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Zeehond (3), Amsterdam 27 May 1988. (Photo: © H. van Kuilenburg)
For additional photos and information please check the 'related pages list' at the bottom of this page.
1954
30 Dec 1954: Zeehond (3) is laid down at R.D.M. shipyard in Rotterdam
1960
20 Feb 1960: Zeehond (3) is launched by Mrs. A. Kruys Troll (wife of ).May 1960: First diving trials of Zeehond (3). The submarine is assisted by tender Mercuur (2).
1961
16 Mar 1961: Zeehond (3) is commissioned to the Royal Netherlands Navy16 Mar 1961 - ?5 Dec 1962?: Zeehond (3) is under the command of Ltz. I .
1962
Dolfijn (3) is based at Aruba but, because of trouble in Dutch New Guinea, is directed to Hollandia. When the political situation in Indonesia improves, she returns to the Netherlands. Zeehond (3) was also equipped for the trip to the East Indies but her departure was cancelled due to the improved situation.
5 Dec 1962 - 3 Jan 1964: Zeehond (3) is under the command of .
1963
Nov 1963: Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands visits the Zeehond (3).
1964
15 June 1964 - 4 Aug 1965: Zeehond (3) is under the command of .1965
4 Aug 1965 - 19 July 1966: Zeehond (3) is under the command of .1966
| Envelope commemorating Zeehond (3)'s arrival in Norfolk (1966). |
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1966-1967
Zeehond (3) is modernized.1968
23 Jan - 21 June 1968: Zeehond (3) is under the command of .21 June 1968 - 18 July 1969: Zeehond (3) is under the command of .
1969
Late 1969: Zeehond (3) is dry-docked at the RDM shipyard for 3e traps (3rd stage) maintenance. The crew is housed on the submarine service support vessel Cornelius Drebbel (1).
1970
Check out the 1970 Zeehond (3) picture special for 1970 photos.
15 June 1970 - 17 Aug 1971: Zeehond (3) is under the command of .
After being dry-docked for about 8 months Zeehond (3) is commissioned once again. She transits to Den Helder.
29 June 1970: Zeehond (3) conducts a voyage to the Skagerrak and Scotland.
In the Skagerrak the Zeehond (3) performs a deep dive to 200 meters and tests her equipment. During this dive she is supported by the frigate Tjerk Hiddes.
Check out the Zeehond (3) 1970 photo special for images of Zeehond (3)'s Skagerrak trip
4 July 1970: Zeehond (3) moors at a buoy off Rothesay (Scotland).
5 Jul 1970: Zeehond (3) docks in Faslane (Scotland) in order to embark "Kleine Kok" (the youngest of the two cooks on board) who has a problem with his appendix.
10 Jul 1970: During the following two days the Zeehond (3) conducts sound trials in Loch Fyne (Scotland). At night the submarine moors at a buoy off Inverary.
13 Jul 1970: In the following +/- 14 days the Zeehond (3) launches several exercise torpedo's and tunes her tubes. During these trials the submarine is supported by the Mercuur (2).
31 Jul 1970: Zeehond (3) returns to Den Helder.
Late Aug 1970: Zeehond (3) departs Den Helder and heads for Loriënt (France) in order to adjust her sonar.
Late Sep 1970: Zeehond (3) returns to Den Helder.
Oct 1970: Zeehond (3) is dry-docked for small repairs in the Rotterdamse Droogdok Maatschappij dry-dock. (this data is probably incorrect)
Late Oct 1970: Zeehond (3) departs from Den Helder and heads for the Scilly Islands (Scotland) where she tests her weapon systems. In the weekends the submarine is at Dundee, Invergorden and Rosyth (all Scotland).
Late Nov 1970: Zeehond (3) returns to Den Helder.
1971
Check out the 1971 Zeehond (3) picture special for 1971 photos.Jan 1971: Because of 'noisy screws' the Zeehond (3) is dry-docked at the RDM shipyard for repairs on her propulsion.
