photo sharing and upload picture albums photo forums search pictures popular photos photography help login
John Cooper | profile | all galleries >> Military boats >> HMS Alliance. P417 tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

HMS Alliance. P417

HMS Alliance is an A Class submarine. Launched in 1945 281ft long, 61 crew.
Bunk in amongst the torpedoes.
Bunk in amongst the torpedoes.		 Spike Milligan, tour guide.
Spike Milligan, tour guide.		 Rear starboard torpedo tube.
Rear starboard torpedo tube.		 The Submarine Museum.
The Submarine Museum.		 The propellers
The propellers
Torpedo.
Torpedo.		 Young ladies loading torpedoes in 1944
Young ladies loading torpedoes in 1944		 HMS A2 taken ca1908
HMS A2 taken ca1908		 Hydroplanes.
Hydroplanes.		 Torpedo aiming computer.
Torpedo aiming computer.
Torpedo tube closed.
Torpedo tube closed.		 Dive, dive, dive.
Dive, dive, dive.		 The galley.
The galley.		 Portsmouth harbour about 80 years ago.
Portsmouth harbour about 80 years ago.		 Some of these gauges are labelled.
Some of these gauges are labelled.
Up to 20,000 per square inch.
Up to 20,000 per square inch.		 Waterproof door.
Waterproof door.		 2 forward tubes flooded.
2 forward tubes flooded.		 Electronics.
Electronics.		 In the Submarine Museum car park.
In the Submarine Museum car park.
This is quite a large space for the sub.
This is quite a large space for the sub.		 More instruments.
More instruments.		 I would like to see the instruction manual for the Alliance.
I would like to see the instruction manual for the Alliance.		 Rocker arms.
Rocker arms.		 One cylinder with the head removed.
One cylinder with the head removed.
The engines. 2 x 8 cylinder supercharged diesels each giving 2,150 hp.
The engines. 2 x 8 cylinder supercharged diesels each giving 2,150 hp.		 A work space.
A work space.		 The corridor.
The corridor.		 Torpedoes are loaded through this hatch.
Torpedoes are loaded through this hatch. 		Lots and lots of valves.
Lots and lots of valves.
Depth gauge in feet.
Depth gauge in feet.		 Forward torpedo room.
Forward torpedo room.		 The 3.00pm tour.
The 3.00pm tour.		 Sailors like a pin up on the wall.
Sailors like a pin up on the wall.		 Forward port torpedo tubes.
Forward port torpedo tubes.
Ballast tanks.
Ballast tanks.		 Conning tower.
Conning tower.		 The bow.
The bow.

comment | share
Walter Otto Koenig10-Jun-2015 15:16
Fascinating gallery. Very interesting images of the interior. "V"
John Cooper26-Apr-2015 20:56
It was not too bad Derek because there was only about 5 of us in there.
61 men working and moving about would make it a lot worse.
There is so much equipment in there you actually feel as though you are inside a machine.
Almost part of it. It might be 22 feet across, but the corridor is only about 3 foot wide.
And even when you are beside rooms it looks very narrow.
Also the life on board As told to me by the ex submariners who show you around, was much worse than what you see in films.
The submarines metal hull forms massive amounts of condensation when they are in cold waters. Literally running down the walls, 100% humidity.
Then in tropical waters it gets so hot the captain takes it down to pump cold water into the ballast tanks to try and cool the sub down.
Two of the submariners I spoke too both had hearing aids in each ear, the noise from the engines was so loud all submariners who worked near them became deaf.
The engines moving parts were not enclosed so you got the smell of hot oil everywhere. added to the smell of diesel, the sailors truly did not wash as they could not carry enough water to spare for that. To be blunt it absolutely stunk in the submarine.
Derek Slater26-Apr-2015 20:23
Very interesting gallery John, not a job for the claustrophobic amongst us.
With a 22ft beam it must have felt very cramped in there.
Paolo Peggi (aka Bracciodiferro)26-Apr-2015 18:49
Impressive good work.V
Paolo
Type your message and click Add Comment
It is best to login or register first but you may post as a guest.
Enter an optional name and contact email address. Name
Name Email
help private comment
click on thumbnails for full image