Will Forman Navy Submersible Film Collection, 1961-1970 (SMC 190)

Extent: 21.35 GB of digital files (45 films)

Digital Content

This collection is available for viewing on the UC San Diego Library Digital Collections website.

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Forty-five films (reformatted from the original 16mm) from the collection of Will Forman on U.S. Navy submersibles, particularly the development of Deep Jeep at the Naval Ordnance Test Station (NOTS) at China Lake, California.

Willis "Will" R. Forman was a submersible designer, engineer, and project manager at the Naval Undersea Research & Development Center in San Diego, California. He participated in the development of the Deep Jeep and Deep View submersibles in the 1960s.

Forman loaned his films documenting submersible development work to the Library in 2010 for digitization; the original films were returned to him.

Forty-five films (digitally reformatted from the original 16mm) from the collection of Will Forman on U.S. Navy submersibles, particularly the development of Deep Jeep at the Naval Ordnance Test Station (NOTS) at China Lake, California. The collection also includes footage of Deep View; Denise, the Cousteau soucoupe submersible; and travel in Japan and Japanese submersible technologies.

Will Forman. The history of American deep submersible operations, 1775-1995. Flagstaff, Ariz., Best Publishing Co., 1999.

Container List

FILMS

Footprints in the Sea. Produced by U.S. Naval Ordnance Test Station Pasadena, 1965

Film presents deep ocean submersible work of the U.S. Navy's Naval Ordnance Test Station. Features Jacques Cousteau's "Denise" soucoupe submersible (Westinghouse), the U.S. Naval Ordnance Test Station's Deep Jeep and Moray submersibles, and the CURV remotely operated vehicle. | Written on original label "Release Print #2A - Pasadena film branch, code P7525." | Time: 00:24:00 | Color film, with sound.

First Deep Jeep launch, Rincon Pier, 1960-1971

Time: 00:27:03. | Color film, silent.

Deep Jeep, 1964 May 12-13

Time: 00:16:42. | Color film, silent.

Japanese submersibles, 1966

Aerial and ground footage of Japan and Japanese submarines taken during a trip in 1966. | Time: 00:20:59. | Color film, silent.

Deep Jeep - SCI 6A top, 1964 December

Time: 00:23:57. | Color film, silent.

Model Deep Jeep structural research, 1964 December

Written on original label "Structural research, Southwest Research Inst." | Time: 00:13:11. | Color film, silent.

Deep Jeep 2500' U/M test, Santa Barbara, 1965 January

Time: 00:13:34. | Color film, silent.

Japan Jomiuri Kuroshio, 1966

Aerial and ground footage of Japan and Japanese submarines taken during a trip in 1966. | Time: 00:20:47. | Color film, silent.

Deep Jeep - GMC first untethered, 1960-1971

Time: 00:10:22. | Color film, silent.

Deep Jeep test - Material for TV release, 1960-1971

Time: 00:05:02. | Color film, silent.

Deep View, ca. 1968

Film shows Navy's Deep View submersible development project, which continued work started with Deep Jeep. Film shows Deep Jeep model tested underwater and in ocean operations; and Deep View model in underwater testing for development purposes (DV was launched in 1971). | Time: 00:07:50. | Color film, with sound.

Deep Jeep Manned sea trial

Written on original label "Smugglers Cove, Santa Cruz Isl." | Time: 00:12:28. | Color film, silent.

Diving locker, first trial, 1960-1971

Time: 00:08:32. | Color film, silent.

Roll #47, Deep View at Catalina Island, 1960-1971

Time: 00:06:20. | Color film, silent.

Roll #54, Deep View at Catalina Island, 1960-1971

Time: 00:06:45. | Color film, silent.

Deep View Progress Report #1. Produced by U.S. Naval Undersea Research and Development Center, 1971 February 3

Written on original label "Glass hemisphere grinding unmoored sea trials (remote)." | Time: 00:10:57. | Color film, silent.

GMC Deep Jeep battery drop, 1971 February 3

Time: 00:06:43. | Black and white film, silent.

Early manned Deep Jeep, 1971 February 3

Time: 00:07:56. | Color film, silent.

Launch of a large sphere (Kumu?) at sea, 1969

Written on original label (unintelligible): W's Test at Hokar. Time: 00:09:05. | Color film, silent.

First Kumu submersible sphere test, 1969 May 29

Time: 00:09:06. | Color film, silent.

Platform YFU, 1964 December

Time: 00:10:02. | Color film, silent.

Soucoupe dives 161 and 162 - Footage from submersible, 1964 February 15

Written on original label "Dives #161-162 WOA 9968 Univ of Calif." | Time: 00:10:07. | Black and white film, silent.

Japanese submersibles, 1966

Notations from original label, can and leader: "UNOL USNOTS-OL Submersibles, color print. Japanese Trip 1966" | Time: 00:09:54. | Color film, silent.

Yomiuri Chi Chi, Japan, 1968

Time: 00:07:23. | Color film, silent.

Deep Jeep GMC - Early manned tests, 1960-1971

Time: 00:03:31. | Black and white film, silent.

Deep Jeep hardware, 1963 April 26

Time: 00:05:55. | Color film, silent.

Deep View glass research, 1960-1971

Time: 00:04:47. | Color film, silent.

Early tethered GMC Deep Jeep, 1960-1971

Time: 00:03:01. | Color film, silent.

Soucoupe/CURV: Handshake underwater, 1964 December 2

Time: 00:05:27. | Color film, silent.

Deep Jeep - Early propulsion tests, 1960-1971

Time: 00:02:55. | Color film, silent.

Deep Jeep - Early propulsion tests, 1960-1971

Time: 00:02:58. | Color film, silent.

Deep Jeep, 1960-1971

Time: 00:02:53. | Color film, silent.

Deep Jeep personnel, 1964 December

Time: 00:02:58. | Color film, silent.

First Deep Jeep unmanned dives, 1960-1971

Time: 00:02:08. | Color film, silent.

Grinding Deep View glass hemisphere, 1960-1971

Time: 00:02:03. | Color film, silent.

Kumu manned submersible sphere, 1960-1971

Time: 00:02:33. | Color film, silent.

Deep Jeep, China Lake, 1960-1971

Time: 00:01:39. | Color film, silent.

Deep Jeep - Glenn Minard, 1960-1971

Time: 00:01:59. | Color film, silent.