Messages

1

USS Batfish (SS-310) / Re: Periscopes Repairs

« on: March 31, 2013, 07:12:41 PM »

The next time anyone is in the vicinity of the BATFISH periscopes please look carefully around the bottom of the Eyepiece Box. There should be a four digit Registry Number manually stamped into the casting. You will have to look carefully because it will/may be painted over. It is usually located below the viewing window. If you can find the information I may be able to provide type and date of delivery information even though the nameplates are missing .

Paul

2

USS Batfish (SS-310) / Re: Periscopes Repairs

« on: March 27, 2013, 01:45:00 PM »

The Type 2E was used on the 594 Class Fast Attack Submarine. A tragic story is that the Class was going to be known as the "SSN-593 THRESHER Class". After the loss of the THRESHER sixty years ago, on April 10 1963 during sea trials, submarine production was stopped and a new SUBSAFE requirement was put into place. At that time the Class designation was changed to the SSN-594 PERMIT Class. The THRESHER would have had a Type 2E installed when she went down.

Trainer Periscopes were a separate design completely different but made to look like a tactical periscope. I installed and maintained about twelve of that design during the 1980's and 90's 

3

USS Batfish (SS-310) / Re: Periscopes Repairs

« on: March 27, 2013, 01:06:30 PM »

The Type 2E was one of the shorter periscopes produced. 37 foot optical length as noted on the Design Designation. 124KA"36"HA on the nametag. The 74 denotes the maximum elevation viewing angle. The Type II Attack on the BATFISH is about 40 feet long.

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USS Batfish (SS-310) / Re: Periscopes Repairs

« on: March 27, 2013, 12:12:24 PM »

Mark,

Do you have a point of contact at the OK Science Center. The display is very interesting, especially the nameplate. The nameplate looks very new and there seems to be a "1" missing at the front of the "DESIGN DESIG. number. The registry number indicates that it is a Type 2E which would make it a 124KA36/HA. If that is the case, it was originally delivered to the NAVY on September 28, 1961.

Thanks,
Paul

5

USS Batfish (SS-310) / Re: Periscopes Repairs

« on: March 27, 2013, 10:52:12 AM »

Could we continue this conversation via email. I am not an experienced forum user.
Thanks,
Paul
PJL2@comcast.net

6

USS Batfish (SS-310) / Re: Periscopes Repairs

« on: March 27, 2013, 09:57:08 AM »

Hello All,

I have been working with the Reuben H Fleet Science Center located in San Diego CA. They have a 1945 vintage Type IV Periscope that will be removed in the near future during a facility upgrade. They do not want the periscope any longer and we are looking for a new home. If we can not find one the periscope will be shipped back to the Naval Supply Center, Cheatham Annex, Williamsburg VA for storage. These periscopes are becoming quite rare and the Naval History and Heritage Command does not want to see it scrapped. I last viewed the periscope ten years ago and it was in good condition. Recent conversations and pictures provided by the Exhibits Director indicate that they have taken good care of it. Bear in mind that this periscope is showing wear and is missing external eyepiece box components. It has been open to the public for quite a few years.
If anyone is interested I would suggest a visit to the Science Center to evaluate the condition. The receiving organization would be required to contact the Naval History and Heritage Command to request transfer of custody. Then they would be required to pay transportation costs from San Diego. A ball park figure for trucking is $2.15 per mile. I recommend displaying the periscope in an area that is accessible to the public. It could go onto a Fleet submarine but the Conning Tower has limited access.
If anyone has any questions and/or concerns please contact me via this forum and I will try to help you out. I have recent photos and contact information.

Paul     

7

USS Batfish (SS-310) / Re: Periscopes Repairs

« on: March 13, 2013, 06:21:38 PM »

Hi All
I wonder if what they mean concerning "shims" is the chevron packing that is part of the hull seal. There is nowhere else that the periscope can be "shimmed". This is shown clearly in Figure 2-47 on page 36 of the periscope manual. This section of the manual also covers removing and installing a periscope.
 
The hull packing can remain in place while removing the periscope. After the periscope is removed, the hull seal components can be delt with.
The hull seal components will have to be removed before the periscope is installed. The components are installed one at a time from inside the conning tower while the periscope is supported by a safety clamp above. The Hoisting Yoke will not be in place at this time. After the packing is in place the Hoisting Yoke is raised into position.  A good description of the Hoisting Yoke is given starting on Page 470 of the Periscope Manual.

To separate the periscope from the hoisting yoke, you have to remove the setscrews, item 4 on Figure 7-26, Page 472, and unscrew the Cover Ring, Item 16. When you raise the periscope out of the Hoisting Yoke, there will be a set of Split Rings, Item 17, in a grove in the periscope. These split rings are removed and this will allow you to remove the Cover Ring and the periscope can be raised out of the submarine.
                                       
When you install the periscope you must be sure the Cover Ring is on the periscope and the Split Rings are in place. There is no need to take the Housting Yoke apart unless it must be cleaned and lubricated.

If the periscopes on the BATFISH are in the full raised position it could be a problem gaining access to the top or the Hoisting Yoke to remove the Cover Ring Lockscrews and the Cover Ring.

