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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive

Contributed by Mike Smolinski

X-1

X-1 Class Midget Submarine: Laid down, 1 May 1952, by Fairfield Engine and Airplane Corp, at Jakobson's Shipyard, Oyster Bay, Long Island, NY; Launched, 7 September 1955; Place in service as X-1, 7 October 1955; placed out of service, 2 December 1957; Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Philadelphia Naval Shipyard; Placed in service, 14 November 1960; this time to study scientific interaction of water, light, atmosphere, and waves above and below the surface of the water. A team of scientists would work from a laboratory suspended beneath the Chesapeake Bay Bridge while X-1 (painted international orange for increased visibility) would make passes under the bridge. X-1was in commission in 1964,65,& 66 as part of submarine squardron 6. She stayed at Annopolis most of the time, but came down to visit the rest of the squadron at the D & S piers serveral time during the above mentioned time period; X-1 continued providing research data for scientific studies until taken out of service and struck from the Naval register on February 16, 1973. Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet; Final Disposition, placed on permanent display, 20 August 1974, at the Submarine Force Museum, Groton, CT.

Specifications: Displacement, Surfaced: 31.5 t., Submerged: 36.3 t.; Length 49' 7"; Beam 12' 2"; Draft 6' 2" (mean); Speed, Surfaced 10 kts, Submerged 10.5 kts; Complement 1 officer, 3 enlisted; Armament, none; Depth Limit 400'; Propulsion, hydrogen peroxide/diesel engine and battery system replaced with a diesel-electric system consisting of Hercules Motor Corp, diesel engine, 90 hp, and Electric Spaciality Co, electric motor, 90 hp, 60 battery cells, single screw.

Size	Image Description	Source
132k	*X-1* being lifted by crane into the water.	USN photo taken from The American Submarine, by Norman Polmar & submitted by Robert Hurst. Photo added 04/17/08.
107k	*X-1* undergoing work at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in November 1960. Note the small "conning tower" and the spray shield for the forward hatch.	USN photo taken from The American Submarine, by Norman Polmar & submitted by Robert Hurst. Photo added 04/17/08.
42k	A crew member of the *X-1* stands in the open cockpit, most likely when the boat went to study scientific interaction of water, light, atmosphere, and waves above and below the surface of the water in 1962.	USN photo courtesy of Robert Hurst.
27k	*X-1*, underway, most likely to visit submarine squardron 6 at the D & S piers, Norfolk, VA., circa mid 1960's.	Photo courtesy of nova/pbs.
42k	*X-1*, underway, date and location unknown.	USN photo courtesy of ussnautilus.org.
22k	Stern view of *X-1*, taken 6 July 1977 at Annapolis, Maryland.	Photo courtesy of John Hummel.
29k	*X-1*, port quarter view at the Submarine Force Museum, Groton, CT.	Photo courtesy of maritime.org.
28k	The *X-1* on display at the Submarine Force Museum, Groton, CT.	USN photo courtesy of hnsa.org.

There is no DANFS History currently available for X-1 at the Haze Gray & Underway Web Site, the main archive for the DANFS Online Project.

Crew Contact And Reunion Information
U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation
Fleet Reserve Association

Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
SS X-1
Historic Naval Ships Association--USS X-1

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