[TXnMA]

"It will be interesting to compare the real Hunley submersible with the reconstructed replicas (IIRC, one is in Columbia, the other in Charleston)." One immediately obvious difference is that the replicas (at least the one in Charleston) show a top-mounted, horizontal wooden spar with the torpedo directly in line with it.

I hosted a private forum for scientists, archaeologists and historians working on planning the raising. There, (based on scale CAD drawings of the Hunley and the Housatonic at the moment of closest approach and the fact that the blast severed the Housatonic's prop shaft) I predicted that the torpedo was deployed via an 18--20-foot 2" or so iron pipe, pivoted via a Y-yoke off the lower bow and deployed at a downward angle of 30 degrees.

Shortly afterward, historian and author, Mark Ragan, posted a drawing from the US Archives of "Singer's Torpedo -- used for sinking the Housatonic" with triple, lanyard-triggered percussion fuses -- and a socket on the back for a 2' pipe -- mounted at a thirty degree angle!

When they excavated the lower bow before placing the caisson in front of the Hunley, there was the Y-yoke -- just as predicted...

~~~~~~~~

Just found a couple of old images from the forum:

"Blast Point" shows the probable location of the blast on the Housatonic -- and

Is one of the sketches Mark Ragan found depicting the torpedo...

Not sure if the hard drive with the CAD drawings is still operable; I'll check...

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lucked out! Take a look at

IIRC, that is the first time that sketch has been seen by the public...

[Eye of Unk]

Thank you very much for sharing that, our generation still thinks it was the Nautilus ramming the ship underwater.

I really really want a big screen major movie made about the Hunley.

[TXnMA]

Ping to my #80...

You folks may appreciate a first look at some private graphics there from before the Hunley was raised...

[Liberty Valance]

bttt

[Graewoulf]

Thanks for the # 80 ping! Question: Is the thinking that the shock waves from the explosion were mainly directed down due to the position of the explosive at the tapered section of the stern that it contacted?

If so, what would have been the effect on the Hunley compared to hitting the Housatonic at a more vertical ship surface, say at mid section?

[elcid1970]

Wow! Those are some incredible drawings!

The more that is learned about the Hunley, the more sophisticated the design of the vessel and its proven effective weapon is revealed to be. The innovation of the Y-yoke to place the torpedo far beneath the target’s waterline is amazing in itself.

It should he remembered that prior to the outbreak of the Civil War, that the Industrial Revolution and Machine Age were already well under way.

[rockrr]

Thank you for sharing those extra details not covered in the article. I’ve read several pieces on the raising and restoration of the Hunley (even posted one to FreeRepublic last summer) but none have offered much depth to their accounts.

Interesting stuff!

[shove_it]

Impressive addition to both threads, thanks.