The orders "Up periscope" and "Down periscope" are, for most of us, completely tied in with our notion of submarines. These are phrases that we've heard countless times in submarine movies, in which there's usually a dramatic scene of a submarine captain hanging onto the handles of a periscope, looking out at the enemy above the water. Standing watch at the periscope like this is called "dancing with the grey lady".
A periscope's basic purpose is to allow submarine crews to see objects above the water while the ship remains submerged. A simple periscope can be constructed out of a vertical tube with mirrors placed at a 45-degree angle at the top and bottom of the tube. These devices basically collect light from an image and direct that light from one mirror at the top of the periscope to the mirror at the bottom of the periscope. Of course, modern submarine periscopes are far more sophisticated than that.
Although the principles of the periscope were well known beforehand, Sir Howard Grubb (1844-1931) was the first to design a practical periscope for use in a royal Navy submarine.
For all its innovations the early USS Holland submarines had at least one major flaw; lack of vision when submerged. The submarine had to broach the surface so the crew could look out through windows in the conning tower. Broaching deprived the submarine of one of its greatest advantage, stealth. Lack of vision when submerged was eventually corrected when Simon Lake used prisms and lenses to develop the omniscope, forerunner of the periscope.
Sir Howard Grubb, designer of astronomical instruments, developed the modern periscope that was first used in the Royal Navy Holland Class submarines.
Thomas Grubb (1800-1878) founded a telescope-making firm in Dublin. Sir Howard Grubb's father was noted for inventing and constructing machinery for printing. In the early 1830s, he made an observatory for his own use equipped with a 9-inch telescope. Thomas Grubb's youngest son Howard (1844-1931) joined the firm in 1865, under his hand the company gained a reputation for the first-class Grubb telescopes. During the First World War, demand was on Grubb's factory to make gunsights and periscopes for the war effort and it was during those years that Grubb perfected the periscope's design.
Traditionally, a submarine has two periscopes: an attack periscope and a search periscope. The search periscope is used to look for targets and also for guidance as the sub navigates through the water. The attack periscope is smaller than the search periscope and therefore harder to detect as it breaks the surface, it is used by the sub during an attack, hence its name.
The first boats to be fitted with two periscopes were the C Class, although then it was for entirely different reasons as Domville-Fife in his book published in 1910 states:
The C boats were fitted with two periscopes instead of one. The reason being that the range of vision of this instrument is barely 60° and thus, as we suppose to have been the case in the accident to A1. It is impossible for the officer in command to keep constantly in view a certain portion of the surface when the vessel is submerged. The two periscopes obviate this difficulty.
Vision when submerged is most difficult. The range of vision is small and in a rough sea it is impossible to see any distance ahead. Much has been said about the vibration of the periscope caused by the propelling machinery and the water friction on the periscope tube.
Prior to 1911, Sir Howard Grubb held the monopoly for periscopes for RN submarines. The periscopes were bad both as regards strength and vibration. Furthermore Vickers (who built for Grubb) apparently did not use non-magnetic steel tubes since they could not be obtained in this country. In 1911 representatives of DNC and Commodore (S) visited the works of Officino Galileo in Florence, Messrs Goertz in Berlin and Messrs Lacour-Berthiot in Paris. In all cases the periscopes shown were optically and mechanically better than the British types.
As a result of these visits orders were placed in 1912 for six German (Goertz) periscopes, and a further six were ordered later, and for one French (Lacour-Berthiot) periscope for trial.
The Lacour-Berthiot periscope was fitted in C34 for trial and proved very satisfactory especially in the small diameter of the top of the periscope of only 2â…in. This was a good feature in all French periscopes.
What exactly happened to the Goertz periscopes is not known but neither the French nor the German periscopes appear to have been adopted. However some good came from this exercise and the Grubb periscopes were improved. In E1 to E6 the periscope tubes were made of brass and later boats had non-magnetic steel tubes.
Messrs Kelvin Bottomley and Baird manufactured Italian periscopes for S1 and presumably arranged to work the Galileo rights in this country. They later on got similar rights to work the Goertz patents.
The length and size of periscopes varied with the size of the vessel and the policy at the time.
