User Guide

position. Strong ocean currents, inaccurate charts and long periods operating
submerged without fixes created the possibility of running aground, particu-
larly in the shallow seas of the Solomon, Marshall, and Philippine Islands.
Manual Helm
The submarine can be turned to port or starboard by left-clicking on the
Manual Helm, or pressing the left- or right-arrow key on the keyboard.
The 0 setting indicates a straight ahead course, barring wind and current.
Turns of up to 35 degrees may be made to port or starboard by left-clicking
over that number on the Helm. The submarine continues to turn until the
Helm is returned to the 0 setting, either by left-clicking on the 0 or by press-
ing the arrow key which is opposite the current direction of turn until the
Helm reads 0; in other words, if left rudder is being applied, press the right
arrow key until the helm returns to 0. Pressing the “H” key establishes the
current heading as the new course and returns the Manual Helm setting to 0.
Pressing the “V” key restores the view to directly ahead of the submarine.
Compass
The course of the submarine can also be controlled using the compass. The
white needle indicates current course while the red needle indicates the
desired course. Left-clicking on the compass lays in a course, and the helm
responds by gradually turning the ship onto that course. The manual helm
should be used for radical course changes, such as evasive maneuvers or
attack maneuvers. A course laid-in previously can be returned to by left-
clicking on the Resume button or by left-clicking on the compass.
Diving Controls
In S ILENT H UNTER diving and surfacing is handled simply by setting the dive
depth on the depth-gauge or using a convenient keyboard command. The
dive angle is displayed on the inclinometer. Below 65 feet, the periscope
automatically retracts. Diving and surfacing are controlled by the diving
officer at the captain’s direction.
Diving involves the release of gas from the ballast tanks to reduce the sub-
marine’s buoyancy to a point where the weight of the vessel overcomes the
displacement of water. As the submarine becomes less buoyant, the dive is
controlled using the bow planes and the electric motors. Surfacing is the
opposite of diving; compressed air is forced into the ballast tanks to replace
water taken on when diving. This creates a positive buoyancy, causing the
submarine to rise slowly. The bow planes and motors are used to control
SILENT
HUNTER
24 COMMANDING THE SUBMARINE: Gauges Station
Most torpedo attacks will be launched from the periscope in the control room or
the Target Bearing Transmitter on the bridge. See the “Using the Local TDC”
section on page 29 for information on using the TDC for making an attack.
Gauges Station
In S ILENT H UNTER , the primary maneuver controls are found at the Gauges
station and consist of the depth gauge, the compass, the manual helm, the
engine-room telegraph and the speed gauge. This station can also be
reached from anywhere on the submarine by pressing F7. There are also
displays for the electric motors, battery charge status, as well as gauges
showing the amount of compressed air, the level of flooding, the amount of
oxygen remaining, the remaining diesel fuel and the dive angle. The but-
tons in the lower right corner open the Time Compression box, toggle the
Bathythermograph, or return to the Control Room.
Maneuvering the submarine was the job of the diving officer, under the
command of the captain or the executive officer. Most submerged
maneuvering was done by dead reckoning using navigational fixes taken
while on the surface. The sub’s speed and course were tracked on naviga-
tional charts, which were the only means of determining the submarine’s
SILENT
HUNTER
23 COMMANDING THE SUBMARINE: Torpedo Data Computer