What US submarine was used to film the movie Destination Tokyo?

Answer 1

The USS Copperfin depicted in the WWII movie "Destination Tokyo" (one of my favorites, as it is with most submariners) was not a real submarine, nor was the film made aboard an actual navy boat. It was filmed on board a full scale model, with fake interior equipment layouts to confuse any enemy who would see it (remember the film was released in 1943 in the middle of WWII). In 1943 all combat ready submarines were still trying to hold the Japanese from expanding into the Pacific until the fleet could be rebuilt and reinforcements brought to bear. Using an actual submarine for a movie wasn't even considered. Footage of the boat sinking ships is also of models - you can tell from the clarity of the water (it's fresh water, not salt - the ocean is never that clear and bright).

It's only been during the last 15 years or so that the Navy has allowed film crews aboard actual submarines, and even then content is closely reviewed prior to release. I, like many submariners of my era (Cold War) still believe that film crews have no business aboard an actual submarine. In our day you could not take a picture of any submarine, and any personal cameras had to be approved by the CO. Any pictures taken could not show anything that was classified in nature. Anyone caught shooting film of a submarine would be arrested and charged.