For Example:
| Beginning | 1925: Grubb
First Periscopes fitted to Holland Class boats |
|
| WWI | 1918: CH1
First Non-Rangefider Periscope |
|
| Inter War | 1925: CK1
First True Binocular Periscope |
|
| 1930: CH38
Periscopes for US and other export navy customers |
|
|
| WWII | 1942: CH63 Free-French Navy Periscopes |
|
| 1943: CL8
X-Craft Periscope |
|
|
| Cold War | 1965: CH74
First II Periscope |
|
| 1965: CK24
First EW Periscope |
|
|
| Electronic age | 1978: CH82
First IR Periscope |
|
| 1979: CH80
First Laser Periscope |
|
|
| 1983: CK34/CH84
First Electronic Perscopes |
|
|
| Remote Control Systems | 1986: CK35/CH85
First Remote Control Periscopes |
|
| 1991: CK51/CH91
First Optronic Periscopes |
|
|
| 1993: CK43/CH93
First Full Remote Control Periscopes |
|
|
| Optronic Mast Era | 1998: CM10
Optronic Mast Sea Trails |
|
| 2000: CM10
Astute Production |
||
| 2018: LPV
2nd Generation Surveillance Optronic mast |
|
|
| TBA: ULPV
Stealth Ootimised Next-gen System |
|
In 1888, Professor Archibald Barr and Dr William Stroud, in response to a tender issued by the War Office, submitted an application for an optical range-finder patent to the Patents Office. This patent would both cement the collaboration between Barr and Stroud and, from 1917, form the core of the next 100 years of periscope development.
Between the years 1888 and 1915, Professor Barr and Dr Stroud expanded their business to become the number one range-finder company in the UK; developing a reputation for technical excellence in range-finding technology.
In December 1915, Commander S S Hall of the Royal Navy had approached Glasgow based Barr & Stroud Ltd, now part of the modern-day Thales UK, to investigate the feasibility of integrating an optical rangefinder into a periscope. As the UK's leading supplier of military rangefinders, the Company rose to the challenge and within 7 months had built a fully-functioning mock-up. That led to their first contract for a quantity of 6 FY1 periscopes being placed on 15th September 1916. According to company records, one of those first periscopes was shipped via Liverpool to the US Navy in New York in May 1918.
The 25th of August 1917 was the day on which Barr and Stroud officially delivered its first submarine periscope to the Royal Navy. The very first periscope, FY1 Serial Number 1, was fitted to HM Submarine M3 which was then based at Rosyth Royal Dockyard.
The inter-war period from 1919-1939 marked a time of technical innovation and customer growth for the periscope business including the Royal Navy's first true binocular periscope; the CK1, which made watch keeping for extended periods much easier.
During the defence of Britain in WWII, one of the most incredible missions of this period, Operation Source, took place in September 1943 when a small group of X Craft midget submarines, each fitted with a single Barr & Stroud CL8 periscope, attacked the 52,000 ton German battleship Tripitz in Kafjord in northern Norway. The mission resulted in the Victoria Cross being awarded to Lt Donald Cameron, the commanding officer of X6 and Lt Basil Place, the commanding officer of X7, both of whom subsequently visited Glasgow to thank the workforce for their efforts.
After the Second World War, as the world moved into the Cold War era, submarine operations highlighted the need for periscopes optimised for surveillance and intelligence gathering roles. The CK24 Search and CH74 Attack Periscopes fitted to the Royal Navy's diesel electric Oberon Class Submarines provided the benchmark.
From the late 1960's through to the early 1980's, the Royal Navy acquired unprecedented levels of operational capability with the world's first thermal imaging periscope (CH82) and the world's first laser rangefinder periscope (CH80). The change to an electronic system set the standard for the future and provided the basis for subsequent leading edge sensor upgrades, ensuring the Royal Navy maintained its world class operational capability.
The advent of the electronic age, during the late 1970's saw the introduction of Thermal Imaging sensors and Laser Rangefinders to Royal Navy periscopes in 1978 and 1979 respectively. The use of electronics in periscope design architecture facilitated a transition to limited remote control, followed by full remote control systems.
In the mid to late 1980's, the Royal Navy's Upholder Class (now the Royal Canadian Navy Victoria Class) CK35 and CH85 periscopes introduced remote control of key functions such as elevation and depression of line of sight, image magnification, range measurement and periscope rotation. Imagery from thermal imaging and TV sensors could now be controlled and displayed on screens in the control room and made available to the entire command team, not just the commander. Fully implemented Vanguard Class CK51/CH91 periscopes during the early to mid-1990's, remote control technology had finally reached a level of maturity to enable the next generation of above water sensor systems - the optronic mast.
