Comments on: The Mystery of Indy’s Sub Ride Solved http://www.overthinkingit.com/2008/11/19/the-mystery-of-indys-sub-ride-solved/ Overthinking It subjects the popular culture to a level of scrutiny it probably doesn't deserve. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 04:53:58 +0000 hourly 1 By: Umbriel http://www.overthinkingit.com/2008/11/19/the-mystery-of-indys-sub-ride-solved/#comment-5672 Umbriel Fri, 30 Jan 2009 06:33:29 +0000 http://www.overthinkingit.com/?p=997#comment-5672 Jim -- I thought Oberst/Colonel was the wrong rank at first too, but I think the sailor might have been speaking to Colonel Dietrich (Wolf Kahler), a passenger on the sub at the time, rather than the sub's commander. Sean -- I've visited the U-505 - the German U-boat on display at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago - and its hatches are indeed narrower than those of WWII-era US subs I've visited around the country, which themselves were probably narrower than those of the nuclear sub you served on. I'd guess the U-boat's hatches were about 24" across, tops. A U-boat might have room for cargo the size of the Ark crate, though, in the space between the deck and the pressure hull. I believe there were storage spaces there for liferafts and such, accessible by lifting up sections of the deck, and not requiring a squeeze through a watertight hatch. Jim — I thought Oberst/Colonel was the wrong rank at first too, but I think the sailor might have been speaking to Colonel Dietrich (Wolf Kahler), a passenger on the sub at the time, rather than the sub’s commander.

Sean — I’ve visited the U-505 – the German U-boat on display at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago – and its hatches are indeed narrower than those of WWII-era US subs I’ve visited around the country, which themselves were probably narrower than those of the nuclear sub you served on. I’d guess the U-boat’s hatches were about 24″ across, tops. A U-boat might have room for cargo the size of the Ark crate, though, in the space between the deck and the pressure hull. I believe there were storage spaces there for liferafts and such, accessible by lifting up sections of the deck, and not requiring a squeeze through a watertight hatch.

]]> By: Jim http://www.overthinkingit.com/2008/11/19/the-mystery-of-indys-sub-ride-solved/#comment-4758 Jim Sat, 17 Jan 2009 00:05:00 +0000 http://www.overthinkingit.com/?p=997#comment-4758 I don't speak German, but I know that "Oberst" is German for "Colonel." But of course, Colonel is an Army/Air Force rank, the equivalent of "Captain" in the navy. The writers probably also didn't know that the rank most u-boats captains had was Kapitänleutnant. (Notice in Das-Boot the captain is referred to as "Herr Kaleun." Short for Kapitänleutnant) To rack is up as a double fail when it comes to military ranks. I don’t speak German, but I know that “Oberst” is German for “Colonel.” But of course, Colonel is an Army/Air Force rank, the equivalent of “Captain” in the navy. The writers probably also didn’t know that the rank most u-boats captains had was Kapitänleutnant. (Notice in Das-Boot the captain is referred to as “Herr Kaleun.” Short for Kapitänleutnant) To rack is up as a double fail when it comes to military ranks.

]]> By: Sean S. http://www.overthinkingit.com/2008/11/19/the-mystery-of-indys-sub-ride-solved/#comment-2824 Sean S. Fri, 21 Nov 2008 18:26:26 +0000 http://www.overthinkingit.com/?p=997#comment-2824 The vending machine had sodas; a quarter each as I recall. Most folks don't need change for a quarter. The money was used for various off-patrol crew-entertainment activities. Not surprisingly, when you spend 105 days underwater, you gotta have a marketplace for guys to spend their money. At patrol's end, cigarettes were WAY pricey. The vending machine had sodas; a quarter each as I recall. Most folks don’t need change for a quarter. The money was used for various off-patrol crew-entertainment activities. Not surprisingly, when you spend 105 days underwater, you gotta have a marketplace for guys to spend their money. At patrol’s end, cigarettes were WAY pricey.

