This is an article by a fellow named Paul Wittmer sent by Jim, on engines for American submarines.

The U.S. Navy utilized the internal combustion engine as the basis for propulsion power and to charge the batteries. The early engines used gasoline as fuel, which eventually was changed to the less intoxicating and less explosive diesel fuel.

The engines for Holland and the A-boats were made by the Otto Gas Engine Works of Philadelphia. Engines for the B-, C-, and D-boats were made by Electric Boat at Fore River. Lake's G-1 & G-2 had White & Middleton engines (Springfield, Ohio); Cramp used Italian-made FIATS.

The first practical diesels operated on a 4-stroke cycle (4-cycle) like that of a standard gasoline engine. Air sucked in on the down stroke is compressed on the up stroke. At the top of the up stroke, oil is injected under sufficient pressure to overcome the pressure of the air in the cylinder. It immediately ignites, heating the air in the cylinder. The expanding hot air-gas mixture drives the piston down in a power stroke.

The spent mixture is expelled on the following up stroke, and the cycle repeats. In the alternative 2-stroke type, air is blown into the cylinder late in the power stroke to blow out (scavenge) spent gas and then provide fresh air for the following (compression) stroke. Every other stroke, rather than every fourth stroke, is a power stroke.

Submarines required unusually lightweight compact engines.

International competition to develop and test a wide variety of lightweight compact diesel engines for submarines went on, from the early boats right through WWII. A wide variety of submarine drive systems were used. Some engines were reversible and could be used for maneuvering. Others were not and had to rely on battery driven electric motors for maneuvering. Engines could be used for propulsion or for battery charging because the engines and main motors were coupled to the propeller shafts with clutches. The advent of the use of four diesel/generator sets culminated as the best compromise. This arrangement provided maximum flexibility for directing power, generated by any combination of diesel/generator sets for battery charging, propulsion and maneuvering operations.

GASOLINE ENGINES WERE SUPPLIED BY:

Otto Gas Engine Works of Philadelphia, PA.
Craig Shipbuilding Co., Long Beach, CA.
White & Middleton Co., of Springfield, Ohio.
Fiat - San Giorgio Ltd., Italy.

DIESEL ENGINES WERE SUPPLIED BY:

The New London Ship & Engine Company of Groton, CT., supplied many diesel engines known as NELSECO.
The Busch Sulzer Brothers Diesel Engine Company of St. Louis, MO supplied a variety of their engines.
The M.A.N. diesel engines were manufactured at the New York Navy Yard in Brooklyn, NY, and at the Electric Boat Company of Groton, CT. They were of the Maschinfabrik - Augsburg - Nürnberg, (German Design).
Hooven, Owens, Rentschler Co., of Hamilton, OH supplied the H.O.R. engines.
The Winton Engine Company of Cleveland, OH was bought by the General Motors Corp., and became the Cleveland Diesel Division which supplied a number of V type engines.
Fairbanks Morse and Co., of Beloit, WI.
The American Locomotive Co., of Auburn, NY.

SOME TYPICAL EXAMPLES OF BOATS AND THEIR ENGINES

ONE 45 HP GASOLINE ENGINE

A 45 horsepower gasoline engine powered Holland (SS1) on the surface and was used to charge her batteries. Any flaw in the exhaust system threatened the crew with asphyxiation, while minor fuel leaks could produce explosive concentrations of gasoline vapor. Such casualties were fairly common until diesel oil replaced gasoline. This boat used an Otto engine and carried 1,050 gallons of fuel.

ONE 160 HP GASOLINE ENGINE

During World War I, USS A-7 (ex SHARK) and her sisterships, based at Cavite, carried out patrols at the entrance to Manila Bay. In the early spring of 1917, Lieutenant (jg) Arnold Marcus assumed command of USS A-7. On 24 July 1917, shortly after the submarine torpedo boat's engine had been overhauled, gasoline fumes ignited and caused an explosion and fire while in the course of a patrol in Manila Bay. This boat used a 160 HP gasoline, Otto engine. The gasoline capacity was 767 gallons.

This is a very interesting history of the early propulsion systems on American submarines. Due to the extreme length of the piece, we have edited out a lot of specifications pertaining to single boats and focused on the overview of this topic.

