In 1775, American engineer and inventor David Bushnell of
Connecticut built the first submarine specially designed for naval combat. The
project was championed by the Connecticut governor who persuaded George Washington
to provide funding for the construction. Bushnell’s idea was to approach enemy
ships from below, drill into the hull with an auger and release an attached
barrel filled with black powder. The barrel contained mechanically timed fuse,
probably using a flintlock for ignition of the explosive. The Turtle’s hull was
heavy oak staves covered in tar to make it water tight. Several attempts were
made sink ships in the British blockade of New York harbor: all of them failed.
On the night of 6 September 1776, Sgt. Ezra Lee set out
with 20 minutes of air in the Turtle to sink the British flag-ship, HMS Eagle,
in the harbor. After about two hours, Lee was unable to drill into the British
ship’s hull. He was probably exhausted and, breathing carbon dioxide somewhat
confused, at this point. He released the bomb anyway, which drifted into the
East River where it made a tremendous explosion.
Note on modelling the turtle: There are detailed written
descriptions of the Turtle by Bushnell, but no drawings have survived. Based on
the descriptions, several reproductions have been made and are on display in various
museums. Clearly the builders of these subs had to employ some guesswork regarding
the details. My model is an amalgam of some of these reproductions with some of
my own guesswork.
#Turtle #submarine #American_Revolution
#Bushnell #Blender #Cycles
