Meat, vegetables (mainly potatoes), bread and fruits were the basic ingredients in the submariners' menu on German U-Boats during World War 2. While long-distance German U-Boats were excellent killing machines, habitability ranked very low on their designers' priority list.

Why did submariners eat lemons?

His reported experiment on board a naval ship in 1747 showed that oranges and lemons were a cure for scurvy.

Did WWII submarines have showers?

Making fresh water from sea water meant running it through a condenser situated in the lower flat of the engine room. This process used up electricity that was being generated by an auxillary engine, which needed precious fuel to operate. As a result, we only had one shower a week.

How long would ww2 Subs stay submerged?

Model of the USS Balao (SS-285) Fleet Submarine

Two 126-cell battery groups gave her a submerged top speed of 8.75 knots (16.2 km/hr); holding her speed to 2 knots (4 km/hr), she could remain submerged for 48 hours.

What was life like on a ww2 submarine?

The engine room temperature could soar to over 100 degrees before spreading throughout the sub. Combine that with the 80 men working and breathing and the air inside could quickly become foul. The men knew the air was getting bad when they had trouble lighting their cigarettes due to the lack of oxygen (oh the irony).

Sailors cook and eat aboard a Japanese submarine underway in the Pacific Ocean du...HD Stock Footage

Does it stink in a submarine?

You are probably wondering why I would call this post such thing... Since Submarines remain submerged with a sealed atmosphere they rely on a chemical called Amine to remove the carbon dioxide. This chemical makes everything stink.

How hot was a ww2 submarine?

This was important because once the submarine dived after running its diesel engines for hours, the boat would quickly heat up. The engine-room temperature could soar to over 100 degrees before spreading throughout the sub.

Are there cockroaches on submarines?

In the heaviest of infestations – on Navy submarines and in children's bedrooms alike – they will gnaw off their sleeping victims' eyelashes. But those physical and behavioural traits do not explain why roaches are so frequently the subjects of phobias.

Do submarines have cockroaches?

Cockroach control aboard nuclear submarines is accomplished currently by either fumigation with carboxide and application of Kepone® (decachloro- octahydro-l,3,4-metheno-2H-cyclobuta[ cd]pentalen-2- one) or propoxur bait.

Did ww2 submarines smoke?

Smoking was allowed but only when the submarine was at the surface never when it was submerged.

Is it cold on a submarine?

Even though the entire submarine has air cooling facility, only two decks are air-conditioned. The temperature in the rest of the submarine is around 30-35 degrees and the crew works in sweltering heat. The quality of the air is monitored constantly for impurities.

How did ww2 Subs get oxygen?

There no plants to recycle CO2 either, so everything has to be done using some impressive technologies. Oxygen in submarines is produced by putting sea water through a process of electrolysis. Submarines typically have a couple of big oxygen tanks as well, used to quickly raise oxygen concentration if the system fails.

How long are showers on submarines?

With that being said, your next question may instantly be “How long should I stay in the shower for?” The easy answer is, as long as you want but traditionally should be between 3-5 minutes.

What did German submariners eat in ww2?

Meat, vegetables (mainly potatoes), bread and fruits were the basic ingredients in the submariners' menu on German U-Boats during World War 2. While long-distance German U-Boats were excellent killing machines, habitability ranked very low on their designers' priority list.

Do submariners eat well?

These sailors live for months in a steel tube cruising through freezing cold water, surrounded by explosives, flammable materials, and even nuclear weapons. In peacetime they run the risk of terrible accidents. In wartime they risk being hounded to destruction by enemy ships and helicopters. But they eat famously well.

Can you have eggs on a submarine?

The best meals are served during the initial two to three weeks when fresh milk, eggs and vegetables are still available. When a sub is in port its stores of fresh food are replenished.

Is there a maximum height for submariners?

There is no height restriction, official or otherwise; I know plenty of submariners taller than 6'1".

How much fuel did a ww2 submarine carry?

“This boat has the ability to store up to 110,000 gallons of raw dirty bunker fuel for all five of the diesels.” One such submarine with the reliable power plant engine was the USS Pampanito (SS-383), a World War II Balao class Fleet submarine built from 1942 to 1944.

Are there rats in submarine?

Most likely very rare. Even cardboard boxes are emptied to prevent cockroach eggs coming on board. Any rat that tries to sneak in on a mooring line is blocked with a rat guard like most skimmers but also Subs don't take on pallets of stores directly.

What is life like in a submarine?

Life Is Divided Into Three Six-Hour Segments

Forget living a normal life while on a submarine, you live and die on a strict schedule. The hardest thing might be adjusting to the three, six-hour segment routine you have to endure. Crew members get six hours for sleeping, six hours on watch, and six hours for free time.

How big was a ww2 submarine?

Their massive size and displacement — about 200 feet to 300 feet long and over 2,000 tons submerged — allowed them to sail much farther than smaller submarines and without assistance. Type 151 and 139 boats operated in the waters off the Azores, Africa, and even the East Coast of the US, sinking dozens of ships.

Are submarine crews all male?

“From its inception, female submariners have always wanted to be treated as submariners, not 'female submariners,” said Reyes-Dods. The Submarine Force is currently taking both male and female conversion Sailors and new accession Sailors in all submarine ratings.

How much sleep do you get on a submarine?

In any case, a submarine never sleeps. The crew are divided into two watches; everyone works six hours on and six hours off, so unless you get to sleep immediately after your watch, you'll be averaging a lot less sleep than six hours – it's an exhausting gig. Every crew member knows flood.

Do your ears pop in a submarine?

So no, submariners don't have popping ears and interestingly and importantly, it means that if you have an accident, deep down and you have to escape from a submarine, you won't get the bends because you haven't been breathing air at pressure.

Do you get seasick in a submarine?

Will I get seasick? Is it like being on a boat? Being on a submarine is very different to being on a boat. There is no rocking motion, as the submarine sits below the waves, and so people who get seasick on a boat will not do so on our submarine.