Torpedo and splinter bulkheads

[José M. Rico]

This is no major find but did you know that Bismarck/Tirpitz's 45 mm (Ww) longitudinal torpedo bulkhead extended more than 1 meter over the 3rd armor deck and was riveted to the 30 mm splinter bulkhead? See attached drawing.

Verbindung Torpedoschoot mit Splitterschoot

[Javier L.]

Interesting but wasn't more than 90% of Bismarck hull electrically welded to save weight? I thought bolts were not used at all.

[ontheslipway]

If 90% was welded, does that not leave 10% unwelded? And if 10% is unwelded, how do you suppose this was done? Stapples, stitches, glue?

[Javier L.]

OK, so this must be considered inside the 10% unwelded sections of the hull, or maybe the % given is only for the outer hull and not for the inside decks? Because the main armored plates of the 38 cm turrets and other parts of the ship were bolted too.

[Ulrich Rudofsky]

There were several uses of rivets in Kriegsmarine construction regulations. An example for Bismarck riveting scheme is shown on this web site in the article in "Marine Arsenal 6", page 33. Details of the general riveting methods (1930-1940) are given in H. Evers "Kriegsschiffbau" pp. 183-86, 1943. Copies of these pages are available by e mail on request.

[George Elder]

We know the Germans used both welding and reviting on the same joints, and that they had little faith in welding when it came to elements of the underwater protection scheme. We have drawings of many structural joints, and it certainly appears that a combination of welding and reviting was used extensively -- with welding being problematic on many levels. The Germans were aware of the weakness welding can create in the areas adjacent to the weld zone, and this may account for why they eschewed its use in some joints. Dave Saxton is the expert here, and he has found much information on this subject.

George

[Dave Saxton]

...... Dave Saxton is the expert here, and he has found much information on this subject.

George

I'm certianly no "expert" when it comes any of this stuff! I'm doing what I can to educate myself better, and I do try to share what I learn with others, as well as share some of what I have observed in my hands on experiance involving the welding arts. I hope I havn't come across in a negative manner to anybody?

The Germans did use both riveting and welding in construction of Bismarck, it is now clear. This was the case with all naval construction from this period. The German use of welding may have been more extensive than some, but it was for the most part, not much different from the welding practices in the USA and Britian of the same period, it would appear from the available information thus far. Some Navy's, such as the IJN, employed welding only on a limited basis. IIRC, it was once reported that the Yamato class used about 18,000 welding electrodes in the construction of each. This really isn't very many for project of such magnitude.

It is almost intuitive to assume that the Ww torpedo bulkhead was welded in top and bottom using double fillets on the German ships. This assumption has found it's way around as one example of why it wouldn't have held up, and may have been weakened by hydrogen embrittlement, faulty welding.. ect... As we see, this wasn't the case, and the Germans contructed the armoured bulkheads as the continious element with the panzerdeck, slopes, and the double bottom as the joined peices- no fillet welded T joints to possibly fail and leak-top or bottom.