In the Spring newsletters of 2007 and 2008*, you read about the Old Saybrook High School Technical Arts students building a full scale working replica of David Bushnell's Revolutionary War submarine Turtle under the direction of their instructor Fred Frese and FOSA member Roy Manstan.

In October of last year [2009], Roy and Fred presented a talk for FOSA members about this project, with a viewing afterward of the Turtle replica at the Museum of Early Engineering Technology [in Westbrook, CT], a short stroll from the lecture.

Now ... The story of the Revolutionary War submarine Turtle has been told by Roy Manstan, with co-author Fred Frese, in their soon-to-be published book TURTLE, David Bushnell's Revolutionary Vessel. The book traces the origins of the many complex technologies that Bushnell incorporated into his unique "machine for the destruction of ships," including his invention of the propeller. Through a series of operational tests on a working replica, the authors speculate on the difficulties encountered by the original pilot, Ezra Lee, and why the mission to sink the British flagship HMS Eagle failed.

*Ed. Note: To see reprints of these articles, click Spring 2007 Turtle   and   Spring 2008 Turtle.