21 Jan 1971: Zeehond (3) departs from Den Helder and heads to the Gulf of Biscay.
In the Gulf the submarine exercises together with her sister ship Dolfijn (3).
249 Jan 1971: Zeehond (3) makes a stop over at Plymouth (England) to drop of a crew member who is having problems with his appendix.
Early Feb 1971: Zeehond (3) exercises off the Orkney Islands (Scotland).
8 Feb - 18 Feb 1971: Zeehond (3) exercises for ten days off the Faeroe and Shetland Islands (Scotland).
18 Feb 1971: Zeehond (3) departs from Den Helder and heads for the USA. The first ten days the weather is very bad.
Check out the Zeehond (3) USA trip and the Bahamas torpedo transfer for images of this trip.
16 Mar 1971: The crew is vaccinated against cholera. Because the submarine is ahead of schedule there is time to stop and go for a swim between 12:00 and 13:00 hrs.
1 Apr 1971: Zeehond (3) arrives in Yorktown, Virginia USA. She is re-supplied and the crew takes the bus to Georgetown.
The next stop after Yorktown is the Norfolk Navy Base. Zeehond (3) docks in front of two state-of-the-art (in those days) US nuclear submarines.
4 Apr 1971: In Norfolk some of the Zeehond (3) crew take the Greyhound to Washington where they visit several tourist sites, including the Capitol, the National Bank, the Needle, the White House and the grave of president J.F. Kennedy.
Envelope commemorating Zeehond (3)'s arrival in Norfolk (1971). 10 Apr 1971: After Norfolk the Zeehond (3) sails to Andros Island (Bahamas). During the first deep-dive it turns out that the aft torpedo room hatch is not closed properly. While the submarine is returning to the service several tons of water enter the boat through the damaged hatch. At the range off Andros Island the Zeehond (3) launches 27 torpedo's, which are filmed from a helicopter. During these operations the temperature in the boat rises to 50 degrees Celsius ! One of the reasons for this exercise is to test Zeehond (3)'s new fire control system.
Normally the torpedo's run beneath the targeted vessel but one of the launched Mark 8's (possibly other types where fired as well) torpedo's malfunctions and surfaces. In order to prevent a 'hit' the piggy boat has to turn away. From that time on the aim was only in front or behind the piggy boat.Visit the AUTEC website for more information about the firing range off Andros island.
Between exercises the crew goes onshore by sloop and BBQ's with her American colleagues.
27 Apr - 30 Apr 1971: Zeehond (3) visits Nassau (New Providence, Bahamas). The torpedo men, and the other crew members that assisted in launching and picking-up the exercise torpedoes are free of all duties for three days.
2 May 1971: Zeehond (3) visits Freeport (Grand Bahama Island). Crew members who are off duty spend the night at the Freeport-Inn motel.
22 May 1971: Zeehond (3) arrives in Den Helder (home port).
Check out the Zeehond (3) USA trip and the Bahamas torpedo transfer picture specials for images of this trip.
17 Aug 1971 - 23 June 1972: Zeehond (3) is under the command of .
Zeehond (3) departs Den Helder exercises in waters off Southern England.
26 Aug - 29 Aug 1971: Zeehond (3) visits Falmouth (England).
9 Sep 1971: Zeehond (3) arrives in Den Helder (home port).
20 Sep 1971: Zeehond (3) starts her autumn voyage. She exercises with several MLD (Navy Airforce) planes.
26 Sep 1971: Zeehond (3) visits Plymouth (England). A 'simple argument' ashore costs
Leo Bal 80 pounds and 5 days arrest on the Zeehond (3)
29 Sep 1971: Zeehond (3) heads for the Mediterranean and exercise together with submarine chaser Noord-Brabant and frigate Van Galen. Exercise torpedoes are being fired (and picked-up) on a daily bases. After a days hard work every man received one beer.
Check out the Zeehond (3) torpedo pick-up photo special for images of these torpedo pick-ups.
