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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive

Defender

Introduction courtesy of simonlake.com.
The Defender was designed and built by Simon Lake in 1907 for military and commercial use. It could operate independently or in conjunction with a surface vessel (mother ship). One purpose, was to demonstrate to the U.S. Navy the value of a divers' compartment with an exit hatch as a means of escape if the submarine was sunk; as well as for use in rescue missions on other sunken vessels. The submarine was equipped with 3 torpedo tubes, two fore ward and one aft.
At a later time, Simon designed a rescue attachment which was a tube-like apparatus that connected from the divers hatch to the outer hull of a sunken vessel. The tube filled with compressed air, the work crew could cut through the hull and thus provide an escape route for the trapped sailors. With the escape hatch the Defender could also be used for mine laying, or cutting mine cables and came fully equipped with dive gear, tanks, tools, air hoses, welding lines, etc.

Specifications:
Overall Length: 92'
Beam: 13'
200 Ton Displacement.
With 10 man crew accommodations

Size	Image Description	Contributed By
110k	Submarine *Defender* as rebuilt with sharply raked bow, and her topsides changed, ready for launch at Lake's Bridgeport base. Above her twin propellers is the shutter of a stern torpedo tube. Lake's characteristic pair of amidships planes have been folded up (they are forward and abaft the big conning tower).	Photo Submarine Force Museum and Library & submitted by Robert Hurst. Text courtesy of U.S. Submarines Through 1945, An Illustrated Design History by Norman Friedman.Naval Institute Press. Photo added 06/11/09/.
44k	Virginia, Newport News--Even-keel submarine boat *Defender*, launched 27 Feb. 1906.	Photo # 3b36330r, LC-USZ62-89963, courtesy of memory.loc.gov.
109k	Submarine *Defender*, circa 1906 at Newport News, VA. She was launched on 27 Feb 1906.	Courtesy of James Price, former STS, 81-84 617B. Text info courtesy of Darryl Baker.
52k	The crew of the *Defender* topside circa early 1900's.	Photo # 3b36332r, LC-USZ62-89965 by Lake Torpedo Boat Company. George Grantham Bain Collection (Library of Congress), courtesy of memory.loc.gov. Photo i.d. courtesy of Ric Hedman & Dave Johnston (USNR).

Crew Contact And Reunion Information
Not Applicable to this Vessel

Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
Chief of Naval Operations Submarine Warfare Division The Saga of the Submarine Early Years to the Beginning of Nuclear Power
Lake Submarine: The Defender, built in 1907
WORLD SUBMARINE HISTORY TIMELINE 1580-2000
The Submarine Heritage of Simon Lake by Edward C. Whitman.

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