is supposed to have actually been submerged for forty-five minutes in the river Thames (UK). 

The Turtle by David Bushnel, 1776 (USA) [Chant, 1996]. The Turtle attempted to attach its 150 lb gunpowder charge to the British flagship the Eagle, but failed. 

The Nautilus by Robert Fulton, 1800 (USA) [Francis]. In 1800 Fulton obtained a grant to build the sub for Napoleon. 

The 'Brandtaucher' designed by Wilhelm Bauer in 1850  

 

The 'Hunley', after Horace Lawson Hunley, 1863 (USA) [Ragan, 1995]. An American human powered submarine. The Hunley took part in the civil war and was the first submarine ever that sunk an enemy vessel on February 17th, 1864. Currently the wreck of the Hunley has been salvaged. 

An early submarine design by John P. Holland, 1877 (USA) [Morris, 1998]. The text on the drawing states that the boat was experimented with in 1878 and contains the autograph of John Holland!

Design by George Garrett, 1878(UK) [Compton-Hall, 1999]

The 'Nautilus' by Ash and Campbell 1888 (UK) [van der Vat, 1994]. This boat was the first to run on batteries underwater. 

Holland A-1 design, 1901 (USA) [Chant, 1996]. This boat may be regarded as the first real submarine. It features diesel electric propulsion and has on board torpedo tubes. The life and works of John P. Holland, is outlined in [Morris, 1998]. 

The first true German U-boot: the U1 1906  

O1. The first Royal Dutch Navy submarine, 1906 (NL) [Jalhay, 1997].

 

O21. Pre WWII Dutch submarine (NL) [Gerretse, 1993].

K-18. Pre WWII Dutch submarine 1931 (NL) [Wytema, 1936]

Type II German Pre WWII submarine, 1935  

 

Type 9b German pre WWII submarine, 1939

 

Type VIIB German WWII submarine, 1939  

German Type XIV, WWII submarine, 1940 (D). The XIV supplied fluel to other submarines and was thus called a milkcow

 

Famous German WWII boat Type VIIC, 1941

 

British Chariot Mk I, 1942 (UK). A two person human manned torpedo. 

 

An English WWII mini submarine X-craft, 1942 (UK). X5-X10 series. [Kemp, 1999].

A small German WWII sub WK202, 1942 

Type 21 WWII German submarine, 1944

Ty-pe 26 WWI German submarine, 1945

Russian Quebec class submarine, 19XX (USSR).

 

Zulu V class Russian submarine, 1952  

Dolfijn class, 1954 (NL). Dutch triple hull submarine [Gerretse, 1993].

Russian November Class submarine, 1958 (USSR).

 

German type 205 submarine, 1962

Spanish Tiburon submarine, 1964. This boat was designed in 1952 with help from the WWII German submarine experts. 

USS Flasher, an American Thresher class boat (1966). 

Dutch Zwaardvis class, 1966

German 206A submarine design, 1973 (D). This is the drawing of a Revell plastic model. 

Hydrosub, designed by Brian Walker "The Rocket Guy" (1979).

Typhoon, Russian missile submarine 1980 (USSR)  [Modeler Konstruktor]. Thanks to Jerome Simon, who is building this boat.

 

TR 1700 Argentinan submarine, 1980.

Akula, Russian submarine 1984  

Norwegian Ula class, 1989  

Russian Oscar II Class 1990  

British Vanguard Class 1992

 

Turkish Preveze Class (German design 209-1400) 1994 (T)

 

Source : heiszwolf

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