15 Oct 1971: Zeehond (3) visits the Italian Naval Base La Spezia. She is moored alongside the Noord-Brabant.
Check out the Zeehond (3) 1971 photo special for images of Zeehond (3)'s La Spezia visit.
18 Oct 1971: Zeehond (3) exercises off the Italian coast. There is a lot of interference caused by seismographic test conducted at the North Italian coast. This is more than 5oo miles away !.
22 Oct - 29 Oct 1971 Zeehond (3) visits Gagliari (Sardinia) in order to give the crew some rest after 6 days of exhaustive exercises
29 Oct 1971: Zeehond (3) sails to Gibraltar for some scheduled maintenance. She will be ready again at Nov 6 1971.
7 Nov 1971: Zeehond (3) exercises, in the Med and the Atlantic, with several surface vessels.
12 Nov - 15 Nov 1971: Zeehond (3) visits Lisbon (Portugal).
15 Nov 1971: Zeehond (3) departs from Lisbon (Portugal) and heads for home port Den Helder.
20 Nov 1971: Zeehond (3) arrives in Den Helder (home port).
1972
Check out the 1972 Zeehond (3) picture special for 1972 photos.
4 Jan 1972: Zeehond (3) departs fro Den Helder in order to participate in several exercises with the surface fleet.
Jan 5 -Jan 18 1972: Zeehond (3) is submerged in the Atlantic area.
Jan 10 1972: Zeehond (3) sails submerged at 100 m. After returning to lesser depths she transits to Faslane (Scotland).
A lizard, soon named Tuchwood, is being found in a load of mushrooms. Unlike other animals the lizard can survive inside the sub. This is quite unusual since other animals like hamsters, birds or insects usually die (probably due to the bad air quality and air pressure changes) after a few days.
Jan 13 1972 at 02:15 hrs: The shift are now on 'war schedule' (6 hrs on and 6 hrs off). Some of the conducted exercises are: torpedo tube exercises, simulate launches, taking oxygen readings and making oxygen (with candles).
Jan 15 1972 at 14:30 hrs Zeehond (3) is still submerged, and will be until Jan 18th. She snorts at a depth of 15 m in order to recharge her batteries. The lizard now has a name, Tuchwood.
Jan 17 1972: Zeehond (3) makes a 'fast dive' She snorts at 15 m and then goes fast, with an angle of 40 degrees, to a depth of 100 m.
Jan 18 1972 at 12:00 hrs: Zeehond (3) is on the surface. The weather is very bad, with wind up to force 10 ! Many of the crew are seasick.
Jan 19 1972: The submarine is still on the surface. The weather improves, but is still bad.
Jan 20 1972: Zeehond (3) arrives in Faslane (Scotland) where she will stay for the weekend. Which gives the crew time to repair the damage, caused by the bad weather, and also time to service the 6 torpedo's.
Jan 22 1972: The crew visits Faslane. After visiting the town some of the crew are kicked out of the WRNS barracks (Women Royal Navy Squadron).
Jan 23 1972: The crew visits Glasgow (Scotland).
Jan 24 1972: Zeehond (3) departs from Faslane (Scotland) and heads for the Bay of Biscay (France). She will be at sea for the next 17 days.
Jan 26 1972 at 09:00 hrs : Zeehond (3) submerges and will stay submerged for the next 14 days. She will exercise together with the Dutch ships Amsterdam and Noord-Brabant.
Feb 10 1972. Zeehond (3) arrives in home port Den Helder.
6 Mar 1972: Zeehond (3) departs from Den Helder in order to participate in several exercises.
9 Mar 1972 at 10:00 hrs: Zeehond (3) arrives in Rosyth (Scotland). The crew plays a match of soccer against the 'Scottish' Navy, which the loose 10 - 2.
11 Mar 1972: Zeehond (3)'s crew goes shopping in Edinburgh (Scotland).
12 Mar 1972: About 25 crew members go skiing in the Scottish hills.
13 Mar 1972: Zeehond (3) departs from Rosyth (Scotland)
14 Mar 1972: Zeehond (3) is at for next 10 days sea. Crew working 'war schedules'.
15 Mar 1972: A helicopter picks-up and delivers mail from the Zeehond (3) to/from one of the frigates.
16 Mar 1973: Zeehond (3) anchors off the Shetlands (Scotland).
22 and 23 Mar 1972: Zeehond (3) is at Faslane (Scotland) in order to review the past exercises.
