Electric Boat MBI-1

[flateric]

Vtg DSRV submarine Electric Boat plans rescue vehicle General Dynamics sub proto | #1814406805

This piece came from the estate of a General Dynamics/Electric Boat executive in southern Rhode Island. I believe it dates from the 1960s or 1970s, It is a hand-painted illustration (whether it is on

www.worthpoint.com

 

[Yellow Palace]

Doesn't look an awful lot like a rescue vehicle - for one thing, how do rescuees get in? In the absence of accompanying documentation, I'd assume that whoever labelled it 'DSRV' didn't know what they were looking at. If anything, I'd suggest it's more like an extended duration undersea station.

 

[Grey Havoc]

If anything, I'd suggest it's more like an extended duration undersea station.

I had noticed that it seemed to be designed to be dropped onto a seabed, but I assumed it was part of a two stage or else multi-component system which we were missing images of the actual rescue vehicle/s.

 

[Yellow Palace]

I had noticed that it seemed to be designed to be dropped onto a seabed, but I assumed it was part of a two stage or else multi-component system which we were missing images of the actual rescue vehicle/s.

The whole configuration is weird. The shape looks like it's designed to freefall, with drag brakes (?) or landing gear (?) at the bottom - there are serious problems with either option for the flaps, but I can't see a third option. There's no entry port visible on top, which is where you'd expect crew access whilst submerged, and the instrumentation would appear to make that untenable. And there's no obvious propulsion or ballast, which invites the question of how the heck you get it to and from wherever you want it.

There was a somewhat-active Manned Underwater Station project in 1966-1967, which this might align with, but if so it's not well suited to the requirement.

As drawn this appears to be a device for permanently entombing its crew in deep ocean silt. Which is a dubious mission profile at best. It almost makes more sense as a free-floating crewed surface station, apart from the equipment on the upper surface.

 

[TomS]

The whole configuration is weird. The shape looks like it's designed to freefall, with drag brakes (?) or landing gear (?) at the bottom - there are serious problems with either option for the flaps, but I can't see a third option. There's no entry port visible on top, which is where you'd expect crew access whilst submerged, and the instrumentation would appear to make that untenable. And there's no obvious propulsion or ballast, which invites the question of how the heck you get it to and from wherever you want it.

There was a somewhat-active Manned Underwater Station project in 1966-1967, which this might align with, but if so it's not well suited to the requirement.

As drawn this appears to be a device for permanently entombing its crew in deep ocean silt. Which is a dubious mission profile at best. It almost makes more sense as a free-floating crewed surface station, apart from the equipment on the upper surface.

Maybe a bobbing near-surface system?

 

[flateric]

Looks like analog of Deep Cabin element of
Jacques-Yves Cousteau Precontinent 2 from 60s

Précontinent II

All that remains of Jacques Cousteau's 1960s underwater "village."

www.atlasobscura.com

 

[Scott Kenny]

At first glance it looks kinda like a McCann Rescue Chamber, but the pointy bottom makes that a nonsense idea.

It's gotta be some weird research station, but hell if I can figure out what it was supposed to do.

 

[Yellow Palace]

Maybe a bobbing near-surface system?

Could be, that would explain the retractable flaps – down quickly, up slowly.

 

[flateric]

At first glance it looks kinda like a McCann Rescue Chamber, but the pointy bottom makes that a nonsense idea.

I thought that berths and [scientific] equipment consoles with work chairs makes that a nonsense idea.

 

[Scott Kenny]

I thought that berths and [scientific] equipment consoles with work chairs makes that a nonsense idea.

I think the MRC does have berths in it, but the equipment consoles definitely make that a non-starter.

I just meant gross external shape reminded me of the MRC.

 

[Grey Havoc]

Possibly a deployable seabed command post for rescue operations?