Submarines and claustrophobia

Two things have always bothered me about Sub-Smash. First, it is
general policy to test people for claustrophobia before assigning
them to submarines - at least it was when I was building and testing
them for the US Navy. We had to undergo a physical and mental
evaluation before they would let us out to sea. Now, for Straker you
might say they waived the rule because he is The Boss, but think
about it - how likely would it be than an ex-astronaut could handle
claustrophobia? Even the biggest space capsule would have been tiny
compared to SkyDiver!

My second gripe was having Moonbase personnel also on SkyDiver. I
would expect people to have special skills and be assigned to their
jobs accordingly, not bouncing from assignment to assignment. You
don't find many Navy pilots in subs and I wouldn't expect to find
SHADO pilots/moonbase people in their subs. I know this was a
convenient plot device, but why did it have to be Nina and not some
other SHADO operative? I guess what really annoys me with these
things is how easy it would be to explain why people are in these
spots. How about dialogue like this?

Straker: I hate to bring you along on this assignment but you're the
only one who knows the XYZ-device and there's no time to train a
replacement.

That gets Nina on board. Then:

Straker: I don't mind being in a small space but I have never liked
the thought of all that water pressure waiting to crack us like an
eggshell.

At least you've set a reasonable fear and not just the easy
convenient phobia of small spaces.

Finally, having gone through escape hatch training, I am DAMN glad I
never had to do it in real life! That would be a really lousy way to
spend an afternoon.

Bill

Also it was kinda strange That the Skydiver Sub crew were very neat and
clean. t


Glenn (GOTHIC39)

Why's that? Modern subs are that way - very antiseptic and sterile.
They're not like the old diesel-electric boats of the WW II movies.
Even the engine rooms are just about spotless.

Bill

--- In SHADO@y..., GOTHIC39@a... wrote:
> Also it was kinda strange That the Skydiver Sub crew were very neat
and
> clean. t

>

>

> Glenn
(GOTHIC39)

Bill Cotter wrote:

> Two things have always bothered me about Sub-Smash. First, it is
> general policy to test people for claustrophobia before assigning
> them to submarines - at least it was when I was building and testing
> them for the US Navy. We had to undergo a physical and mental
> evaluation before they would let us out to sea. Now, for Straker you
> might say they waived the rule because he is The Boss, but think
> about it - how likely would it be than an ex-astronaut could handle
> claustrophobia? Even the biggest space capsule would have been tiny
> compared to SkyDiver!

The way I understood it, he didn't develope claustrophobia till later in
life. I mean, it was a recent developement.

Or did I read that in some fanfic? <scratching head in consternation>

Hmmmmm, evidently, the higher ranking personnel must be multi-talented
...

Yeah, good thing!! I can't say the idea appeals to me much ....
8-

-- Y

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Where have Maxwell and Howell gone?

Howell went windsurfing and Maxwell entered a Jeremy Kemp lookalike contest.

James K.