24 Mar 1972: Zeehond (3) arrives in Den Helder (home port).
2 May 1972: Zeehond (3) departs from Den Helder for the operation Fish-play. She has a full war load and will stay submerged for 5 weeks. She heads for northern waters in order to observe enemy units
+/- June 1972 to Jan 1973: Zeehond (3) is for 3e traps (third stage) maintenance at the Wilton Fijenoord yard in Rotterdam. The crew is stationed on board the new Cornelis Drebbel (2), which is docked at the RDM yard.
1973
Check out the 1973 Zeehond (3) picture special for 1973 photos.
4 Jan 1973: The '3e traps' maintenances is completed and the Zeehond (3) is commissioned once again. She sails back to Den Helder
4 Jan - 16 Feb 1973: Zeehond (3) is under the command of .
12 Jan 1973: Zeehond (3) departs from Den Helder for a voyage to the Norwegian waters. Among other thing she performs a 'deep dive'. The vessel Holland is present as standby boat.
24 Jan 1973: Zeehond (3) heads to the exercise areas off Scotland. Among other things she does sound trials in Loch Fyne (Scotland).
2 Feb - 4Feb 1973: Zeehond (3) is moored on a buoy off Rothesay (Scotland). The crew sleeps in a hotel.
5 Feb 1973: Zeehond (3) departs from Rothesay. A few days in Loch Fyne (Scotland) are used to calibrate Zeehond (3)'s equipment
8 Feb 1973: The Log is calibrated in Loch Fyne.
Due to an manoeuvring error at a depth of 15 m (periscope depth) the bow gets stuck between some rock. Blowing of the aft tanks and a 'full astern' enables the gets the submarine off the rocks. Fortunately Zeehond (3) did not take on any water. But the 'balkon', the protective casing of the bow sonar, is damaged.
9 Feb 1973: Zeehond (3) arrives at the Wilton Fijenoord yard for the repair of her sonar casing.
16 Feb 1973: The Zeehond (3) departs from Rotterdam and sails to Den Helder (home port).
16 Feb 1973 - 20 Dec 1974: Zeehond (3) is under the command of .
5 Mar 1973: Zeehond (3) departs from Den Helder (home port) and heads for the Atlantic (south of the U.K.) for sonar surveys (probably trials in order to adjust the equipment).
8 Mar 1973 at 03:00 hrs: Zeehond (3) sails at a depth of 80 m.
9 Mar 1973: Zeehond (3) changes her depth all the time but stays between the boundaries of 10 and 50 m, steep angles are used to perform these depth changes.
Zeehond (3) surfaces and sets sail to Loriënt (France).
10 Mar 1973 at +/- 11:00 hrs: Zeehond (3) arrives in Loriënt (France). She will stay in Loriënt until Monday 12 Mar. The crew sleeps in hotels, and not on board.
During this weekend the Zeehond (3) crew plays a soccer match against the French Navy.
12 Mar 1973: Zeehond (3) departs from Loriënt (France) and sets sail to Gothenburg (Sweden). One of her diesels is on the verge of breakdown.
13 Mar 1973: The diesel in still not o.k. There is a small fire in the engine room, some resistors in the 'manoeuvring switchboard' are over heated. The submarine stops snorting (at 15 depth) immediately and surfaces.
13 Mar - 12 Apr 1973: Zeehond (3), Dolfijn (3) and the submarine tender Mercuur (3) are in Norwegian waters.
15 Mar 1973: Destination Gothenburg (Sweden) is cancelled and the Zeehond (3) sets sail to Den Helder (home port) for repairs.
