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Topic review - Calling all USS Narwhal SSN-671 fans
Author Message
  Post subject:  Re: Calling all USS Narwhal SSN-671 fans  Reply with quote
If you get a chance, post some photos of your Nautilus here. I would love to see it in 1/72! What new hulls are in progress? (Besides RBR, that is)

I just wrote a three part article for American Submariner magazine on the establishment of Raborn’s Special Projects office for Polaris. And that indeed was the first use of “Special Projects”. Most of the article (part 1 has published) concerns the challenges of building the Polaris system (submarine, missile navigation, guidance, etc.) employing mid-1950’s technology.

Special Projects is a broader term for sure, but Ocean Engineering, another term I have seen used is probably a bit more obscure, although for the kinds equipment and modifications carried out, more specific. Some under the NURO sponsorship .

Losing MINSY, as you have mentioned, was a big mistake. Now there is a shortage of Naval shipyards, and the expertise of Mare is long gone.
Post Posted: Sun Feb 04, 2024 8:29 am
  Post subject:  Re: Calling all USS Narwhal SSN-671 fans  Reply with quote
The term "Special Projects" is used pretty loosely. It was originally assigned to denote the Polaris program office under Raborn.

Any submarine can perform CNO-designated Special Projects. My first boat, a boomer was involved in one, and it was study performed by some scientists we had onboard for a few days.

Narwhal conducted many Special Projects due to her low acoustic signature. TB-29 testing was but one that has been acknowledged publicly. The array was much longer than a TB-16, and the pronounced hump on the stern likely housed the array and some of its handling equipment. It was assigned to an East coast DevRon.

The Ocean Engineering program was called CNO Special Projects on my transfer orders. I didn't have a clue as to what OE meant until after I checked in. All OE boats and other assigned assets on the West coast were assigned to COMSUBDEVGRUONE, based in San Diego. The MINSY platforms were assigned there because of the cleared shipyard work force and industrial and design capabilities MINSY offered. They pulled off some amazing feats that may someday be revealed.

Nautilus was a hit and I'm on the the next set of hulls.
Post Posted: Sat Feb 03, 2024 5:57 pm
  Post subject:  Re: Calling all USS Narwhal SSN-671 fans  Reply with quote
CC, Very nice work on the sail! The idea for a Narwhal originated with you, since you pointed out that it was a "forgotten" Special Projects boat. I suggested it to the manufacturer based on your comments.

How did the 1/72 Nautilus project go?
Post Posted: Sat Feb 03, 2024 9:42 am
  Post subject:  Re: Calling all USS Narwhal (SSN 671) fans  Reply with quote
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Vepr157 wrote:
USS Richard B. Russell (SSN 687) was the fourth American special projects boat and she had a fairing aft of the sail for a towed communications buoy (it was called a bustle, as in "Russell's bustle"). Parche had a very similar fairing from the mid 1970s to the late 80s.


1/72 Sail WIP
Post Posted: Tue Jan 30, 2024 11:31 am
  Post subject:  Re: Calling all USS Narwhal SSN-671 fans  Reply with quote
Model kit of Narwhal coming soon. Stay tuned.
Post Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2024 11:34 am
  Post subject:  Re: Calling all USS Narwhal SSN-671 fans  Reply with quote
Here is my 1/700 Narwhal, made out of a 1/700 HB Los Angeles, removed center section approx 20.9 mm, moved sail up and raised it, trimmed and moved fair water planes, still need to add towed array tube between fairing and stern plane, and a brass etch screw and paint.

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Post Posted: Thu Oct 14, 2021 11:05 pm
  Post subject:  Re: Calling all USS Narwhal SSN-671 fans  Reply with quote
Awesome, thank you v much
Post Posted: Mon Oct 04, 2021 7:06 pm
  Post subject:  Re: Calling all USS Narwhal SSN-671 fans  Reply with quote
The PUFFS fairings (end plates) are pretty much identical to those of a 637, and yes, the diameter of the hull is 33' just like a 688. The sail is about in the same position as a 637 and is nearly identical to that of a 637. The towed array fairing is on the starboard side and looks just like one on a 637. The scoops are just small oval holes in the leading edge of the stern stabilizers. Another little detail is that her propeller had a diameter of 12'6" in diameter instead of 15' like a 637.

