FNRS-3

The FNRS -3 was a French bathyscaphe, which went into service in 1953 and held a depth record for a short time.

Starting point of the development was the previous construction FNRS -2, had undertaken with the Auguste Piccard in collaboration with the French Navy in 1948 dives in Cape Verde. This design had several shortcomings exhibited, had been damaged in the use of seas and was placed out of service in 1950. In the same year joined the French Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS ) signed a contract with the Belgian Fonds National pour la Recherche Scientifique ( FNRS ) on the continued use of the pressure hull of the FNRS -2. The plans for a new Bathyscaphen began under the direction of French naval officers. Participation was also Georges Houot while Piccard only participated in an advisory capacity and in 1952 completely withdrew.

1953 ran the dive boat in Toulon from the stack. Compared to the predecessor, many constructive improvements had occurred, especially the larger and more streamlined floats in boat shape. Furthermore, the entry into the pressure hull was now over a set by the float shaft, so that the crew did not have to enter before the launching of the vehicle. Some important features are, however, retained, including the electromagnetic suspension of the Notballastes. Through this mechanism, lead weights would have been dropped, since the electromagnet would have been, and the boat would thus be automatically returned to the surface in the event of a power failure in the electrical system.

After launching the August 1953 have been made about attempts to dive in the Mediterranean, where, which consists of the officers and Houot Willm crew depths of up to 2,100 m reached. 1954 diving attempts were made off the coast of West Africa, it reached the FNRS -3 on 15 February in Dakar a depth of 4,050 m. Thus, the previous record was broken at the Piccard's Trieste had reached a depth of 3,050 m on September 30, 1953 off the island of Ponza in the Mediterranean. The record of the FNRS -3 was valid as the Trieste reached 7,320 m by 1959.

The FNRS -3 was in service until 1960 and undertook while in the company of several support ships, among other expeditions to Japan and a total of 40 dives. On dive trips the vehicle also took part in the marine biologist Theodore Monod. In 1960, FNRS -3 replaced by the improved construction Archimede and has since exhibited in the naval arsenal of Toulon.

FNRS -3 at its decommissioning next to the Archimede