]]> By: Mads http://www.overthinkingit.com/2008/11/19/the-mystery-of-indys-sub-ride-solved/#comment-2814 Mads Fri, 21 Nov 2008 14:40:51 +0000 http://www.overthinkingit.com/?p=997#comment-2814 Well it's an old trick to just cut to a new location and just let the imagination of the audience work out the connection. Reminds me of something i heard in a Pod-cast from Creative Screenwriting the writer of Jumper (That silly boring film about Hayden Christensen film). There is a scene i the beginning after the hero has made a bank robbery without leaving any trace the bad guy just pops up at the hero's apartment. The interviewer asked the writer how the bad guy found the hero and the writer said that they wrote it like that because then they didn't have to worry about how he did it and i that way just making the villain seem more frightening, Well it’s an old trick to just cut to a new location and just let the imagination of the audience work out the connection. Reminds me of something i heard in a Pod-cast from Creative Screenwriting the writer of Jumper (That silly boring film about Hayden Christensen film). There is a scene i the beginning after the hero has made a bank robbery without leaving any trace the bad guy just pops up at the hero’s apartment. The interviewer asked the writer how the bad guy found the hero and the writer said that they wrote it like that because then they didn’t have to worry about how he did it and i that way just making the villain seem more frightening,

]]> By: Trevor http://www.overthinkingit.com/2008/11/19/the-mystery-of-indys-sub-ride-solved/#comment-2804 Trevor Thu, 20 Nov 2008 18:02:49 +0000 http://www.overthinkingit.com/?p=997#comment-2804 The minute I saw the title for this article, I thought "I've come home." ;-p Considering Lucas and Spielberg's fondness for going back and digitally ruining their previous masterworks (i.e, Greedo shooting first), wouldn't it be possible that they decide for "Raiders" 30th anniversary to add something in which Indy's sub ride is plausible and therefore ruined? I think it's a very entertaining gap in narrative development and a perfect homage in a way to the implausibility of the serial movies that Lucas and Spielberg were using as inspiration. The minute I saw the title for this article, I thought “I’ve come home.” ;-p

Considering Lucas and Spielberg’s fondness for going back and digitally ruining their previous masterworks (i.e, Greedo shooting first), wouldn’t it be possible that they decide for “Raiders” 30th anniversary to add something in which Indy’s sub ride is plausible and therefore ruined? I think it’s a very entertaining gap in narrative development and a perfect homage in a way to the implausibility of the serial movies that Lucas and Spielberg were using as inspiration.

]]> By: Matt http://www.overthinkingit.com/2008/11/19/the-mystery-of-indys-sub-ride-solved/#comment-2801 Matt Thu, 20 Nov 2008 16:04:16 +0000 http://www.overthinkingit.com/?p=997#comment-2801 Sean - First of all, thank you for your service! At first I was amused by the idea of a vending machine on a submarine. Where do you go to get change? Then again, maybe it's a good solution to the problem of letting the boys have the occasional Snickers. So what kind of things were in the vending machine? Just candy? Lee - That is some very clever Overthinking. 38 hours is a rather long time to be dragged through the ocean. I wonder if we could pinpoint exactly WHERE Secret Nazi Island is? Remind me to do that sometime. Sean -
First of all, thank you for your service! At first I was amused by the idea of a vending machine on a submarine. Where do you go to get change? Then again, maybe it’s a good solution to the problem of letting the boys have the occasional Snickers. So what kind of things were in the vending machine? Just candy?

Lee -
That is some very clever Overthinking. 38 hours is a rather long time to be dragged through the ocean.

I wonder if we could pinpoint exactly WHERE Secret Nazi Island is? Remind me to do that sometime.

]]> By: lee http://www.overthinkingit.com/2008/11/19/the-mystery-of-indys-sub-ride-solved/#comment-2790 lee Thu, 20 Nov 2008 04:17:35 +0000 http://www.overthinkingit.com/?p=997#comment-2790 We should also consider the length of the ride. From what I can tell in the video clip, Indy starts in the Mediterranean Sea, off the coast of Sicily. He then heads towards some islands in the Aegean Sea, between Greece and Turkey. Using Google Maps (http://tinyurl.com/5rnupt), I estimated the length of the ride to be about 530 miles. If U-Boat's average surface speed is 12 knots (13.81 mph), then the journey would have taken about 38 hours, which is a long time to hang onto a periscope with sharks snapping around you. With no food or fresh water. We should also consider the length of the ride. From what I can tell in the video clip, Indy starts in the Mediterranean Sea, off the coast of Sicily. He then heads towards some islands in the Aegean Sea, between Greece and Turkey.

