Submarine Force Museum Home of Historic Ship Nautilus
Teachers Guide Page 4
Exhibit Cases
Entering the deep: Traces the world development of 18th and 19th century submarine inventors from Robert Fulton to Norway’s 1886 “NORDENFELT.”
The U.S. Submarine 1900-1939: This case includes photos of John Holland’s earliest submarines, submarine disasters such as the sinking of the USS SQUALAS in 1939 and the development of the fleet boat, the primary type of U.S. Submarine used in World War II.
Designing and Building the U.S. Submarine: This case calls attention to the contributions of such pioneer developers as John Holland and Simon Lake. It includes pictures of submarines under construction and the shipyards in which they were built. Launchings: A festive event for all submarines, women have traditionally broken a bottle of champagne on the bow to initiate the launching into the water
Illuminated Panels
World War II Submarine Operations: A series of panels that depict submarine operations in the Pacific during WWII and measures used by ships to deter submarine attack.
Submarines and National Security: This panel explains the role of the fleet ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) in providing strategic deterrence and national defense from the 1960s to the present.
Large Scale Displays
The Turtle: Students will see a full-size replica of the “Turtle,” David Bushnell of Connecticut invented the Turtle to attack British warships during the Revolutionary War. The attacks Turtle made in 1776 were unsuccessful but did demonstrate the submarine’s potential. Turtle was the first practical submarine and the first submarine to attack an enemy ship.
McCann Diving Chamber: Invented in the 1930’s, the diving chamber was used to rescue the crew from a sunken submarine. It could bring up eight people at a time from a depth of several hundred feet. Today, the Navy uses Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicles that can go much deeper than this diving chamber.
Submarine Messenger Buoy: Submarines carried buoys that they could release in the event of an emergency. Connected to the submarine at one end by cable, the buoy rose to the surface and contained a telephone for communicating with the crew of a sunken submarine.
20mm Machine Gun: Submarines during World War II carried deck guns, which they used against aircraft's and small ships.
Torpedoes
The museum displays a variety of submarine torpedoes from 1918 to the present.
Whitehead: (1918) The first practical torpedo used by navies worldwide.
MK14: (1940) The standard torpedo used in World War II.
MK37: (1946) An early homing torpedo that utilized wire guidance.
MK49: (1946) A submarine launched mine that would lie on the bottom in shallow water awaiting the passing of a ship.
SUBROC: (1956) A rocket propelled depth charge that was nuclear capable.
MK48: (1971) The current U.S. Navy homing torpedo that can attack surface ships and submarines.
Wall Murals
A wall mural fills each end of the museum. The black and white mural depicts the Navy’s first submarine, USS HOLLAND, about 1905. The color mural shows a LOS ANGELES class submarine about 1985.
Battle Flags
Students will see battle flags from World War II submarines. Submarines flew these flags when returning to homeport following a war patrol. These colorful flags used a variety of themes, symbols and fanciful designs to display the crew’s accomplishments and pride in their ship.
