THE HUNLEY COOL VIDEO: Recovered Civil War Submarine Rotated CBS12.com, June 27, 2011 NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Scientists at the Warren Lasch Conservation Center completed the rotation of the Hunley on Thursday. The world’s first successful combat submarine has rested on her side at a 45-degree angle since she was lost in 1864. The sub was recovered from the ocean floor in that exact position in 2000 and has remained that way, until now. After a challenging and risky few days, the 7-ton, 40-foot vessel will now be able to undergo complete preservation treatment, officials said. The team spent two years planning the rotation and tested various simulations in advance on a 3D model. Officials said the process was at times slow and tedious and sometimes nerve-racking. It took 3 days in all to complete the rotation. At one point, they said the bow started to dip too much toward the ground and scientists had to make modifications to get the submarine level again. Officials said they anticipated the potential of this occurring though had hoped it would not affect the rotation. Also, a laser monitoring system – critical to detecting any potential warping or damage that scientists were desperately trying to avoid – had to be adjusted one morning, causing a delay of a few hours for rotation work to start. Scientists will now remove the straps and overhead truss that have safely held the Hunley since it was taken from the ocean. Link to video: http://www.cbs12.com/news/conservation-4733394-video-rotated.html