ONE 250 HP GASOLINE ENGINE

USS B-1 (SS-10) launched on 30 March 1907 by the Fore River Shipbuilding Company... subcontractor for the Electric Boat Company (Successor to the John P. Holland Torpedo Boat Company of New York)...at Quincy, Massachusetts, as USS Viper (SS-10). The 10th submarine ordered built for the Navy. When commissioned, USS VIPER; carried 1,880 gallons of gasoline which fueled a Craig gasoline internal combustion engine of 250 brake horsepower...which could drive the submarine at 9 knots when on the surface;

TWO 240 HP GASOLINE ENGINES

USS C-1 (Submarine Number 9) launched on 4 October 1906 as USS OCTOPUS by the Fore River Shipbuilding Company at Quincy, Massachusetts,...which had taken over the patents of the John P. Holland Torpedo Boat Company of New York in 1904. When commissioned, the lead ship of the C Class had an overall length of 105'4"; had an extreme beam of 13'11"; had a normal displacement of 238 tons on the surface and 275 tons submerged; drew an average of 10' of water when in diving trim on the surface; was designed to dive to 200'; could make 10 1/2 knots on the surface and 9 knots submerged; carried 3,900 gallons of gasoline that fueled 2 gasoline internal combustion engine that was designed to develop 240 brake horsepower (each) for surface propulsion. C class submarines were the first submersibles in the United States Navy to be fitted with two propeller shafts and two propellers

TWO 240 HP GASOLINE ENGINES

The C-3 submarine carried 3,900 gallons of gasoline to power two 240 brake horsepower gasoline internal combustion engines manufactured by the James Craig Machine and Engine Works at Jersey City, New Jersey.

TWO NELSECO DIESEL ENGINES

When commissioned, the R-1 Class coastal and harbor defense submarine was 186' 2" in length overall; had an extreme beam of 18'; had a normal surface displacement of 569 tons, and, when in that condition, had a mean draft of 14' 6". Submerged displacement was 680 tons. The submarine was of riveted construction. The full load of diesel oil carried was 18,880 gallons, which fueled two 440 designed brake horsepower diesel engines manufactured by the New London Ship and Engine Company (NELSECO) at Groton, Connecticut...which could drive the boat via a direct drive system at 13.5 knots on the surface.

The engines known as NELSECO's were not reversible. Maneuvering was done on battery power with engines shut down. There were air compressors as part of each engine for producing compressed air to actuate the injectors. Engines were normally started electrically. These engines could be started with compressed air in emergencies.

TWO BUSCH SULZER DIESEL ENGINES

The keel of USS R-27 (Submarine Number 104) was laid down on 16 May 1917 by the Lake Torpedo Boat Company at Bridgeport, Connecticut. Launched on 23 September 1918.

When commissioned, the R-21 Class coastal and harbor defense submarine was 175' in length overall; an extreme beam of 16' 8"; had a normal surface displacement of 510 tons, and, when in that condition, had a mean draft of 13' 11". Submerged displacement was 583 tons. The full load of diesel oil carried was 17,922 gallons, which fueled two 1,000 designed brake horsepower diesel engines manufactured by the Busch-Sulzer Brothers Diesel Engine Company at Saint Louis, Missouri...which could drive the boat, via a diesel direct drive propulsion system, at 14 knots on the surface in relatively calm seas.

TWO NELSECO DIESEL ENGINES

The keel of USS S-39 (SS-144) was laid down on 14 January 1919, by the Union Iron Works Division of the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation...a subcontractor of the Electric Boat Company of New York City, New York. Launched on 2 July 1919...at San Francisco, California. The S-boat was commissioned on 14 September 1923 with Lieutenant J. A. Scott in command. When commissioned, the S-1 Class coastal and harbor defense submarine was 219' 3" in length overall; had an extreme beam of 20' 8"; had a normal surface displacement of 854 tons, and, when in that condition, had a mean draft of 15' 11". Submerged displacement was 1,062 tons. The full load of diesel oil carried was 41,921 gallons, which fueled two 600 designed brake horsepower Model 8-EB-15NR diesel engines manufactured by the New London Ship and Engine Company (NELSECO) at Groton, Connecticut...which could drive the boat...via a diesel direct drive propulsion system...at 14.5 knots on the surface.

SIMON LAKE'S LAST S-BOATS

Simon Lake's last S-boats…the so called 4th group USS S-48 (SS-159), USS S-49 (SS-160), USS S-50 (SS-161), and USS S-51 (SS-162) were powered with two side-by-side Busch Sulzer 2 cycle Model 6M150 diesel engines of 900 BHP, each. USS S-48, after rebuild, had 2 Busch Sulzer 2 cycle diesel engines of 1,000 BHP, each. These were direct drives; mechanical power from the engine through a clutch to the dynamo (motor/generator) through another clutch then to the propeller.

