British submarine id

[unseen]

Not sure about the colour scheme but it indicates service in tropical far eastern waters but without looking at my reference notes Sealion didn't venture that far. The pattern colours I suspect without being sure are dark green, lime green upon standard light grey. I will have a dig around later and confirm if relevant points show up. I know some about British boats but not an expert. Sadly those whom I knew have crossed the bar

[Kazzer]

All the boats working out of Trincomalee Ceylon were painted in Brunswick (Hunter) Green above waterline and muddy brown below waterline.

[unseen]

Sealion built by Cammell Lairds Birkenhead and ordered on December 12 1932, completing December 21 1934. First Commission 1934 to 1939 serving in the Mediterranean returning to home waters when hostilities commenced during 1939 until 1941. 1941: Serving out of Polyarno and Arctic returns to home waters during the same year, where she remained until Paying Off being totally worn out. Fate: She was later sunk as a target on March 3 1945 off Arran. Sealion did not serve out of Trincomalee or any other area than as described. Please Note: This is information is well documented and further information can be obtained from the Submarine Museum at Gosport. Submarine fact and Service sheets when I was researching boats back during the late 60s were a £1 each. I was fortunate enough to get them for free. Don't know what the price would be today if they still supply them.

[greenman407]

Thats a lot of info. You got them for free because you were a 1st class Bog washer.....right? I still dont know what that is.

[greenman407]

Perhaps referring to the subs bilge?

[Peter W]

Thats a lot of info. You got them for free because you were a 1st class Bog washer.....right? I still dont know what that is.

Direct translation " Expert Toilet Refresher"

Peter

[unseen]

Dear Mr Greenman,

I wasn't a bog washer at all. During the late 60s, 70, and so on, I spent a lot of time at the submarine archive researching all boats of any class with the intention of writing a book with photographs along with complete service history. Hence the fact sheets were free to me. But that was some years back now

[greenman407]

OH! .......now I know what a Bog washer is. No offense intended.

[Peter W]

Not sure whether this has already been seen before but British SOKS ?? Look at front of tower.




Peter

[greenman407]

And on the sides of the sail....or Fin I should say.

[greenman407]

Here are a couple of "T" class boats with streamlined fins. See.............I learn quickly.

[unseen]

Sorry to be a wet fish but the above boats are either Porpoise Class or Oberons. The inboard boat appears to be Orpheus, she carried a exhaust cowling which was detachable. Although all the P and O Class boats had the slide on mount to fit one. On second thoughts and looking at the photo again the boat could be Finbin (nick name for Finwhale)

Regards

[greenman407]

Not at all Sir, thanks for the feedback. I labeled them as T class because thats what the picture caption said. I probably should have pulled out my British Sub book and checked it but I gave them the benefit of the doubt. Keep us straight. If you dont say anything, then the rest of us will probably never know.

[greenman407]

Now that I look at my book , written by Jeremy Flack, one of the differences between the T class and the Oberon or Late Porpoise class is obvious. For one thing the T class has a torp tube right smack dab in the middle of the stern end of the superstructure whereas the Oberon and the Late Porpoise have what looks like a stern white light housing. I see two different styles. My book also tells me that there is no(listed) external difference between the Porpoise and the Oberon except material that the Fins were made of. Oberon used Glass fibre on part of the Bridge and superstructure. Five boats have been preserved as of printing. One at Chatham Kent, one at Birkenhead, and three in Australia.
If you go to page 4 and 5 of this thread youll find more info and lots of pictures on both classes.

[unseen]

We'll, that is correct with the Stream lined T Class boats, to be more precise the boats which were of riveted construction. The welded hulled boats i.e.Tiptoe, Totem etc we're Converted being stretched with a streamlined casing, the external tubes, the two on the bow and mid ships facing aft including the stern were deleted. The Porpoise and Oberon Class were as mentioned by you virtually identical in appearance with the forward section from the bow to just aft of the forward planes was of steel, the rest of the casing was built in sections of moulded glass fibre. This of course quite rightly included the fin which had a steel frame. However, Otter sported a aluminium casing and fin as she was a target boat during her service in home waters, in which I suspect Odin sported the same arrangement although not documented that I have seen, but she did pay off and disposed of with a similar configuration. Ocelot preserved at Chatham Historic Dockyard was my baby so to speak for three years prior to being opened up to the public. I spent many an hour working on her and stripping Oberons as they paid off at HMS Dolphin and Portsmouth Dockyard. Ocelot had already under gone the process of being hulked and was layed up in Fareham to be sold for scrap when Chatham purchased her. Stripped and smashed up internally, parts were available from boats that were paying off. However, restricted items were not available until the last Oberon finished there service as an operational boat, which was Opossum. Ocelot was fortunate to be able to sport parts from Oracle, Orpheus, Opportune and of course Opossum for the restoration project. I still have her ships badge to this day. Enough of my ramblings