Optronic masts are electronic imaging systems and do not penetrate a submarine's hull, but are contained in the conning tower or 'fin'. The smaller size of the periscope well allows for more freedom in determining the location of the ship's control room. With conventional periscopes, the control room had to be placed in the cramped upper deck. A photonics periscope allows the control room to be located on the roomier second deck. Images from the photonics masts are sent via fibre-optics to two workstations and a commander's control console.
In 1998, the first CM10 optronic mast was sea-trialled on HMS Trenchant and brought about a significant change in the Royal Navy's above water visual system capabilities. Today, each Astute Class submarine has two Thales CM10 optronic masts, each fitted with a fully integrated ESM/EW sensor package and with TV, thermal imaging or images being remotely controlled and displayed on consoles within the control room.
Today state-of-the-art optronic masts can complete a full 360° sweep of the horizon, looking for potential threats, in only a few seconds, providing high definition images of the battle space to commanders before they are detected by an adversary.
Thales are currently bidding competitively to have their optronic masts procured for the BAE Systems Maritime build of four new Dreadnought nuclear deterrent submarines which will come into service in the 2030s. The company will conduct sea trials of their latest mast in 2018.
In 1991, Barr and Stroud Ltd. become known as Pilkington Optronics Ltd., which in turn in 2001 became part of the modern Thales UK, whose optronic business is housed in the same city where Barr and Stroud lodged their original patent in 1888 - Glasgow.
Now, with more than 600 people working in the optronic area of the business, Thales is proud to continue the work that was started in this part of the United Kingdom over 100 years ago. In August 2017, Thales celebrated 100 years of trusted partnership with the Royal Navy, through being their sole supplier of periscopes/optronic masts since 1917. Thales's work in the field of above water visual sensor systems has provided the Royal Navy, and many of Thales's international customers, with an enhancement in their operational capabilities.
Chapter 22: Conning Towers, Bridges and Periscopes
The Development of HM Submarines from Holland 1 (1901) to Porpoise (1930)
NATO Ships Inertial Navigation System (SINS)
This article covers the background, development and main technical points of the NATO Ships Inertial Navigation System (NATO SINS). This uses new technology in the form of the Ring Laser Gyro (RLG) to make a major reduction through-life cost and size/weight, compared to current equipment
Navigation and Data Transmission
In the immediate post-war period, ships were fitted with basic gyro compasses (typically AP5005) plus a transmitting magnetic or gyro-magnetic compass (ATMC5/AGMC6) for emergencies. Vertical attitude reference data came from wholly separate stabilisers (Gyro Stabiliser Type 1-12). Radio navaids were limited to the early Decca sets (QM10) and MF DF (FM12), with widespread use of astro navigation (by hand-held sextant), plus a 1930's vintage ARL table.
The History Of British Submarine Command Systems
There has always been a symbiotic relationship between the submarine commanding officer, the submarine's sensors and whatever command aids were available. The harder and more often the three worked together the better was the attack solution provided.
The History Of British Submarine Sonars
Titanic. The name of this famous ship (or infamous, depending on the way you look at history) reverberates throughout the century since she sank in 1912. Her sinking was the instigator of many changes, developments and innovations not least the genesis of the US Coast Guard and SOLAS. Among the innovations of how to detect obstructions at sea, like an iceberg, was one conceived by a Canadian born radio engineer, Reginald Fessenden working as a consultant to the Submarine Signal Company to enhance their system of underwater bells for shore-based stations, buoys, and light ships and for sound detection on ships.
The History Of The Submarine Attack Teacher
From the inception of the Submarine Service in 1901 all the way through to the early years of WW1 the standard method of teaching embryonic submarine commanding officers, and maintaining commanding officers' skill levels, was for submarines to practice attacking surface ships at sea. This was costly in terms of ships, submarines, manpower and, of course, fuel - coal first then oil. The expansion of the Submarine Service with the war increased the demand for the services. At the same time, however, boats were away on patrol and time between patrols was necessary for maintenance. Moreover, there were very few German ships at sea and so commanding officers were not getting the practice they needed in their attacking skills. The resolution was an attack teacher
The History Of The British Submarine Periscope
Today the submarine commanding officer no longer uses his eye at the periscope. But if the traditions of the Submarine Service endure that does not mean to say that the qualities that coalesce into the attribute of 'periscope eye' will in any way be diminished
| Class: | 1936 - 1958: U Class |
| Built By: | Vickers (Barrow) |
| Build Group: | U2 |
| Fate: | |
| Scrapped in January 1946 at Troon. | |
11 pages added or updated in the last Array month
Please help to maintain this site by reporting any Errors, Broken Links, Information or Site Issues on this page using this button
If you find this site useful, please consider supporting my work with a small Donation. Or you can make a big one if you like :)
Please Note: Donations made using this option go directly to the site owner and not to the Submariners Association.