TWO BUSCH SULZER DIESEL ENGINES for a “SUGAR” BOAT

USS S-48 (SS-159) was laid down on 22 October 1920 by the Lake Torpedo Boat Company at Bridgeport, Connecticut, launched on 26 February 1921. Ten months later, on 14 October 1922, USS S-48 was accepted by the United States Navy, and commissioned with Lieutenant S. E. Bray in command. When commissioned, the S-48 Class submarine was 240' in length overall; had an extreme beam of 21' 10"; had a normal surface displacement of 903 tons, and, when on the surface in that condition, had a draft of 13' 6". The submarine displaced 1,230 tons when submerged. The designed compliment was 4 officers and 34 enlisted men. Stowage was provided for 44,350 gallons of diesel oil for six M-85 six-cylinder 500 brake horsepower (at 410 rotations per minute) diesel engines that had a total output of 1,800 horsepower, made by the Busch-Sulzer Brothers Diesel Engine Company at Saint Louis, Missouri, that could drive the boat at 14.4 knots when operating on the surface.

TWO BUSCH SULZER DIESEL ENGINES for ANOTHER “SUGAR” BOAT

USS S-51 (SS-162) was laid down on 22 December 1919 by the Lake Torpedo Boat Company at Bridgeport, Connecticut and launched on 20 August 1921. The submarine was commissioned on 24 June 1922 with Lieutenant W. S. Haas in command. When commissioned, the S-48 Class submarine was 240' in length overall; had an extreme beam of 21' 10"; had a normal surface displacement of 903 tons and, when on the surface in that condition, had a mean draft of 13' 6". The submarine displaced 1,230 tons when submerged. The S-boat was equipped with two periscopes. She had a double hull in the center portion of the boat; a single hull at each end of the ship. This S-boat could completely submerge in one minute to periscope depth. Maximum operating (test) depth was 200'. Stowage was provided for 44,350 gallons of diesel oil by utilizing some of the ballast tanks as fuel oil tanks. This gave the boat a maximum operating radius of 8,000 miles at ten knots when transiting on the surface. The normal fuel oil load was 23,411 gallons. Two 6-M-85 six-cylinder 900 brake horsepower (at 410 rotations per minute) diesel engines, that had a total output of 1,800 horsepower, that were made by the Busch-Sulzer Brothers Diesel Engine Company at Saint Louis, Missouri, could drive the boat at 14.4 knots when operating on the surface.

FOUR DIESEL / ELECTRIC GENERATOR ENGINE SETS
And USS PINNA becomes USS PERMIT

The first USS PERMIT was laid down on 6 June 1935 by the Electric Boat Company at Groton, Connecticut, as USS PINNA (SS-178). Her name was changed to USS PERMIT (SS-178) on 13 August 1935. This was a Plunger Class submarine and she was launched on 5 October 1936. Commissioning took place on 17 March 1937 with Lieutenant Charles O. Humphreys in command. When commissioned, the Fleet Type submarine, designed by the Bureau of Construction and Repair, and the Electric Boat Company, was 300' 7" in length overall; had a beam of 25' 1"; had a surface displacement of 1,330 tons, 1,335 tons standard, 1,515 tons normal, and 1,997 tons submerged (listed as 2,020 tons submerged in 1945); could dive safely to 250 feet; had a partial double all-welded hull; had seven watertight compartments plus the conning tower; had 25# mild steel pressure hull plating approximately 5/8ths of an inch thick.

The submarine could make 20.1 knots on the surface and 8 knots submerged. At ten knots her cruising range on the surface was 11,000 nautical miles. Her submerged endurance was ten hours at 5 knots and 36 hours at minimum speed (about 1 3/4ths knots). USS PERMIT could carry 92,801 gallons of diesel fuel. This amount gave her a patrol endurance of 75 days.

Propulsion was diesel-electric reduction gear drive with four main generator engines and two auxiliary generator engines; all contained in one engineroom for a total of 4,300 shaft horsepower. Eight main motors provided a maximum of 2,366 shaft horsepower. Two 120-cell storage batteries provided the electricity for submerged propulsion.

The next portion of this piece centers on the engines used for powering the generators and compressors, and we’ll begin that section in KTB #165 next month. If you are at all technically minded, this piece must be extremely interesting for you.

Jim, thanks – your other articles etc. will run behind this article, when it is completed. Keep them coming – they’re great!

More Engines [KTB 165]