Animations & Simulations/ U.S.S. Squalus

The USS Squalus was a US Navy submarine built in 1939. During her final sea trial crash dive test the submarine experienced uncontrollable flooding and sank in 240 feet of water off the coast of New Hampshire with a crew of 59. Only 33 men survived the flooding and waited in total darkness without power for a rescue team to arrive.

An experimental diving bell was sent to the scene to attempt a never-before-tried rescue effort. The McCann Rescue Chamber, a pressurized capsule carrying two operators was hauled down by a diver-connected cable to the sub's escape hatch. Once sealed to the submarine, the dive bell could accommodate up to 8 new passengers on its journey to the surface. All 33 men were safely rescued with the bell.

The primary goal of this simulation project was to illustrate the manner in which the submarine was so quickly overcome by flooding due to its particular design characteristics. Using 3D-computer animation, JMS faithfully reconstructed the sub, externally and internally with specific attention paid to its air induction system. An accurate submarine computer model reconstruction was undertaken by working from many sources ranging from salvage reports to photographs and original as-built blueprints. In much the same manner, a detailed 3D animation was created to help explain the inner-workings of the McCann Rescue Chamber and how it was used in this incident.

The cause of the initial flooding was caused by an inadvertently opened main induction valve during the crash dive procedure. This 36 inch wide "pipe" to the surface air is used to supply the submarine's diesel engines when she is motoring on the surface. When the submarine dives this valve is closed, the engines are shut down and the vessel runs on battery power. When the valve was open during the final dive test the sub began to take on water at an alarming rate into the forward and aft engine rooms - a rate which could not be compensated for by the Captain's order to "blow the ballast".

After a three-month salvage effort by the US Navy, the Squalus was resurfaced, repaired and eventually served for the duration of World War II as the USS Sailfish.

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