MovieChat Forums > Down Periscope (1996) Discussion > Three wheels to drive?

Three wheels to drive?

posted 11 years ago by NCC011701
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Something I have been trying to figure out for a while since I first saw this movie. Maybe somebody with a navy background can answer this and explain it to me.

I see there are three guys with control wheels steering the sub on the Stingray: Spots, Jackson and a no namer facing aft, I think. (Looking at the control room I still can't tell which direction the helm controls are on). The no-name guy I assume is steering the rudder which controls whether the sub veers left or right. I also assume he is facing aft toward the rudder if that is what he controls.

What control planes do Spots and Jackson control then? I could see one of them controlling the planes that make the sub either angle up or down, but after reading that other thread on here about how to sink a sub with ballast and weight of sea water, etc. it doesn't make any sense to me. Is Spots controlling the planes on port and Jackson steering the starboard side?

Is anybody versed in submarine control and can explain this to me? Thanks.

[–] CGSailor 11 years ago

it doesn't make any sense to me. Is Spots controlling the planes on port and Jackson steering the starboard side?

Think fore and aft, not port and starboard.

You have the Helm, which is in the forward part of the Control room.
The helm controls the rudder and the steering of the vessel.

Then along the port side of the control room you have the two control wheels in question with Spots and Jackson sitting at them.
These are the Dive planes.
The Bow planes and the Stern planes.

Both were used together to control the pitch angle of the boat as well as to maintain depth keeping.

The stern planes, being further from the center of gravity, had a greater affect on the pitch than the bow planes did. The Bow planes has a more overall effect on the depth of the boat.

http://maritime.org/doc/fleetsub/chap14.htm#14A

I joined the Navy to see the world, only to discover the world is 2/3 water!