UC2 Kraka, barku den Dinamarka
UC2 Kraka is a small submarine completed in 2005 and now displayed at Denmark's Technical Museum in Helsingor. Handcrafted at about 41 feet long and weighing 6 tons, it features two engines: a diesel motor producing roughly 16 horsepower for surface travel and an electric motor with 8 horsepower for underwater operation.
The submarine was hand-built between 2003 and 2005 in a workshop in Farum by a small group including Peter Madsen and Claus Nørregaard, consuming more than 3600 work hours. It represents a period when private individuals worldwide were beginning to construct their own submarines as a demonstration of engineering skill and personal vision.
The name 'Kraka' comes from Norse language, linking the submarine to old Scandinavian maritime traditions. Today it stands as a symbol of how ordinary people can build complex underwater machines through hands-on skill and determination.
The submarine is on display in the museum's exhibition space where you can walk around and view it from all angles. The display provides direct access to see the full structure and technical details up close without any special requirements.
The diesel engine was already 65 years old when the submarine launched in 2005, salvaged from another vessel that had been scrapped decades earlier. This unconventional reuse demonstrates the builders' resourcefulness in finding and adapting practical solutions.
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