# David Taylor Model Basin

> ship model basin located at the U.S. Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division

**Wikidata**: [Q666140](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q666140)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Taylor_Model_Basin)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/david-taylor-model-basin

## Summary
David Taylor Model Basin (DTMB) is a U.S. Navy ship model basin and research facility located at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division in Montgomery County, Maryland. Opened in 1939 and named for David Watson Taylor, it is a specialized research installation for naval architecture and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and designated an ASME Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark.

## Key Facts
- Inception: 1939 (opened as a ship model basin and research facility).  
- Primary function: ship model basin and research institute focused on naval architecture.  
- Location: Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division, Montgomery County, Maryland, United States.  
- Coordinates: latitude 38.975, longitude −77.1917.  
- Named after: David Watson Taylor (namesake: David Taylor Model Basin).  
- Short name / alias: DTMB; also known as David W. Taylor Model Basin and several non‑English aliases.  
- Heritage designations: listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP reference number 85003231; NRHP listing date 1985-10-17) and designated an ASME Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark (landmark no. 197; designation date 1998-01-30).  
- Architectural style: Art Deco architecture.  
- Military branch affiliation: United States Navy (operates as a military installation within the Naval Surface Warfare Center system).  
- Elevation above sea level: recorded as 125 feet (38–39 metres, point-in-time 1979-09-12).

## FAQs
### Q: What is the David Taylor Model Basin?
A: The David Taylor Model Basin is a U.S. Navy ship model basin and research institute that conducts naval architecture testing and development. It is located at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division in Maryland.

### Q: When was the DTMB established?
A: The DTMB was established in 1939.

### Q: Where is the David Taylor Model Basin located?
A: It is located in Montgomery County, Maryland, at the Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division (coordinates 38.975, −77.1917).

### Q: Is the facility historically recognized?
A: Yes. The DTMB is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP #85003231, listed 1985-10-17) and is an ASME Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark (no. 197, designated 1998-01-30).

### Q: Who is the basin named after?
A: The basin is named for David Watson Taylor.

## Why It Matters
The David Taylor Model Basin is a dedicated facility for controlled experimental testing of ship models and naval architecture research within the United States Navy. As a specialized basin and research institute, it provides an environment where hydrodynamic behavior of hull forms and related naval engineering problems can be studied at scale. Its long history (inception 1939) and institutional placement inside the Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division make it a central resource for military and naval engineering work. Its recognition on the National Register of Historic Places and designation as an ASME Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark underline both its technical importance to mechanical and naval engineering and its cultural/historical significance. The facility’s Art Deco architecture and preserved historic status also reflect its role as a longstanding physical and institutional landmark in naval research.

## Notable For
- Being a purpose-built ship model basin and long-standing naval research institute (inception 1939).  
- Formal recognition on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP #85003231; listed 1985-10-17).  
- Designation as an ASME Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark (landmark no. 197; 1998-01-30).  
- Operating as a military installation within the United States Navy’s Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division.  
- Distinctive Art Deco architectural style and preserved historic site attributes.

## Body

### H3: Identity and classification
- Official name: David Taylor Model Basin.  
- Short name / common abbreviation: DTMB.  
- Instance of: ship model basin; research institute; military installation.  
- Field of work: naval architecture.  
- Named after: David Watson Taylor.

### H3: Location and physical data
- Location: Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division, Montgomery County, Maryland, United States.  
- Coordinates: 38.975° N, −77.1917° W.  
- Elevation: recorded at 125 feet (about 38–39 metres) above sea level (point-in-time 1979-09-12).  
- Architectural style: Art Deco architecture.

### H3: Founding and heritage
- Inception year: 1939.  
- National Register of Historic Places: listed place, NRHP reference number 85003231; listing date 1985-10-17; applicable criteria A and C for the ship model basin.  
- ASME Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark: landmark no. 197; designation date 1998-01-30.

### H3: Organizational and military context
- Located within and affiliated to: Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division.  
- Military branch: United States Navy.  
- Functional role: a research and testing facility for ship models and naval architecture within the Navy’s research infrastructure.

### H3: Names, identifiers, and media
- Aliases: David W. Taylor Model Basin; DTMB; Japanese and Chinese renderings provided in aliases.  
- Wikimedia image (exterior, c.1946): https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/David_Taylor_Model_Basin_-_exterior_view,_c._1946.jpg  
- Place-name sign image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Submarine_competition_at_David_Taylor_Model_Basin._(9153307506).jpg  
- Identifiers: NRHP ref# 85003231; geonames_id 4352810; gnis_feature_id 588962; freebase id /m/04bk7j; idref_id 151526788; maryland's_national_register_properties_id 938; medusa_nrhp_id 17878; open_library_id OL6828264A.

### H3: Affiliations and associations
- Part of the Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division research complex.  
- Noted affiliation in source data with Betty Holberton (American computer programmer, 1917–2001).  

### H3: Registry and catalog entries
- Listed on the National Register of Historic Places with associated NRHP metadata (applies to the ship model basin).  
- Recorded as an ASME Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark (applies to the ship model basin).  

(End of entry.)

## References

1. Geographic Names Information System
2. GeoNames
3. [Source](https://www.asme.org/about-asme/engineering-history/landmarks/197-david-taylor-model-basin)
4. [Source](https://www.navsea.navy.mil/Portals/103/Documents/Warfare_Centers/WarfareCentersDivisions_FactSheets_2019.pdf)
5. National Register Information System
6. Virtual International Authority File
7. IdRef
8. [Source](http://rdf.freebase.com/ns/m.04bk7j)
9. Open Library
10. BabelNet
11. Biodiversity Heritage Library
12. Online Books Page
13. Maryland's National Register Properties
14. Medusa