Wooden Hull Incident Casualties
During the Damage Control research efforts for the Survivability Review Group (SRG) studies, one startling fact was brought to the forefront: the Navy has not done as much testing on the resilience or weakness of the wooden hulls or fiberglass hulls to the extent that the steel hulls have been researched and tested. In order to understand how wooden and fiberglass hulls react to damage (impact and explosion), the following information was compiled from website searches in an effort to see how the ships reacted to outside influences. While this is NOT an in depth study with modeling and scale testing, it provided a very useful glimpse into Navy ships without steel. Only Navy hulls were included in the research, wooden hulls used by the civilian community were excluded. Special thanks to the mine sweeps web site: www.minesweep.org/chainlocker.htm.
YMS-516
Republic of Korea minesweeper YMS-516 is blown up by a magnetic mine, during sweeping operations west of Kalma Pando, Wonsan harbor, on 18 October 1950.
This ship was originally the U.S. Navy's YMS-148, which had served in the British Navy in 1943-46.
Early Shock Test
The Aggressive was the lead MSO ship and as such was subject to rigorous testing...
In late 1955, Aggressive participated in underwater explosive tests to determine the degree of damage to be expected from a mine explosion close aboard. Information obtained from these tests was used to improve the design of planned minesweepers and to make the required alternations to those already in commission. At completion of these tests, Aggressive entered a shipyard for additional design modifications and necessary repair work, which were completed in August 1956.
The Aggressive went underwater explosive testing in Key West. When I went aboard in '59, the machinery history records were full of damage reports that just about wrecked the entire engineering plant during the test. All the main engines were knocked off their mounts, the engine on the 300KW variable frequency generator was rolled over on its side. I think the only machinery that was operable after the test was the 60KW, and 100KW generators, which were contained on their own engine mounts.
I heard that the crew was removed, and explosive charges were detonated under the ship, and literally lifted her out of the water. This happened in the mid 50's, and required a complete shipyard overhaul afterward. There was little hull damage, but major machinery derangement.
Shock test:
Size comparison of 2 mine sweeps and a DDG, both are riding on the pontoon deck of the Heavy Lift Ship Blue Marlin.
2 Mine Sweeps
1 DDG
dcfp home |
library home |
about us |
what's new
site map |
disclaimer for external links |
contact us