Darrin, Do you happen to know where in the TORSK bbs the periscope related entries are? I visited the the TORSK years ago to deliver an E&E Adapter for their Type 8B Periscope. As you may know, their periscopes were upgraded over the years but the Hull Packings and the Removal/Installation would be similar to the BATFISH.

Paul 

8

USS Batfish (SS-310) / Re: Periscopes Repairs

« on: March 11, 2013, 05:07:58 PM »

Sorry about being away for a while. i am trying to put this project in perspective. I have a few areas that i would like to cover. I hope anyone that is in on this project has read the appropriate sections of the Submarine Periscope Manual: NavPers 16165. It's online location was posted previously. Looking at the Online photos of the BATFISH Conning Tower I have determined that the the periscopes installed are a Type IV (#1 FWD) and a Type II (#2 AFT, Skinny Neck Attack) Both periscope are covered in the NavPers Manual. They are complex assemblies and during their manufacture skilled craftsmen put each one together in their own way. I will let you folks deal with the periscope shop as to their capabilities. Unfortunately, I was not involved with the CAVALLA rework so I don't know how far into periscopes the shop went and I don't know how the finished product came out. 

As far as removing the periscopes from the submarine, the difficulty is how free are they now? I assume they have not been up and down for a while. Do they rotate? If not, there may be issues with the Hull Seal and the upper bushings/bearings. They were used to regular greasing and salt water lubrication. I assisted with removing the two periscopes from the USS RASHER Conning Tower and it took a lot of penetrating oil and the largest hydraulic jacks that we could find just to make them move. We finally were able to lift them out. BTW the RASHER Conning Tower was installed in the Columbia River Maritime Museum in Astoria OR. The top of the conning tower and one of the periscopes ended up in Manitowoc, WI and the other periscope is in a museum in Marquette MI.

As far as shipping, they do not have to be crated as long as they are chocked in place and the head and eyepiece box are proteced. I have done that several times. An air ride flatbed trailer is recommended.

If you provide the Registry Numbers of the periscopes I may be able to provide some background information. The number would be four digits long and be on the nameplate. If no nameplates, the number should be stamped into the eyepiece box casting.

One last thing for this entry. I am working with the Naval History and Heritage Command and the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center in San Diego. The Science Center is looking for a home for their Type IV (shipped 5/25/45) that is scheduled to be removed in the near future. I have not viewed that periscope for about ten years and it was cloudy then. Is there anyone from BATFISH that will be in San Diego to evaluate it for possible use?

Paul Lapinski     

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USS Batfish (SS-310) / Re: Periscopes Repairs

« on: February 26, 2013, 08:22:31 PM »

Mark

I actually live in North Hatfield MA. L3-KEO (Kollmorgen) is located in Northampton MA. The new facility is about seven miles from my home.

Paul

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USS Batfish (SS-310) / Re: Periscopes Repairs

« on: February 26, 2013, 08:04:57 PM »

OK, You found me, the Periscope Guy. I have been associated with the former Kollmorgen for just about 50 years. I received an email from Mark Sarsfield today via Kollmorgen, Radford VA. It is a long story. Briefly, Kollmorgen Electro-Optical was sold to Danaher in 2001. They kept us for about 11 years and a year ago we were sold to L-3 Communications. We are now known as L3-KEO. As a condition of the previous sale we are not authorized to use the name "Kollmorgen". Ninty seven years of name recognition down the drain. The name Kollmorgen is being used by a Danaher Division and they have nothing to do with periscopes.

The reason I use the term "we" is that I am still affiliated with theL3-KEO operation as a part time employee. I retired from Kollmorgen in 2001. Most of my career has been providing field service to U.S. and foreign navies. In addition, I have assisted with the installation of over thirty surplus periscope displays around the world during the last 22 years.

I was involved with the CAVALLA Project. In August 2004, we were able to obtain two surplus overhauled periscopes for the Cavalla. One was a 1960's vintage Type 8B and a Type 2F. This vintage periscope is still available from the NAVSEA Ships Donation Office. I have contacts if you want to go this route. Several years after that swap out the Cavalla Group wanted their old periscopes refurbuished. Kollmorgen has never done this and is not set up to do it. The way I understand it is that a former Cavalla Skipper was a friend of the then Periscope Repair Officer at King's Bay, GA. The Kings Bay shop agreed to do the job. I assisted behind the scenes providing some documentation and tried to get a lens they needed from the Turkish Periscope Shop in Golcuk Turkey. I loaned my periscope clamps to the Cavalla in 2010 so that they could make the reverse swap.

The only chance you have for an overhaul would be the King's Bay Shop or the one a Bangor, Washington. The Bangor Shop rebuilt a couple of Kollmorgen Cape Canaveral Bunker Periscopes several years ago. I don't have any high level contacts at either place. The last remaining periscope shop is at Pearl Harbor.
Let me know how I can help. How bad are the periscopes? Your website shows that they are pretty intact.
Paul Lapinski    

11

Submarine Related Chatter / Re: periscopes

« on: June 03, 2008, 09:30:42 PM »

Hi Folks,

OK, I got the message. Sounds like we have a few projects out there. I will try to help as much as possible. In most cases, a replacement periscope may be in order. I have not worked on a display project for about 2 1/2 years after many years of activity. I do have some parts available and have access to documentation. I still consult for Kollmorgen. I will check the availability of surplus periscopes.

Paul Lapinski