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Google Sightseeing takes you on tour of the world as seen from satellite, using the free Google Earth program, or Google Maps in your web browser. Each weekday your guides James and Alex present new weird and wonderful sights as suggested by readers.

The editors: James & Alex

Elusive Submarines

Tuesday, 17th July 2007 by James

While on holiday we missed the news of a new Chinese nuclear submarine being spotted on Google Earth.

Not much is known about the new class of Ballistic Missile Submarine, which is called the Jin-class or Type 094, but the US government estimated last year that China might build 5 of them to act as a permanent sea-based deterrent.

While we’re on the subject of elusive submarines, this brown looking mini-submarine is in fact a real-life Yellow Submarine!

It was built by an enterprising chap from Brooklyn who intended to recover the treasures of the sunken Andrea Doria, which wrecked on its way to New York city in 1956. With investment from the locals he designed and built the mini-sub himself, painting it yellow because it was the cheapest paint to hand.

Unfortunately, during its launch in 1970, the submarine sank (unintentionally) and the locals weren’t prepared to continue to invest in the builder’s madcap idea. The sub was eventually scavenged itself, and its rotting shell remains abandoned in the small ship graveyard of Coney Island Creek.

The full history and pictures from the past and present of the submarine are available on Forgotten NY

Thanks: Thomas Paul

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Locations: China, New York / Categories:

8 Responses to 'Elusive Submarines'

  1. 1. Tim says: July 17th, 2007 at 11:13 pm

    In the toooown, where I was boooorn…

  2. 2. Thomas Paul says: July 17th, 2007 at 11:23 pm

    Woo hoo! That’s me!!! Visit Cousin Kevin’s site for lots of cool NYC stuff. Cousin Kevin even wrote a book called “Forgotten NY”.

  3. 3. Cocal says: July 18th, 2007 at 4:01 am

    This is the only submarine I know hehe… it’s now a museum…
    Placemark: Google Maps / Google Earth

  4. 4. Aaron says: July 18th, 2007 at 5:35 am

    re: cocal

    whoa zoomout! clouds everywhere! Whoa we’re all seattle and shit down here lol!

  5. 5. Patrick says: July 18th, 2007 at 2:47 pm

    While we are on the subject of submarines…have you guys seen this? PRIVATE luxury submarine, 5,000 square feet, 3 decks, windows all over the place, can traverse oceans and stay submerged for 3 weeks….Why anyone with $80 MILLION to spare does not already have one of these is beyond me…..imagine the possibilities.

    http://www.ussubs.com/submarines/phoenix_1000.php3

  6. 6. jere7my says: July 19th, 2007 at 12:50 am

    Here’s Placemark: another one / Google Earth for your enjoyment. This one is landlocked. It’s the USS Albacore, an experimental Navy prototype that set the underwater speed record in 1966. Now it’s a museum.

  7. 7. Ethan says: July 19th, 2007 at 2:13 pm

    Here’s one in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, the USS Torsk (I think, it was really cold when I was there.)

    Placemark: Google Maps / Google Earth

  8. 8. jcvsmom says: July 26th, 2007 at 3:04 am

    The former USS Cod is now a museum in Cleveland, Ohio.

    Placemark: Google Maps / Google Earth

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