Using Google Maps (http://tinyurl.com/5rnupt), I estimated the length of the ride to be about 530 miles. If U-Boat’s average surface speed is 12 knots (13.81 mph), then the journey would have taken about 38 hours, which is a long time to hang onto a periscope with sharks snapping around you. With no food or fresh water.

]]> By: Sean S. http://www.overthinkingit.com/2008/11/19/the-mystery-of-indys-sub-ride-solved/#comment-2787 Sean S. Wed, 19 Nov 2008 22:59:52 +0000 http://www.overthinkingit.com/?p=997#comment-2787 As an ex submariner (USS Bancroft) I never thought there was a mystery; there's no way that U-Boat ever submerged: they could not have gotten the crate inside! On my first patrol, we had a vending machine installed. We literally had to cut the machine into pieces to get it down through the hatches. Once we had it "inside" we welded/glued it back together. This was on a fairly modern nuclear sub, can you imagine how small the hatches were on a pre-WWII German U-Boat? What? Did they cut the Ark into pieces to get it below decks? I think not. They lashed it to the deck and sailed on the surface to their island. Indiana Jones just had to hide behind the crate. During normal surface ops the crew would not have been out on the deck, it's too dangerous and completely unnecessary. Regardless of the comix or the script, they never could have submerged. What's the German for "Belay that Order"? As an ex submariner (USS Bancroft) I never thought there was a mystery; there’s no way that U-Boat ever submerged: they could not have gotten the crate inside!

On my first patrol, we had a vending machine installed. We literally had to cut the machine into pieces to get it down through the hatches. Once we had it “inside” we welded/glued it back together.

This was on a fairly modern nuclear sub, can you imagine how small the hatches were on a pre-WWII German U-Boat? What? Did they cut the Ark into pieces to get it below decks? I think not. They lashed it to the deck and sailed on the surface to their island. Indiana Jones just had to hide behind the crate. During normal surface ops the crew would not have been out on the deck, it’s too dangerous and completely unnecessary.

Regardless of the comix or the script, they never could have submerged. What’s the German for “Belay that Order”?

]]> By: Topher http://www.overthinkingit.com/2008/11/19/the-mystery-of-indys-sub-ride-solved/#comment-2781 Topher Wed, 19 Nov 2008 18:42:08 +0000 http://www.overthinkingit.com/?p=997#comment-2781 So does this long forgotten goof of the submarine ride make up for the nuked fridge in Crystal Skull? Or does it pave the way for even more implausibility? As for fitting the Ark on the sub... head hurts... feel an aneurism coming on! So does this long forgotten goof of the submarine ride make up for the nuked fridge in Crystal Skull? Or does it pave the way for even more implausibility?

As for fitting the Ark on the sub… head hurts… feel an aneurism coming on!

]]> By: lee http://www.overthinkingit.com/2008/11/19/the-mystery-of-indys-sub-ride-solved/#comment-2780 lee Wed, 19 Nov 2008 18:17:47 +0000 http://www.overthinkingit.com/?p=997#comment-2780 My first thought was that holding onto the periscope while the sub is under water also approaches "nuking the fridge" levels of implausibility. However, according to Wikipedia, "Because speed and range were severely limited underwater while running on battery power, U-boats were required to spend most of their time surfaced running on diesel engines, diving only when attacked or for rare daytime torpedo strikes. The most common U-boat attack during the early years of the war was conducted on the surface and at night" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U_boat#World_War_II Okay, I buy that, but as you pointed out at the beginning of article, the dialogue clearly states that the boat is diving. So I guess it dives just below the surface, and that allows the boat to run on diesel engines? My first thought was that holding onto the periscope while the sub is under water also approaches “nuking the fridge” levels of implausibility.

However, according to Wikipedia, “Because speed and range were severely limited underwater while running on battery power, U-boats were required to spend most of their time surfaced running on diesel engines, diving only when attacked or for rare daytime torpedo strikes. The most common U-boat attack during the early years of the war was conducted on the surface and at night”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U_boat#World_War_II

Okay, I buy that, but as you pointed out at the beginning of article, the dialogue clearly states that the boat is diving. So I guess it dives just below the surface, and that allows the boat to run on diesel engines?

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