Exterior renovations

[Mark Sarsfield]

One of the guys on the www.subsim.com forum that does a lot of mod work for the SHIV game did research into the paint schemes for fleet boats during the war.  It turns out that for most of the war, a lot of boats were painted black (MS/9 paint scheme) and the fleet really didn't start using the black/gray late war patrol scheme (MS/32) until '44... even with the updated superstructures.  Just more of a historical trivia note than anything.  I like the late war scheme, personally.

Now, from the photos that I've seen of Batfish, she seems to have always had the two-tone paint job.  I don't remember ever seeing any all-black Batfish photos.

Also, speaking of superstructure, it looks like she had her 40mm gun on the forward cigarette deck, instead of aft and vice versa for the 20mm - the 20mm didn't have any deflector plates, either.  I don't expect us to move the guns, though.  The original forward deck looked like it was bigger than our version/replica and it would be a lot of work to move them.

[Mark Sarsfield]

Correction, MS/32 was available in mid-1943.  However, a lot of the Balao boats left the yards with the MS/9 paint scheme, including Batfish.  I think Becuna (SS-319) was the last boat to leave the yards with a black paint job in 1944.

[MWALLEN]

she had her 40mm gun on the forward cigarette deck, instead of aft

I've seen photos that have the BATFISH with 2 40mm's...I guess it's when the photo was taken.

Also, I've always been under the impression that the commanding officer had the say-so on where guns were mounted, including the deck gun.

[Rick]

I have also been give the impression that the skipper could choose what ever he could appropriate (beg, borrow or steal) for his boat.  It mostley depended on what was available.   We have to remember that the country's industry reall did not kick into high gear until mid war, so things like deck guns were not readily available.

[Mark Sarsfield]

All true. 

[Travis McLain]

Got a quick question for anyone on here. What is with the circle that is on the bridge right behind the forward 20mm? It does not make sense as to why it would be there.

[Mark Sarsfield]

Probably another ammo hatch.  They might have kept a few drums of 20mm ammo in the CT.  If they needed ammo at the last second, it would be fastest to pass it through the hatches.  I'm guessing that a loaded 20mm drum is probably 25 - 30 lbs. each.

Similar idea with the deck guns.  Keep some topside and pass the rest up, as needed.

[Rick]

That is hard to say.  this would go right into the Bridge area.  the only hatch there would be the one going into the Conn..   I do not see anyone passing ammo up the con and onto the smoke deck.  It would make more sense to pass it up from the control room throught he Bud Mobbs hatch I this come out on the port side just under the smoke deck) then to the 20 mm

[Mark Sarsfield]

I've seen pictures of 30. cal MGs being stored in the CT with a few ammo boxes.  But each sub probably did it to the captain's preference.

[Lance Dean]

Got a quick question for anyone on here. What is with the circle that is on the bridge right behind the forward 20mm? It does not make sense as to why it would be there.

It's an ammo locker.  Look at this diagram:

http://www.maritime.org/fleetsub/appendix/pages/figa-02.htm

[Travis McLain]

I see what you are talking about, but in the diagram, it is below the 20 mm, if it were below the 20 mm in the pic it would seem more plausible. The thing that gets me about it is that it is inset into the metal there, and it would have to be a really small locker there because the 20 mm gunner would constantly be bumping into it. Rick, can you take a look and see if there is any reminents (sp?) of this circle on the bridge?

[Mark Sarsfield]

I've been up on the Batfish bridge enough times to know that there isn't any resemblance to a circle/hatch on that part of the structure.  I believe that the Navy reworked a lot of the bridge when it became a training vessel.  Not much use for AA and deck guns in the era of missiles and active sonar torpedoes.  Like Rick said earlier, though, at least they didn't convert her in the GUPPY programs.

[Rick]

I am including a few pics of the bridge area so you have a comparison.  I still do not see anywere you can put a storage locker.  You even get a real unique look at the coning tower without the deck blocking the view.  Thanks to the redecking proc....

[Mark Sarsfield]

If a hatch was installed on the forward part of the bridge (there is a U-shaped weld, now that I look at it), it wouldn't be a locker.  Just a door.  Some captains liked having their ammo nearby and were probably itching for a gun battle.  It would be easier to pass ammo to the forward gunner through the forward hatch, if any ammo was being brought up from the CT.  The rest would be passed up from the lower hatch from the crew's mess or con.

[Travis McLain]

So how is the Bridge deck coming along?