Thankyou for your support.
In 1991, Barr and Stroud Ltd. become known as Pilkington Optronics Ltd., which in turn in 2001 became part of the modern Thales UK, whose optronic business is housed in the same city where Barr and Stroud lodged their original patent in 1888 - Glasgow.
Now, with more than 600 people working in the optronic area of the business, Thales is proud to continue the work that was started in this part of the United Kingdom over 100 years ago. In August 2017, Thales celebrated 100 years of trusted partnership with the Royal Navy, through being their sole supplier of periscopes/optronic masts since 1917. Thales's work in the field of above water visual sensor systems has provided the Royal Navy, and many of Thales's international customers, with an enhancement in their operational capabilities.
Chapter 22: Conning Towers, Bridges and Periscopes
The Development of HM Submarines from Holland 1 (1901) to Porpoise (1930)
NATO Ships Inertial Navigation System (SINS)
This article covers the background, development and main technical points of the NATO Ships Inertial Navigation System (NATO SINS). This uses new technology in the form of the Ring Laser Gyro (RLG) to make a major reduction through-life cost and size/weight, compared to current equipment
Navigation and Data Transmission
In the immediate post-war period, ships were fitted with basic gyro compasses (typically AP5005) plus a transmitting magnetic or gyro-magnetic compass (ATMC5/AGMC6) for emergencies. Vertical attitude reference data came from wholly separate stabilisers (Gyro Stabiliser Type 1-12). Radio navaids were limited to the early Decca sets (QM10) and MF DF (FM12), with widespread use of astro navigation (by hand-held sextant), plus a 1930's vintage ARL table.
The History Of British Submarine Command Systems
There has always been a symbiotic relationship between the submarine commanding officer, the submarine's sensors and whatever command aids were available. The harder and more often the three worked together the better was the attack solution provided.
The History Of British Submarine Sonars
Titanic. The name of this famous ship (or infamous, depending on the way you look at history) reverberates throughout the century since she sank in 1912. Her sinking was the instigator of many changes, developments and innovations not least the genesis of the US Coast Guard and SOLAS. Among the innovations of how to detect obstructions at sea, like an iceberg, was one conceived by a Canadian born radio engineer, Reginald Fessenden working as a consultant to the Submarine Signal Company to enhance their system of underwater bells for shore-based stations, buoys, and light ships and for sound detection on ships.
The History Of The Submarine Attack Teacher
From the inception of the Submarine Service in 1901 all the way through to the early years of WW1 the standard method of teaching embryonic submarine commanding officers, and maintaining commanding officers' skill levels, was for submarines to practice attacking surface ships at sea. This was costly in terms of ships, submarines, manpower and, of course, fuel - coal first then oil. The expansion of the Submarine Service with the war increased the demand for the services. At the same time, however, boats were away on patrol and time between patrols was necessary for maintenance. Moreover, there were very few German ships at sea and so commanding officers were not getting the practice they needed in their attacking skills. The resolution was an attack teacher
The History Of The British Submarine Periscope
Today the submarine commanding officer no longer uses his eye at the periscope. But if the traditions of the Submarine Service endure that does not mean to say that the qualities that coalesce into the attribute of 'periscope eye' will in any way be diminished
| Class: | 1936 - 1958: U Class |
| Built By: | Vickers (Barrow) |
| Build Group: | U2 |
| Fate: | |
| Scrapped in January 1946 at Troon. | |
11 pages added or updated in the last Array month
Please help to maintain this site by reporting any Errors, Broken Links, Information or Site Issues on this page using this button
If you find this site useful, please consider supporting my work with a small Donation. Or you can make a big one if you like :)
Please Note: Donations made using this option go directly to the site owner and not to the Submariners Association.
Thankyou for your support.
Comments
Comment by: George McLean on April 10th, 2021
The image supposed to be of twin CM010 optronic masts appears to be the attack and search of the former Upholder class of submarine. CH085 & CK035 respectively.
Interesting stuff, though. Thanks.
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