26 Mar 1973: Zeehond (3) departs from Den Helder (home port) and sets sail to Norway.
1 Apr 1973 at 15:00 hrs: Zeehond (3) is at periscope depth (15 m). The weather is pretty bad so she goes to 60 m.
3 Apr 1973: Zeehond (3) exercises together with the Dolfijn (3). Dolfijn (3) has had some problems and can not dive below 70 m. Both subs dive and approach each other up to a distance of 200 m. For safety the Zeehond (3) is at 80 m and the Dolfijn (3) is at 50 m depth.
6 Apr 1973: Dolfijn (3) and Zeehond (3) stay in Stavanger (Norway) for the weekend.
10 Apr 1973: Zeehond (3) departs from Stavanger (Norway) for a week of sea exercises.
18 Apr 1973: Zeehond (3) arrives in Den Helder (home port).
2 May 1973: Zeehond (3) departs from Den Helder.
Weekend of 5 - 6 May 1973: Zeehond (3) visits Copenhagen (Denmark).
11 May 1973: Zeehond (3) arrives in Den Helder (home port).
14 May 1973: Zeehond (3) departs from Den Helder for almost two weeks of exercises. No harbours are visited during these exercises.
25 May 1973: Zeehond (3) arrives in Den Helder (home port).
1975
10 Oct 1975 - 29 June 1977: Zeehond (3) is under the command of .
1976
Check out the 1976 Zeehond (3) picture special for 1976 photos.
Oct 1976: Zeehond (3) visits Dundee (Scotland).
1977
Check out the 1977 Zeehond (3) picture special for 1977 photos.25 Feb 1977: Zeehond (3) is in New Castle (England).
3 Mar 1977: Zeehond (3) arrives in Portsmouth (England).
27 Mar - 14 Apr 1977: Zeehond (3) visits Faslane (Scotland).
30 Apr 1977: Off the Shetlands the Tonijn transfers some officers to the Zeehond (3) in order to drink an 'oranjebitter' and celebrate Queensday.
5 May 1977: Zeehond (3) is in Cardiff (Wales).
18 Nov 1977 - 30 July 1980: Zeehond (3) is under the command of Ltz. I .
1978
2 July - 21 July 1978: The Zeehond (3), Potvis, Dolfijn (3) and Zwaardvis (2) conduct a firing exercise.
1980
During Zeehond (3)'s 3 month trip to the Mediterranean Sea the submarine also visits Toulon (France) for maintenance.
1981
6 Mar 1981 - 2 Sep 1983: Zeehond (3) is under the command of .
Envelope commemorating 75 years of Dutch Submarine Service, 1981. |
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1983
2 Sep 1983 - 21 Feb 1984: Zeehond (3) is under the command of .
1984
1 Oct 1984 - 11 Jan 1985: Zeehond (3) is under the command of .
1985
11 Jan 1985 - 8 Dec 1986: Zeehond (3) is under the command of .
Because of the delays caused by the Walrus (2) fire the submarines Zeehond (3), Potvis and Tonijn will all serve longer than planned.
1987
16 Oct 1987 - 11 Jan 1990: Zeehond (3) is under the command of .1990
11 Jan 1990: Zeehond (3) is decommissioned but kept in reserve.5 July 1990: Zeehond (3) arrives at the R.D.M. yard. She will be used for trials.
1990 - 199?
Zeehond (3) is used for C.C.D. trials (Closed Cycle Diesel). is the method that the R.D.M. uses for A.I.P. (Atmospheric Independent Propulsion).
1994
8 Dec 1994: Plans are made to sell the Zeehond (3) during a public auction at the R.D.M. shipyard in Rotterdam. An R.D.M. spokesman states that the submarine might be interesting for a museum and the Dutch Naval Museum at Den Helder informs the R.D.M. that they are not interested because they had already acquired Tonijn, a sister ship of Zeehond (3). Unfortunately no one bids on the submarine.
1997
The Zeehond (3) is still at the R.D.M. shipyard in Rotterdam.
Dec 1997: Zeehond (3) is scrapped at the R.D.M. yard. The boat is taken apart in one week.