Jacob
Post Posted: Sun Oct 03, 2021 1:34 am
  Post subject:  Re: Calling all USS Narwhal SSN-671 fans  Reply with quote
So to check, Narwhal is the width of a 688, a bit longer than a long hull sturgeon, towed array fairing on the port side, sail a further aft than on Sturgeons, and she does have the sturgeon type end plates on her stern planes? in addition to the scoops of course.

I'm checking cause my plan to build a 1/700 USS Narwhal is to get a hobbyboss Los Angeles class, with the incorrect stern planes that have the end plates, chop a section out of her middle to shorten her the right length, fill the recess for the sail and move it to the right place, plus some plasticard elements to enlarge it, then some thin brass for the towed array tube to run from the fairing to the end plate on the port side, and I'll probably notch or drill small ports In the stern plane fins for the seawater intakes, since no one has found actual dry dock pictures, that's our current best guess.

Does that sounds like a solid plan for a 1/700 Narwhal?
Post Posted: Sat Oct 02, 2021 3:46 pm
  Post subject:  Re: Calling all USS Narwhal (SSN 671) fans  Reply with quote
Timmy C wrote:
Pintrest links don't always play well (I get a 404 error with the one you posted), so I believe this is the page it was referencing: http://www.usmilitaryart.com/submarines.htm

There, it cites the following right after the text you posted:
Quote:
Much of the information used to accurately portray NARWHAL is this profile drawing by George Bieda came from a member of her commissioning crew (a Plank Owner).

Whether that refers to just the drawing or also the text description, though...


After reading the statements about the reactor plant (which is nonsense) "...natural circulation not pressurized" S5G was a PWR, which means pressurized water reactor. There are coolant pumps but like the later S8G core they were used to start circulation and then only for High Power operation. While i was never at Idaho Falls, I was at KAPL and was EEOW and Engineer qualified on S5W (S3G core three) and S8G submarines along with the MARF (S7G) prototype, MARF was the "Rodless Wonder" in it didn't have control rods and was one of Hymies pet projects. I interviewed with him prior to my Naval Career, he was to say the least different. I can't really believe the linked post which shows a lack of knowledge by the person who set up that site. If one this is definitely wrong everything else is also suspect.
Post Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2018 2:05 pm
  Post subject:  Re: Calling all USS Narwhal (SSN 671) fans  Reply with quote
I might be going crazy, but if I squint my eyes, it looks like the Lipscomb has a dark oval on the leading edge of her stabilizer:

https://i.imgur.com/A1po5Ow.jpg

Could this be a seawater inlet? I have never heard any references to the Lipscomb or any other American submarine besides the Narwhal having seawater intakes, and I believe that the Lipscomb was identical to the other Sturgeons besides the power plant. It might be that the Lipscomb's design was begun after the SUBSAFE regulations and she wasn't able to have them, but it's possible her design originates from before big seawater intakes were outlawed. Unfortunately, I have no other photographs or plans of the Lipscomb to investigate further.

Jacob
Post Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2018 10:54 pm
  Post subject:  Re: Calling all USS Narwhal (SSN 671) fans  Reply with quote
Thanks, Tim for the link correction. Looking closely at the drawing, I can see the inlet on the horizontal stern plane.
Post Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2018 1:26 pm
  Post subject:  Re: Calling all USS Narwhal (SSN 671) fans  Reply with quote
Pintrest links don't always play well (I get a 404 error with the one you posted), so I believe this is the page it was referencing: http://www.usmilitaryart.com/submarines.htm

There, it cites the following right after the text you posted:
Quote:
Much of the information used to accurately portray NARWHAL is this profile drawing by George Bieda came from a member of her commissioning crew (a Plank Owner).

