S-2

Photo in the private collection of Ric Hedman.

S-2 surfacing after a diving test alongside the pier at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, ME., spring or early summer 1921. S-2 had just been modified by her builder Simon Lake to correct a deficiency shown during trials where she had a tendency to burrow into the waves while running on the surface. She lacked reserve buoyancy forward. Lake added a buoyancy tank above the main deck at the bow in an attempt to correct this problem. This was not a common feature of U.S. submarines, but it is reminiscent of several British designs. Just visible in the background on the other side of the pier is the German U-boat U-111. It was surrendered to the Allies at the end of WWI and turned over to the U.S. for testing and evaluation. It was sunk as a target in the Atlantic in July 1921.

A special note about this photo: An email correspondence on July 7, 2001 about this photo was the beginning of a 20+ year friendship between the webmasters of this site, Ric Hedman and David Johnston.

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  Photo from the Rick Larson Collection, now in the private collection of Ric Hedman.

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  Photo from the Rick Larson Collection, now in the private collection of Ric Hedman.

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  Photo from the Rick Larson Collection, now in the private collection of Ric Hedman.