Submarine exhibition, Cartagena Naval Museum
This exhibition has been set-up in the building next door to the Naval Museum. The entrance fee is a voluntery contribution, but this does allow you access to the Naval Museum also.
Now I`m not sure if this exhibition will be expanded to become a Submarine Museum or if the Naval Museum has just moved all its Submarine stuff into this new area just for a short time?
The center piece of it all is the original (restored) Isaac Peral Submarine.
Build and designed by Spanish Navy officer and engineer Isaac Peral, she was the first successful fully electric submarine. Launched on 8 September 1888, she had a torpedo tube (carried two torpedos), and an air regeneration system. Her design - hull shape, propellars, periscope, torpedo tubes and controls would all be adopted and adapted in later designs.
With fully charged batteries her underwater speed was 3 knots (3.5 miles per hour) superior to any other submarine of the day. In June 1890 she launched a torpedo whilst being fully submerged becoming the first submarine to successfully do so, her underwater navigation system was also the most advance to date.
Isaac Peral
Scale model of the Peral submarine showing internl details
Peral`s torpedo
The rest of the exhibition is made up of notice boards (English & Spanish) and numerous items and displays - communications, sonar, periscopes and cameras, propulsion, how the crew live under water, etc.
There is s a brief history of Spanish Naval Submarine service (which is based at Cartagena), though I did note very little was mentioned about the Civil War. There were a number of scale models of various boats.
This is a particularly impressive 1/16th scale model showing internal detail of modern boat
One Spanish Submarine was covered in some detail, the famous Spanish U-boat - U573
Which I wrote a short piece about and can be found here:
1/56 scale model showing internal detail
The Submarine`s badge note the two Spanish designations G-7 and S-01
The sub`s deck gun which used to be displayed out on the harbour front
Julio Castelo Matrán Model Collection
When we visited the Submarine Exhibition (2 May 2024) we were lucky enough that this collection - the work of the former President of the insurance company MAPFRE.
The collection of hand made model ships is truly impressive and a sight to behold.
From what I`ve read this collection moves around the country, we were very lucky it happened to be on display at Cartagena when we were there.
Here is just a small selection of the 30+ models on display
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