Periscope is What does a periscope look like on a submarine?

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Periscope is an optical device. It is a spotting scope that has a system of mirrors, prisms and lenses. Its purpose is to carry out observation from a variety of shelters, which include shelters, armored towers, tanks, submarines.

Historical roots

The periscope has been leading its biography since the 1430s, when the inventor Johannes Gutenberg invented a device that made it possible to observe spectacles at fairs in the city of Aachen (Germany) over the heads of the human crowd.

The periscope and its device were described by the scientist Jan Hevelius in his treatises in 1647. He intended to use it in the study and description of the lunar surface. Also the first to suggest using them for military purposes.

First periscopes

The first real and workable periscope was patented in 1845 by the American inventor Sarah Mather. She managed to seriously improve this device and bring it to practical use in the armed forces. So, during the American Civil War, soldiers attached periscopes to their guns for covert and safe for themselvesshooting.

French inventor and scientist Davy in 1854 adapted the periscope for the naval forces. His device consisted of two mirrors turned at an angle of 45 degrees, which were placed in a tube. And the first periscope used on a submarine was invented by the American Doughty during the American Civil War of 1861-1865.

During the First World War, the soldiers of the belligerents also used periscopes of various designs to shoot from cover.

During the Second World War, these devices were widely used on the battlefields. In addition to submarines, they were used to monitor the enemy from shelters and dugouts, as well as on tanks.

Almost since the advent of submarines, periscopes on them have been used to monitor when the submarine is submerged. This happens at the so-called "periscope depth".

They are designed to clarify the navigation situation on the sea surface and to detect aircraft. As the submarine begins to sink, the periscope tube retracts into the submarine's hull.

Design

The classic periscope is a construction of three separate devices and parts:

1. Optical tube.
2. Lifting device.
3. Pedestals with glands.

The most complex structural mechanism is the optical system. These are two astronomical tubes aligned with each other by lenses. They are equipped with mirrorprisms of total internal reflection.

Submarines have a periscope and additional devices. These include rangefinders, heading systems, photo and video cameras, light filters, and drying systems.

To establish the distance to the target in the periscope, two types of devices are used - ranging grids and micrometers.

Irreplaceable in the periscope light filter. It is located in front of the eyepiece, divided into three sectors. Each sector represents a certain color of glass.

The camera of the apparatus or another, designed to obtain an image, is necessary to establish the facts of hitting targets and fixing events on the surface. These devices are installed behind the periscope eyepiece on special brackets.

The periscope tube is hollow, it contains air, which contains a certain amount of water vapor. In order to remove moisture deposited on the lenses, which condenses on them due to temperature changes, a special drying device is used. This procedure is carried out by quickly sweeping dry air through the pipe. It absorbs accumulated moisture.

On a submarine, the periscope looks like a pipe protruding above the deckhouse with a “knob” at the end.

Use Tactics

To ensure ste alth, the periscope of a submarine is raised from under the water with certain periods of time. These intervals depend on weather conditions, speed and range of objects of observation.

The periscope assists the submarine commander in determining the direction (bearing) from the submarine to the target. Allows you to determine the course angle of the enemy ship, its characteristics (type, speed, armament, etc.). Gives information about the moment of the torpedo salvo.

The dimensions of the periscope protruding from under the water, its head, should be as small as possible. This is necessary so that the enemy does not fix the location of the submarine.

For submarines, enemy planes pose a very great danger. As a result, considerable attention is paid to the control of the air situation during the transitions of submarines.

However, to carry out such a combined observation, the end part of the periscopes is quite massive, since anti-aircraft observation optics are located there.

Therefore, two periscopes are installed on submarines, namely the commander's (attack) and anti-aircraft. With the help of the latter, it is possible to monitor not only the air situation, but also the surface of the sea (from the zenith to the horizon).

After the periscope is raised, the air hemisphere is inspected. Observation of the water surface is initially carried out in the bow sector, and then it switches to an overview of the entire horizon.

To ensure ste alth, including from enemy radar, in the intervals between periscope rises, the submarine maneuvers at a safe depth.

As a rule, the elevation of the periscope underwaterboats above sea level is between 1 and 1.5 meters. This corresponds to the visibility of the horizon at a distance of 21-25 cables (about 4.5 km).

The periscope, as mentioned above, should be above the surface of the sea for as little time as possible. This is especially important for a submarine that starts an attack. Practice says that it takes a little time, about 10 seconds, to determine the distance and other parameters. Such a time interval of the periscope being on the surface ensures its complete secrecy, so it is impossible to detect it in such a short time.

Footprints on the surface of the sea

When the submarine moves, the periscope leaves a trail and a breaker. It is clearly visible not only in calm, but also with slight sea waves. The length and nature of the breakers, the size of the trail, are directly dependent on the speed of the submarine.

So, at a speed of 5 knots (about 9 km / h), the length of the periscope trail is about 25 m. The foam trail from it is clearly visible. If the speed of the submarine is 8 knots (about 15 km / h), then the track length is already 40 m, and the breaker is visible at a great distance.

When the submarine moves in calm, a pronounced white color of the breaker and a voluminous foamy trail appear from the periscope. It remains on the surface even after the device is retracted into the case.

As a result, before picking it up, the submarine commander takes measures to slow down the speed of movement. In order to reduce the visibility of underwaterthe end of the boat is given a streamlined shape. This is easy to see on the available periscope photos.

Other shortcomings

Disadvantages of this surveillance device include the following:

1. It must not be used at night or in low visibility conditions.
2. A periscope peeping out of the water can be detected both visually and with the help of radar equipment of a potential enemy without significant difficulties.
3. Photos of such a periscope taken by observers are a visiting card of the presence of a submarine here.
4. With its help, it is impossible to determine the distance to the target with the necessary accuracy. This circumstance reduces the effectiveness of the use of torpedoes on it. Moreover, the detection range of the periscope leaves much to be desired.

All of the above shortcomings have led to the fact that in addition to periscopes there are new, advanced surveillance equipment for submarines. This is primarily a system of radar and hydroacoustics.

Periscope is a mandatory device on a submarine. The introduction of new devices (radar and sonar) into the technical systems of modern submarines did not diminish its role. They only added to its capabilities, making the submarine more "sighted" in poor visibility, in conditions of snow, rain, fog, etc.