Down Periscope scenery question

StarshipTitanic · Post by **StarshipTitanic** » 2003-08-31 10:15pm

When the crew is repairing their sub, they are in a naval yard filled with seemingly old noncombatant ships. Where was this filmed and what were those ships?

Agent Fisher · Post by **Agent Fisher** » 2003-08-31 10:20pm

don't know. But I did spend the night on the sub in the movie. The berths on that sucker are small as hell. I bashed my head three times on the bunk above me.

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2003-08-31 10:21pm

It was Mare Island naval base as I recall, which was closed a while ago but still holds a number of mothballed warships. The sub used was the USS Pampanito, which is normally a museum moored at a pier in San Francisco. The rust and such was all painted on.

TrailerParkJawa · Post by **TrailerParkJawa** » 2003-08-31 10:30pm

There are a few amphibs parked at Mare Island. Also, nearby by is a cluster of reserve ships parked in the Benicia straights. One of the Iowa class ships is there now. Plus various other ships.

Skimmer is right the sub is normally parked next to a pier in near the water front. They also have a liberty shipped parked next to it now. Both are worth the tour if you ever visit SF.

StarshipTitanic · Post by **StarshipTitanic** » 2003-08-31 10:33pm

Interesting. What's the average age of those ships?

The sub used was the USS Pampanito, which is normally a museum moored at a pier in San Francisco.

Does it also sail or were the scenes with the sub out at sea faked?

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2003-08-31 10:43pm

StarshipTitanic wrote: Does it also sail or were the scenes with the sub out at sea faked?

The engines could probably be made to run quite easily but I highly doubt they did so, it was very likely being towed.

Agent Fisher · Post by **Agent Fisher** » 2003-08-31 10:47pm

No the ship didn't sail. A tug pulled it along. The shots of the inside were from a sound stage. It was at sea though

TrailerParkJawa · Post by **TrailerParkJawa** » 2003-09-01 03:10am

[quote="StarshipTitanic"]Interesting. What's the average age of those ships?

The Jerermiah O' Brien ( the liberty ship ) can move on its own. They take it out on the bay once a year or so.

Here is a link for the ships in the Mothball fleet. Its just a tiny article with a few facts. Im going to look for a picture if I can. Note the article is a couple of years old.

http://www.benicianews.com/articles/ind ... rtOID=4708

Edit:

Here is a webpage with pictures of the mothball fleet.

http://www.usshorne.net/horne/photos4.htm