# What is this thing (some kind of manned bomb or torpedo?) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 3, 2015, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-some-kind-of-manned-bomb-or-torpedo/726913 "2015-08-03T19:54:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-some-kind-of-manned-bomb-or-torpedo/726913/1 "2015-08-03T19:54:56Z")
This thing (links below) is sitting outside a pawn shop near me. I can’t figure out what it is. At first I thought it might be some kind of WW2 era kamikaze bomb, or a manned torpedo with the prop missing. But I did a little Googling of the ones Japan used back then, and this doesn’t look much like them. Then I thought maybe it’s the rider pod for some kind of amusement park ride. But it seems weird to be fully enclosed if that’s it. It looks like there are connection points at the front and back, but what it would be connected to is a mystery to me. So, I dunno. Any ideas? Yeah, I could go inside the place and ask. But I’m socially awkward. And I never pass it when it’s open. [![](http://tinypic.com/images/goodbye.jpg) ](http://tinypic.com/images/goodbye.jpg) [![](http://tinypic.com/images/goodbye.jpg) ](http://tinypic.com/images/goodbye.jpg) [![](http://tinypic.com/images/goodbye.jpg) ](http://tinypic.com/images/goodbye.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-some-kind-of-manned-bomb-or-torpedo/726913/2 "2015-08-03T20:02:54Z")
Unknown - [http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/local/mysterious-submarine-beached-in-front-of-tiger-pawn/article\_c0082223-27fc-5e37-a4d4-72d6ff54cc57.html](http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/local/mysterious-submarine-beached-in-front-of-tiger-pawn/article_c0082223-27fc-5e37-a4d4-72d6ff54cc57.html) ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-some-kind-of-manned-bomb-or-torpedo/726913/3 "2015-08-03T20:03:43Z")
It’s a miniature submarine. Not, AFAIK, a piece of military hardware. More a rich man’s toy. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-some-kind-of-manned-bomb-or-torpedo/726913/4 "2015-08-03T20:27:28Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > Unknown - [http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/local/mysterious-submarine-beached-in-front-of-tiger-pawn/article\_c0082223-27fc-5e37-a4d4-72d6ff54cc57.html](http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/local/mysterious-submarine-beached-in-front-of-tiger-pawn/article_c0082223-27fc-5e37-a4d4-72d6ff54cc57.html) That was fast! I’ve been puzzling over that for months and you find the answer right in my town’s newspaper in less than 10 minutes. :smack: Not sure why I didn’t do that. Thanks! I do love any story that includes a mysterious sea captain: > [@Columbia Tribune](#): > > Outside of weighing around 5 tons, not much is known about the origins of the now American flag-painted submarine. Fulton resident Barbara Hayes said her late husband, Jack, bought the submarine from a captain who built the vessel while he was living on the East Coast ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-some-kind-of-manned-bomb-or-torpedo/726913/5 "2015-08-03T20:31:24Z")
> [@Bayard](#): > > That was fast! I’ve been puzzling over that for months and you find the answer right in my town’s newspaper in less than 10 minutes. :smack: Not sure why I didn’t do that. Simple Google image search on the name on the sub.