The Turtle was a submersible craft used in the American Revolutionary War by the American inventor David Bushnell. It is considered one of the first submarines ever used in combat. Constructed in 1775, the Turtle was designed to attach explosive charges to British ships in New York Harbor. The craft was hand-powered and could submerge and resurface using ballast tanks. It had a screw propeller for forward motion and a periscope for navigation. The Turtle made its first and only attack in 1776, attempting to attach an explosive to the HMS Eagle but failed due to technical issues. Despite being unsuccessful in its mission, the Turtle is a significant historical artifact as one of the earliest examples of military submarines. It influenced the development of future submarine technology and tactics. Today, a replica of the Turtle can be seen at the Connecticut River Museum, showcasing its unique design and innovative features that paved the way for modern submarines.

This description has been generated using GPT-3.5-TURBO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.