Early Scuba Rig

[aujax]

I was recently watching the film "Below" about a WWII submarine. In the movie, crew members venture outside using self-contained breathing gear fairly closely resembling scuba. Is this accurate? I know Cousteau and Gagnan perfected scuba in 1943 - sounds a little late to make it an integral part of a sub's outfit.

 

[Optik]

Well, in Das Boot, they had what resembled a bag with a co2 cartridge. i believe you filed it before exiting, and that would be suficient to get you to the surface. from 500 ft (yeah right huh)

 

[buff]

WWII submariners had the highest death rate. Inability to escape at depth was probably the main reason.

 

[aujax]

I was recently watching the film "Below" about a WWII submarine. In the movie, crew members venture outside using self-contained breathing gear fairly closely resembling scuba. Is this accurate? I know Cousteau and Gagnan perfected scuba in 1943 - sounds a little late to make it an integral part of a sub's outfit.

 

[pipedope]

But O2 rebreathers were in wide use long before OC SCUBA.

The problem in the early days was there were no tanks to hold high pressure air and no compressors to pump it.
Rebreathers could work much longer on a limited volume of gas.

 

[cyklon_300]

http://www.divingheritage.com/stelznerkern.htm

These various Tauchretter gear were developed well before WWII...

 

[aujax]

So, from what I've read, the only differences between early rigs by Drager and Le Prieur, et al, and that of Coustea and Gagner is that Cousteau's used a valve that delivered air on demand, rather than by using an on/off switch, or constant flow, and that Cousteau and Gagner used a mouth regulator rather than a helmet or full-face mask. Does this sound right?

 

[aujax]

So, from what I've read, the basic differences between early rigs by Drager and Le Prieur, et al, and that of Coustea and Gagner is that Cousteau's used a valve that delivered air on demand, rather than by using an on/off switch, or constant flow, and that Cousteau and Gagner used a mouth regulator rather than a helmet or full-face mask. Does this sound right? But you're also saying that all the rigs before Cousteau were rebreathers rather than bubble-makers?