Re: Bismarck/Rudder Damage/Specifics?
- From: "B F Lake" <nomail@xxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 14 Sep 2006 16:09:30 GMT
"Alexander Thesoso" <alexander_thesoso@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:iBeOg.9424$Rw2.4575@xxxxxxxxxxx
I'm still trying to make sense of what the situation was...it
Imagine the communication between the engineering officer and the captain:
Captain: What is the situation?
EO: We have a torpedo stuck in the rudder, and the steering linkage is
jammed. If we do nothing, we will be shot, torpedoed and sunk...
If we lower a few kilograms of explosive over the stern and detonate it,
one of 3 things can happen...
a) Nothing happens, we will be shot, torpedoed and sunk.
b) We will damage the ship, and we will be shot, torpedoed and sunk.
c) We might blow something loose, we can then weld up a sea anchor, winch
over the side, and make a few knots towards Brest.
Captain: Do nothing.
There was a big hole aft which flooded the steering gear compartments and
shock or other distortions had jammed the "linkage" The rudder was not
jammed by having a torpedo stuck in it as far as the crew could tell. The
one diver who managed to get in there could not shift it, which is not
surprising as how could he brace himself and tug on a wrench or whatever to
do it? It needed a major repair with proper heavy equipment to do anything.
The force of the sea swooshing in and out made everything impossible.
They had an idea to weld an opposing sort of rudder to the ship's side aft,
but could not because of the large motion of the stern in the seaway.
Diving over the side was especially diifficult as would be placing such
explosives, even if the explosives would have done any good. They also
worried the explosion would damage the propellers, which were at least then
still working. Hard to judge how much explosive to use was a problem they
discussed.
They tried and tried, but there just was no way. See chapter 27, "Mortal
Hit" in "Battleship Bismarck" People have been trying to think of what they
could have done that they didn't try since it happened, but nobody has
solved the problem AFAIK.
Regards,
Barry
.
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- From: Alexander Thesoso
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