USS Albacore Submarine Museum - Engine Room
Bill Maloney
4/16/2010

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01CoolingWaterIntake 02EngineAirFilter 03InletValveSolenoids 04FreshWaterDistillationUnit
01 Cooling Water Intake 02 Engine Air Filter 03 Inlet Valve Solenoids 04 Fresh Water Distillation Unit
05FreshWaterDistillationUnit 06CoolingWaterPump 07CoolingWaterPump 08SignalFlareLauncher
05 Fresh Water Distillation Unit 06 Cooling Water Pump 07 Cooling Water Pump 08 Signal Flare Launcher
09CoolingWaterIntake 10EngineAccessPanel 11DieselEngineWaterPump 12DieselEngineWaterPump
09 Cooling Water Intake 10 Engine Access Panel 11 Diesel Engine Water Pump 12 Diesel Engine Water Pump
13EngineRoomEscapeTrunk 14FluidTankCapacityGages 15EngineRoom 16WaterOilPressureGages
13 Engine Room Escape Trunk 14 Fluid Tank Capacity Gages 15 Engine Room 16 Water Oil Pressure Gages

USS Albacore Engine Specifications:

Model: General Motors 16-338 2 cycle diesel engine
Output: 1,000hp at 1,600rpm
Number of Cylinders: 16
Cylinder configuration: "X", in four banks of 4 cylinders each
Bore and Stroke: 6" x 6.5"
Displacement: 2,940ci (482 liters)

The GM 16-338 diesels were referred to as "Pancake Engines". Considering the cylinder banks were arranged in an "X" configuration, I cannot figure out why. This was a lighter more compact powerplant than the typical Morse Banks 16 cylinder diesels used in most US Fleet submarines. Unfortunately these diesels were notoriously unreliable. These engines were the same type as used in the Tang class of submarines. Fortunately the Tang class submarines had enough room to convert to Fairbanks diesels. The USS Albacore did not have the room for an engine conversion so they continued to scavenge parts from surplus pancake engines left over from the Tang class subs until the parts supply ran out. At that point the Albacore was retired from its role as an experimental research submarine.

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