Posted on 06/04/2008 5:36:24 AM PDT by Homer_J_Simpson
Torpedo explosions were simulated by means of dynamite blasts sent against the specially designed steel caisson, built like a section of a ship’s hull, which may revolutionize battleship construction.
The test blasts were heard all over the southern part of the city. Navy yard aides explained the experiment was routine, but elaborate precautions were taken to assure secrecy.
In a general message from Washington at 9 o’clock this morning, all vessels in the Delaware River were ordered to “stand clear” of the navy yard.
The wall of specially designed armor plates, like those of a heavy battleship, was put on the raft and the charges of high explosives were hurled against it.
Studies to determine the effect of the simulated torpedo fire on the caisson, supposedly made up of a series of water-tight compartments, were begun after the explosions.
The new design is an outgrowth of the so-called blister or false hull developed by the British Navy in the World War. The blisters were efficacious, but further tests indicated room for improvement.
The Naval Treaty of 1922 held up the experiments in this country for a time, but the new billion dollar building program of the navy put engineers at work to perfect new plans for defense against torpedoes.
The new watertight compartment design was tried out first with scale models in tanks. Later tests were made with a full-size model at Norfolk.
Results of these tests were so satisfactory that another model was developed at Philadelphia. It is this one that was baptized by fire in the Delaware River today.
Kongo was a WWI design, but she was ov erhauled extensively in the ‘30s, and was, for all effect, a fast battleship with 14” guns. Not many of the older ships went into WW II in the same configuration they had in WW I. HOOD was somewhat of an exception. Her constant cruises between wars, showing the flag, prevented much of [but not all of] the planned work on her.
As for SHINANO, all you say is true, but in point of fact, a post 1937 battleship hull was breached by torpedoes fired by a U.S submarine. She wouldn’t have flooded if she hadn’t been penetrated.
Don’t forget the Italian battleships sunk by SWORDFISH torpedo bombers at Taranto in 1940, the raid that put the bee in Yamamoto’s bonnet about Pearl Harbor. They were all post WW I designs, and were built in the 20s and 30s
I got this much from the link:
Smaller Munitions - For weaponised UAV and UCAVs to achieve their initial cost and stealth advantages by being smaller than their manned counterparts, they will need smaller munitions that are more powerful and more precise. One advanced warhead uses plasma energy to effect destruction via a focused planar wave with detonation pressure many times greater than that achieved with conventional explosives. Thus, even with a small quantity of plasma warhead, the focused planar energy will be able to ‘cut’ through metal structures such as radar antennae with ease.
That seems to be entirety in document.
Also heard from an SF author (John Ringo) that there might be a plasma weapon spin-off from a study of re-entry protection. They couldn’t protect the shuttle with a magnetic field, but supposedly they came up with way for a plasma to generate its own containment field. The plasma bullets, bolts, or whatever, are launched as spinning toroids to generate the magnetic field needed to contain plasma. When the field is interupted the plasma is directed against the weak spot in the field... like a shaped charge! (Also sounds a bit like Drake’s “power guns?”)
This, of course, is second or third hand and might be total BS. Mr. Ringo can be full of it, especially if its open bar...
[i]during ww2 hms barham was hit by one torpedo and blew up and sunk.
I think Barham took three to sink—all on the port side in quick succession. She capsized before counterflooding could be engaged—not that it would have saved her.
Royal Oak took two, if I remember correctly. The third one hit the anchor chain. [/i]
you are correct. barham took 3 torpedoes. royal oak also took 3. the first one fired severed the anchor chain. in the second attack 3 were fired and all hit.
3 seconds late...
Yeah. My dad was manning a gun crew at the base of the #3 turret on the Maryland when a Kamikaze hit the top of the turret.
Check the date, 1938.
Obsolete then, yes.
I must be a little dense. Who is 3 seconds late and what are they late for?
Petronski. You said he’d come by to gripe. He did. Exactly 3 seconds later.
My Dad was on the Mississippi, which sailed with the Maryland and fought in the same battles. Except that the Mississippi was not in Pearl Harbor both ships amost have the same WWII history.
I pointed out the error in the title.
Exactly 3 seconds later.
Exactly 3 seconds later than what?
Go back to your post about the title error. Look up.
"...exactly three seconds later..." than what?
19 posted on Wed Jun 4 06:31:45 2008 by Homer_J_Simpson
21 posted on Wed Jun 4 06:34:45 2008 by Petronski
The .450 milliseconds caught my eye. Somehow I skipped over post #20.
But then again, I don’t have Cyborg to help me...
That’s hours, minutes and seconds.
It was exactly three minutes later (except for the one before it).
Are you keeping score at home? Is there wagering going on?
Ummmmmmmmm. *nevemind*
(And THAT kids, is why Daddy shouldn't post before he's had coffee)...
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