Whether that refers to just the drawing or also the text description, though...
Post Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2018 11:51 am
  Post subject:  Re: Calling all USS Narwhal (SSN 671) fans  Reply with quote
Found this little write up online:
Quote:
USS Narwhal SSN 671 was a very unique submarine. Although built as part of the Sturgeon Class in the late 1960s, very little of the NARWHAL’s design was based on the design of other boats in that class of nuclear-powered attack submarine. Her propulsion plant was one of her unique features. It was based on the ability to scoop seawater in through inlets on the rear stabilizer fins, and use this as coolant for the natural circulation (rather than pressurized) reactor plant. This, along with the small reactor coolant pumps, and a directly coupled turbine, made her the quietest submarine of the era.


How authoritative is that description of the scoops? I have no idea. I know the direct turbine drive is correct. Scoops on the stabilizer fins would make for a long piping run internally, with the pipes under sea pressure. No wonder SubSafe ruled out any followup builds with that design.

Here's the site URL: https://www.pinterest.com/offsite/?token=246-75&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.usmilitaryart.com%2Fsubmarines.htm&pin=6755468165952242&client_tracking_params=CwABAAAADDY4MDE3ODY1NjQ1NwA~0
Post Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2018 11:34 am
  Post subject:  Re: Calling all USS Narwhal (SSN 671) fans  Reply with quote
Does anyone have a photo of the Narwhal's aft planes?

I read that the Narwhal's seawater scoops might have been part of her aft planes, as on the British Swiftsure, Trafalgar, and Astute-class submarines. This would make sense given that the British also told the US Navy about rafting.

Jacob
Post Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2018 8:47 pm
  Post subject:  Re: Calling all USS Narwhal (SSN 671) fans  Reply with quote
USS Richard B. Russell (SSN 687) was the fourth American special projects boat and she had a fairing aft of the sail for a towed communications buoy (it was called a bustle, as in "Russell's bustle"). Parche had a very similar fairing from the mid 1970s to the late 80s.
Post Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2014 5:20 pm
  Post subject:  Re: Calling all USS Narwhal (SSN 671) fans  Reply with quote
There was another Sturgeon that had a small superstructure behind the sail but i cant remember off the top of my head. Nice fact about the fairwater planes. I suppose it would make sense since they would need to be bigger with the hull not tapering in below them like a standard sturgeon.
Post Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2014 2:30 am
  Post subject:  Re: Calling all USS Narwhal (SSN 671) fans  Reply with quote
I think Lipscomb would be fairly easy as you could just take one of the Mikro mir kits, cut it in half and insert a 2.5 inch plug. What I really want is a 1/350 Parche both before and after her late 80s modifications. I suppose I could use the Mikro Mir kit, but making the turtle-back and sail would be a little difficult. Fun fact, Parche used the sail fairwater planes as the Los Angeles class, and I have an extra pair of these laying around from my Riich 688I.
Post Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2014 8:18 pm
  Post subject:  Re: Calling all USS Narwhal (SSN 671) fans  Reply with quote
I would love to see both Narwhal, Lipscomb and Triton in 1/350. It seems that all other U.S. Nukes have been modeled with the exception of previously mentioned and a few class variations.
Post Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2014 4:13 pm
  Post subject:  Re: Calling all USS Narwhal (SSN 671) fans  Reply with quote
Tom,

After reviewing a lot of different references, the beam of Narwhal does indeed seem to be 33 feet, so Friedman was wrong. However, this is not the same beam as the 637s, which had a beam of 31'8'' (the same as the Permits and Skipjacks). So she was beamier by 1'4'' (which means that she did not share the same pressure-hull forward of the reactor with the 637s). Her pressure hull also didn't have the wasp-waist of the other 2nd Generation boats, so she was half-way between the 637s and 688s in this respect. She was the quietest American SSN until Seawolf, which is a pretty astonishing fact given that she was commissioned in 1969. I sure wish I had some drydock photos of her (I really want to see those scoops).
Post Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2014 9:48 pm

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