[finnigan2]

I read some time ago that a now forgotten British genius proposed that the Brits build special aircraft carriers for the North Atlantic to combat the U Boat menace. They would be constructed quickly out of huge blocks of ice mixed with wood chips. A series of these monster slabs would be anchored in the mid Atlantic convoy sea lanes at points where air cover could not be provided at that time (1939 - 1943). They could be used to launch and recover anti submarine patrol aircraft, they would be impervious to torpedo attack and, being a water and wood mixture, would take years to melt.
The idea was rejected and I think the scientist eventually committed suicide (being a little batty to start with).

[Boiler Plate]

His name was pyke and the stuff was Pykrete. Here's the story

http://www.cabinetmagazine.org/issues/7/floatingisland.php