Search found 1528 matches

by tommy303
Wed Jun 29, 2005 2:47 pm
Forum: Off Topic
Topic: Sensitive question
Replies: 13
Views: 5938

Unfortunately it happened once before a year or two ago. Seems there are a lot of people out there with too much time on their hands and nothing better to do but make mischief. Pity.

trf
by tommy303
Tue Jun 28, 2005 9:33 pm
Forum: Naval History in General
Topic: The Greatest Naval Battle in History
Replies: 257
Views: 277480

I think I would throw Salimis into the list, as the victory of the Atenian navy prevented the conquest of Greece by the Persians.
by tommy303
Tue Jun 28, 2005 4:36 am
Forum: Naval Weapons
Topic: A 46 cm shell (Yamato)
Replies: 11
Views: 5105

True, the shell on the left is an APCBC type 91shell, or casting thereof, the one in the middle seems to be the special san-shiki AA incendiary common, and the one on the right looks to be a type 91 with the windscreen and part of the cap cut away to show the shell nose. Very interesting display and...
by tommy303
Mon Jun 27, 2005 4:00 pm
Forum: Naval Weapons
Topic: A 46 cm shell (Yamato)
Replies: 11
Views: 5105

I presume the shells shown are light weight replicas? It seems the shelving upon which they sit is too light for the real thing.
by tommy303
Mon Jun 27, 2005 3:56 pm
Forum: Naval Weapons
Topic: A 46 cm shell (Yamato)
Replies: 11
Views: 5105

Most impressive, and a model maker's ultimate dream.
by tommy303
Thu Jun 23, 2005 11:12 pm
Forum: Bismarck General Discussion
Topic: Diameter of the extendable boom in the nose of Bismarck
Replies: 38
Views: 20103

Ulrich, I personally cannot think of a time when any surface ship other than a minesweeper had been used in such a fashion. Frankly, I believe the Kriegsmarine, along with most others, depended on their minesweepers to sweep any channel a major unit would transit, at least in home waters in time of ...
by tommy303
Thu Jun 23, 2005 7:01 pm
Forum: Bismarck General Discussion
Topic: Diameter of the extendable boom in the nose of Bismarck
Replies: 38
Views: 20103

It is possible, but I have not seen any photograph from the operation which suggests that they were rigged and ready for use. By sticking to the middle of the passage the squadron would have kept to water too deep for mining and I would presume therefore that perhaps they did not. Maybe in the Balti...
by tommy303
Thu Jun 23, 2005 3:40 am
Forum: Bismarck General Discussion
Topic: Diameter of the extendable boom in the nose of Bismarck
Replies: 38
Views: 20103

I have noticed that the Vittorio class, KGVs, Richilieu, and Dunquerque classes all had a forefoot plate with holes through it, and several shots of the KGV and Vittorios show them steaming with lines running up to the forecastle from the bow's forefoot. Presumably this was also a pravane attachment...
by tommy303
Thu Jun 23, 2005 2:50 am
Forum: Bismarck General Discussion
Topic: Diameter of the extendable boom in the nose of Bismarck
Replies: 38
Views: 20103

I have a problem visualizing exactly how that was done myself, Ulrich. I would think it to be most difficult to retrieve the lines without some sort of float arrangement---otherwise, how to haul the thin line back topside to attach the Otters to the cutting line. I frankly dont see how this could be...
by tommy303
Wed Jun 22, 2005 4:30 pm
Forum: Bismarck General Discussion
Topic: Diameter of the extendable boom in the nose of Bismarck
Replies: 38
Views: 20103

It would seem that to have a bow boom above the water would not work as effectively as having the spar underwater and angled downwards. To protect the bow, the lines from the spar would need to run deeper than the ship in order to foul the mooring cables of contact mines and push them outwards and b...
by tommy303
Wed Jun 22, 2005 4:00 pm
Forum: Bismarck General Discussion
Topic: Diameter of the extendable boom in the nose of Bismarck
Replies: 38
Views: 20103

Garzke & Dulin call it a paravane tube and list it in the minesweeping department on the detail plans of Bismarck in their volume on Axis battleships.

trf
by tommy303
Wed Jun 22, 2005 5:29 am
Forum: Bismarck General Discussion
Topic: Diameter of the extendable boom in the nose of Bismarck
Replies: 38
Views: 20103

yes that would be it. It extended downwards at approximately 45 degrees and seems to have been a feature in Bismarck, Hipper, and Scharnhorst classes. as well as the light cruisers except for Emden. Schmalenbach's Kreuzer Prinz Eugen has a nice photo of the installation hers, while in drydock for re...
by tommy303
Wed Jun 22, 2005 12:13 am
Forum: Bismarck General Discussion
Topic: Diameter of the extendable boom in the nose of Bismarck
Replies: 38
Views: 20103

The bowspirite referred to is actually an extendable boom which is underwater (Ausfahreinrichtung für Stenge Bugschutzgerät), and it appears in drawings of Bismarck in von Müllenheim-Rechbergs book. It is also in plans of Scharnhorst and Hipper Classes. It is a boom which can be extended from a tube...
by tommy303
Thu Jun 16, 2005 8:18 pm
Forum: Bismarck General Discussion
Topic: Round metal object at the bow of the Bismarck
Replies: 3
Views: 20235

Curiously, Bismarck was outfitted for minesweeping and the protrusion of which you speak was the extendable boom to which the paravanes were attached. The pravanes themselves were stored to the sides of the forward lower superstructure.

thomas
by tommy303
Fri Jun 10, 2005 4:38 am
Forum: Bismarck General Discussion
Topic: Bismarck bow anchors
Replies: 15
Views: 11761

The Blue Jackets Manual, 1918 edition, page 312: "A ship is moored when she has two anchors down at a considerable distance apart with such a scope of chain on each that she is held with her bow practically in one place between the anchors, regardless of the tide. When a ship is moored, she wil...