Black Widow Submarine, April 2010

History

The "Black Widow" ex Russian Foxtrot B-39 (U 475) Hunter Killer Class Submarine is currently moored in the River Medway off Strood near Rochester. It was built in 1967 and prowled the Oceans untill 1994. The submarine was used to train mainly Libyan, Cuban, and Indian submariners and spent it’s time playing cat and mouse with NATO. When it was fully armed it could hold 22 Torpedo's including 2 with low yield nuclear warheads.(6 + 12 forward, 4 astern)
Technical specifications
Displacement: 1,950 Tonnes (1,650 without batteries)
Length: 92 Metres
Width 7.5 Metres
Draft: 5.1 Metres (4.5 without batteries)
Service interval: 90 Days
Crew: 77 Members
Max. diving depth: 280 Metres
Working Depth: 250 Metres
Max. surface speed: 16.8 Knots
Surface cruising range: 30,000 Miles
Submerged cruising range: 400 Miles
Powerplant
Diesel Motors: 3 pcs at 2000hp
Electric Motors: 1 pc at 2700hp
2pcs at 1350hp
1pc at 140hp
Batteries: 448 pcs at 650kg

After it's 27 years active service ended the Submarine arrived in London form the Naval Base in Riga,under command of its Captain Vitalij Burda who had commanded the ship for 23 years. It stayed at Long's Wharf at the Thames Barrier and was opened as a Museum untill 1998. Then it was moved to Folkstone and again opened untill 2004.After that it was moved to the River Medway and is waiting to be re-homed,the Submarine is now listing to one side and has a hole in. when entering there is lots of bird shit. Shame the submarine has got in such a state. Got bad rust on the outside.

Visited with Begood

After being able to use a boat for the night I fort tonight was the night to visit the submarine. Tried fitting a roof rack to my car but it was the wrong type of clamps. So tried fitting the boat into the car and I had half in and half out:). We fort we would get stopped by police but lucky I didn’t the 5 miles I drove. The submarine is over looked from a local pub. Once on board it was an amazing place. access is stupidly dangerous access, so would strongly advise against visiting . Going to take a few pictures of the outside once day light, thanks for looking

Boat:D (sorry bad shot)
http://i763.photobucket.com/albums/x...bmarine/01.jpg

1#
http://i763.photobucket.com/albums/x...bmarine/02.jpg

2#
http://i763.photobucket.com/albums/x...bmarine/04.jpg

3#
http://i763.photobucket.com/albums/x...bmarine/08.jpg

4#
http://i763.photobucket.com/albums/x...bmarine/09.jpg

5#
http://i763.photobucket.com/albums/x...bmarine/10.jpg

6#
http://i763.photobucket.com/albums/x...bmarine/16.jpg
7#
http://i763.photobucket.com/albums/x...bmarine/20.jpg
8#
http://i763.photobucket.com/albums/x...bmarine/12.jpg
9#
http://i763.photobucket.com/albums/x...bmarine/37.jpg
10#
http://i763.photobucket.com/albums/x...bmarine/30.jpg
11#
http://i763.photobucket.com/albums/x...bmarine/23.jpg

Very nice. That boat in the car idea is insane lol.

Truly is a great report, :thumb Love the detail in pic 8, well done :)

Very nice stuff mate. The famous Five would have been proud of that boat related shenanigans :thumb

Excellent shots and location!:thumb

And the question on everyones lips is...how dangerous to get in exactly??? :D

Wow great stuff mate

I thought that boat was a sofa at first!

Nice explore BTW

Epic boat transportation there :thumb

Always like to see this one too.

What an awesome explore :w00t
Fantastic pics :thumb

Great explore, loving the pics :thumb

The boat picture has tickled me :lol:

Very special this :thumb :thumb

That looks seriously interesting mate. Looks like you had some fun!

very nice report and photos there mate, well done for getting on there! loving the 1st pic :)

went back today heres a shot of the outside from daylight

http://i763.photobucket.com/albums/x...e/DSC06092.jpg

here is a short clip i took when i visited the submarine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXpkqponapI

That is just awsome mate, superb work well done:thumb

its a pity she is starting to list:( I can't understand why she has not been given a berth at the Chatham Dockyard museum?

I fear this submarine will end up like Juliet 484 aka: K19, Widowmaker.
She sank in a storm back in April 2007 whilst berthed at the Saratoga Museum, Rhode Island. She lay under water for over 2 years before being raised by US Navy Divers.

But by then the water had done its damage and she was sold for scrap by the museum. She was towed away to a breakers yard back in August 2009.

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...m/dockside.jpg

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...um/russub4.jpgMG]

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...-560xauto-.gif

These were the days when the "Russian Bear" showed her might:thumb

The K19 is a really good film as well:thumb

great pics :)

This does look like a great site, it's not very often you see submarines that are explorable.

Great shots there and congratulations on the boat transporter :smclap

Great shots an interesting explore :thumb

Nice work :) Love no. 8

A submarine...fascinating and unique. :)

Really nice and different too! wondered what you were talking about with the roof rack at first fort you were trying to say you were gunna nick the submarine