A Mystery

The Search for the Truth

A Unknown Submarine in Day Dock

This is just one of the things the PigBoats staff has to do almost daily, look at wonderful old photos that are in really bad condition and try and figure out what was going on and who the vessel may be.

When the photo was first seen an immediate conclusion was drawn that the photo had the unique interest to be worthy of purchase. A quick estimate, again, as to who or what this may be was drawn and the decision to buy was made.

Once the image arrived they are usually scanned to see what could be done to bring out the highest resolution for the image. Sometimes this is all you can get. You can't make something appear when it isn't there.. This was tucked away for future investigation. At this point this photo has been "tucked" for about 5 years and almost forgotten. Finally it has be rediscovered and a long discussion has ensued between Dave and Ric as to the identification of the submarine in question. Ideas are thrown out as to who or what it maybe be. Then details are discussed and books and other references materials are called on and comparisons are made and preliminary conclusions are made and discussed and discarded and new approaches are discussed.

The Question remains: Who is this? Is there enough recognizable information to make a determination to identity?

What do we know? The submarine is in a Dry Dock. It is a small dock because she almost fills it. How many small Dry Docks are there and where are they? More research!

What are the prominent features of the submarine? What can be identified without question? What things do we think we can see? How many other submarines of similar vintage have features that resemble what we see? The list can keep climbing. Our problem is that the photo evidence is incomplete. The "Photo Record" is still being discovered and cataloged so we become part of the process we are looking for to answer our own questions.

NOW! That still isn't answering the question as to who this vessel in dry dock is. Flatly. We don't know. We have some good ideas and have some good arguments for the cases presented but that still leaves us with the question; who is this? Who is the submarine in this Dry Dock?

The Discussion

So, how does/did this go and where did or didn't we end up? The original scan was not able to be located so a new scan was made from th4 original image. Contrasts and brightness was manipulated several times to get the best image. Once that was done photo imaging software was utilized to further manipulate the image and contrast colors tried to see what worked best with the human eye. Once that was done the image was uploaded to a web location so we could both look at the picture, (we live on opposite coasts), and begin the analyzing to try and discover "who" this picture may be of.

Ric first gave his first impressions of the image to Dave who then did his impressions pro and con base on the first physical assessment. This changed to opinion from being a possible "S" class submarine into a closer look at some of the more obvious details that brought about it maybe being an earlier class boat.

Each of us has their own approach looking at a subject and by digging in to some reference material we were beginning to think this may be something ever rarer than an odd looking S class photo but maybe one of the three "T" class submarines (ref; T class). This would be a great find! Only 3 submarines were built and they all suffered from many and mutual defects and were decommissioned in one to two years and mothballed. Only T-3 was pulled out and used and to evaluate new engines.

But then it was pointed out that this could be even rarer. This might be the solitary USS M-1. The only submarine of its class to be built.

Back to the reference materials again. Unfortunately we were running into an issue with the shape of the bridge fairwater configuration. So far only one photo exists that show the M-1 with a "chariot bridge" and it is from a forward location not aft. Also, the M-1 was one of the last submarines to be built with built-in cast-iron lifting rings fore and aft. The photo offers little detail in this respect. We are back to square one.

Dave pointed out that known images of the T-1 from the aft show a circular plate bolted over the area just above the rudder post on the top of the hull. Again this area is indistinct. There SEEMS to be such an object in the photo but it also looks square. (Sounds funny but that is what it looks like). Back to square one again.

The argument for the T class is the shape of the stern planes match to a "T" (no pun) the T class lines drawings. Problem: we are unable to locate an lines drawings that show the configuration for the M class submarine. Both classes had the propeller shaft exiting the hull low as is indicated in this image and shown in other photos located online. We're still at square one!

Looking through more photos of both classes of submarine an image has been located that shows the M-1 in the water with several other submarines. The photos was taken from the aft. What looks to be a square plate bolted of the area above the rudder post in the same location as the round one was shown for the T class strengthens the argument for this being the M-1 but, again, the argument circles back to the what is clearly visible in the photo in question and what is not. Square one is getting boring!

(sort of running out of steam here - feel free to add anything.)

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Ric Hedman & David Johnston
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