[[File:3v.jpg|left|thumb|Photo in the private collection of Ric Hedman]]
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color:#00008B">V-2, V-1 & V-3 moored starboard side to the USS Argonne (AS-10), most likely San Diego, CA circa 1927. The unique shape of the bow was designed with the hope that it would provide better surface sea keeping. It did not work as hoped and these boats proved to be quite wet in heavy seas. Many think the design is reminiscent of a shark with an anchor in its mouth. It was unique in the USN. All three boats have their forward radio mast raised. This mast would penetrate the pressure hull when retracted, being housed between the forward torpedo tubes.</span>
[[File:H41993.jpg|left|thumb|Photo NH 41993 courtesy of the Naval History & Heritage Command.]]
[[File:Argonaut-launch-1.jpg|left|thumb|U.S. Navy photo via the National Archives.]]
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color:#00008B">S-2 while on sea trials in 1919, prior to commissioning. S-2's bow planes retracted into the superstructure horizontally, the EB design had the bow planes retracting at an angle. Trials showed that she had the tendency to burrow into the waves due to a lack of buoyancy forward. S-2's bow would be soon modified with an additional bow buoyancy tank, giving her a distinctive humped appearance. Her chariot style bridge fairwater has not yet been added. S-2 does not have a deck gun installed in this photo. She would later have a 4"/50 caliber Mk 9 gun installed forward, requiring the installation of a large deck sponson around the gun.</span>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color:#00008B">V-4 (SM-1) about ready to launch, aproximately November 6, 1927. The yard has yet to 'dress ship' for the occasion, meaning draping the signal flags from the top of the periscope to the bow and stern and hoisting the Union Jack and American Flag. She was launched on November 10, 1927, probably a few days away, at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, Maine. V-4 was the USN's only purpose-built minelaying submarine, and was the largest submarine built for the USN until the nuclear powered USS Triton (SSRN-586) of 1959.</span>
[[V-4|See more V-4 photos]]
[[V-4|See more V-4 photos]]
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=== <big>Dolphin (Fleet Submarine)</big> ===
=== <big>Dolphin (Fleet Submarine)</big> ===
[[File:H41993.jpg|left|thumb|Photo NH 41993 courtesy of the Naval History & Heritage Command.]]
[[File:Dolphin ways.jpg|left|thumb|USN photo via the National Archives.]]
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color:#00008B">S-2 while on sea trials in 1919, prior to commissioning. S-2's bow planes retracted into the superstructure horizontally, the EB design had the bow planes retracting at an angle. Trials showed that she had the tendency to burrow into the waves due to a lack of buoyancy forward. S-2's bow would be soon modified with an additional bow buoyancy tank, giving her a distinctive humped appearance. Her chariot style bridge fairwater has not yet been added. S-2 does not have a deck gun installed in this photo. She would later have a 4"/50 caliber Mk 9 gun installed forward, requiring the installation of a large deck sponson around the gun.</span>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color:#00008B">The Dolphin just beginning her slide down the ways at the Portsmouth Navy Yard on March 8, 1932. Her hull superstructure is only completed from the bow to about the conning tower area. Note the "D1" visual identifier on her bow. There are smatterings of Navy crew in amongst the shipyard worker riding the submarine down the ways. At the bow the Portsmouth Navy Yard banner is flying. It reads backwards because the back of the banner is only seen by the camera. There seems to be a distinct lack of bunting and ceremony involved in this launch. Perhaps due to it being several years into the Great Depression and the government needed to show signs of austerity.</span>
V-1/Barracuda, V-2/Bass, and V-3/Bonita (Fleet Submarines)
Photo in the private collection of Ric Hedman
V-2, V-1 & V-3 moored starboard side to the USS Argonne (AS-10), most likely San Diego, CA circa 1927. The unique shape of the bow was designed with the hope that it would provide better surface sea keeping. It did not work as hoped and these boats proved to be quite wet in heavy seas. Many think the design is reminiscent of a shark with an anchor in its mouth. It was unique in the USN. All three boats have their forward radio mast raised. This mast would penetrate the pressure hull when retracted, being housed between the forward torpedo tubes.
V-4 (SM-1) about ready to launch, aproximately November 6, 1927. The yard has yet to 'dress ship' for the occasion, meaning draping the signal flags from the top of the periscope to the bow and stern and hoisting the Union Jack and American Flag. She was launched on November 10, 1927, probably a few days away, at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, Maine. V-4 was the USN's only purpose-built minelaying submarine, and was the largest submarine built for the USN until the nuclear powered USS Triton (SSRN-586) of 1959.
The Dolphin just beginning her slide down the ways at the Portsmouth Navy Yard on March 8, 1932. Her hull superstructure is only completed from the bow to about the conning tower area. Note the "D1" visual identifier on her bow. There are smatterings of Navy crew in amongst the shipyard worker riding the submarine down the ways. At the bow the Portsmouth Navy Yard banner is flying. It reads backwards because the back of the banner is only seen by the camera. There seems to be a distinct lack of bunting and ceremony involved in this launch. Perhaps due to it being several years into the Great Depression and the government needed to show signs of austerity.
