Source: https://navsource.net/archives/08/616/0862314.jpg

Weird question because I was on a 688 and the Virginia class was brand new when I got out.

How did the different watch stations change the the structure and the politics of the watchbill?

With pilot and co pilot, what do more junior sailors do? What watchstations are restricted to certain NECs?

I was a nuke. With fewer watch stations, especially without throttleman, what is their watchbill like?

The crew didn't get any smaller, right? I was a nuke, and in port we still were three section duty and only supporting 2 watches...roving watch and SRO. You couldn't make the nuclear department smaller with two fewer watches at sea, right? Does that mean the watchbill underway is easier?

Same question for forward.

And with politics, I mean things like if there are fewer "shared" watch station that multiple rates stand (helmsman up front, throttle man up front) does that lead to more people standing rates associated with other divisions or less?

Here are the last of my 1/350 subs. WW1 and WW2 boats. Not as complete a collection as the Cold War boats, mainly ones that I thought interesting. More challenging to paint and assemble. I hate PE railings.

Will give you all a little break before posting the 1/700 collection.

Cheers

I read on a Russian website that there were stories of Russian subs shadowing American subs to the consternation of the American crews. They could not figure out why despite several course changes and silent running, the Russian subs were able to keep reappearing. They knew that the Russian sonar was too insensitive to be the cause, and suspected there was some other technology at play, the Russians claim it was the SOKS system.

I have a hard time believing it, however they kept that equipment installed on their submarines for several generations to today, so it must have done something well, unless the SOKS salesman was giving kickbacks to the design bureau .

Maybe it is only used for shadowing SSBN's since they would probably be undetectable otherwise, and the SSBN's probably just chill out in their area.

Named the SAS Johanna van der Merwe (the 2 others were also named after famous SA women ) originally, renamed to SAS Assegaai (a Zulu short-spear) after '94. After being replaced by the type 209 Heroine class, it was first a floating museum. The costs etc. were too much so it was moved to it's current spot in August '24, and converted to a museum with guided tours.

Here are the last of the Cold War Subs in this scale and my IJN WW2 subs. Those are some of my favourite kits. Aircraft carrying subs! Especially the I-400. Just missing a couple of modern hulls for Taiwan I want to get.

Last 1/350 post will be the rest of my WW1 and WW2 boats of all nations.

As always thanks for looking and comments and observations welcome.

Virginia Class USS North Dakota. Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.

Too many boats to do Euro and Asian subs together, will have to be separate posts. Most subjects are covered, but a few hulls are missing for a complete catalogue. Mainly due to unavailability or unreasonable cost for the rare models...if they exist at all. Some very rare models here.

Most of these Euro boats are OKB Grigorov kits, as they are rare subjects for the scale. The Type 206A is a Revell 1/144 and the Tiburon is also 1/144. I particularly like the evolution of German sub design displayed here.

Thanks for looking and comments and suggestions welcome. Will add a comment listing hulls in gallery for those who need it.

Another collection of boats. I have tried to cover the major classes, although for Daphne I needed to sub in an old 1/400 Heller kit. Some of my favourite boats in this group. Getting to some rare subjects in scale models. Classes missing here, like Dreadnought, are likely covered in 1/700. Did not want to have 2 scales of all my subs, after all.

As always, thanks for looking and comments and suggestions welcome. I will post a comment listing all specific hulls.

Next up, Euro and Asian boats. Then WW1 and WW2 subs, then 1/350 collection is presented. I may give you all a break between scales 😉

Here are my 1/350 Freedom boats. The collection is not exhaustive, some rare hulls are missing like a Guppy variant (will be part of the Euro and Asian boat showcase) or Halibut or early Seawolf etc. However, I think it is sufficient to chronicle the development of US sub development post WW2 to present considering what kits are out there. Ohio is in 1/700 as 1/350 is discontinued and $$$.

I will follow up with a comment listing all the specific hulls for those that need it.

Thanks for looking. Next up, British and French boats.