Hood: vulnerability to torpedo hits
Hood: vulnerability to torpedo hits
Does anyone know whether any evaluation was ever done regarding how Hood would fare against torpedo hits?
In particular would it be possible for two torpedo hits amidships to sink Hood by either detonation of boilers or magazines, as suggested in another thread?
In particular would it be possible for two torpedo hits amidships to sink Hood by either detonation of boilers or magazines, as suggested in another thread?
''Give me a Ping and one Ping only'' - Sean Connery.
Re: Hood: vulnerability to torpedo hits
Why would boilers detonate? How many times in WWII did naval boilers detonate?
- Karl Heidenreich
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There is of course the case of Barham. Was the sinking of Royal Oak also excelerated by magazine detonation?Bgile wrote:A lot of US Warships got hit by torpedoes, and I'm not aware of a boiler ever exploding as a result.
I'm not sure about destroyers, but I'm not aware of any magazines ever exploding on ships of cruiser size or larger either.
''Give me a Ping and one Ping only'' - Sean Connery.
Re: Hood: vulnerability to torpedo hits
From seawater coming into contact with pressurised high temperature steam.Tiornu wrote:Why would boilers detonate? How many times in WWII did naval boilers detonate?
Boiler explosions did happen with torpedoed merchant ships when they finally went under.
I think that I can recall that the boilers of Courageous blew as she sank.
''Give me a Ping and one Ping only'' - Sean Connery.
Re: Hood: vulnerability to torpedo hits
Maybe, but in those cases it wasn't the cause of sinking. US ships had boiler rooms flooded with no boiler explosion. I'm not as familiar with British war history, but I don't think there was a relevant difference in the two navies with regard to boilers.RF wrote:
From seawater coming into contact with pressurised high temperature steam.
Boiler explosions did happen with torpedoed merchant ships when they finally went under.
I think that I can recall that the boilers of Courageous blew as she sank.
Re: Hood: vulnerability to torpedo hits
Merchant ships are another matter entirely. That's why I specified naval boilers. I'm aware of flashbacks but no boiler explosions. Burt gives a fairly detailed account of the Courageous's loss but mentions no boiler explosions.Boiler explosions did happen with torpedoed merchant ships when they finally went under.
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I don't have much faith in any old battleships when it comes to torpedoes. Fuso. Pennsylvania. Barham. Maybe--maybe--the old US ships with layered TDS's would do okay. Lexington at Coral Sea gave a credible performance against aerial torpedoes.
So I think Hood would be in the fight of her life with two torpedo hits. Of course, much would depend on the size of the torpedoes and the placement of the hits.
So I think Hood would be in the fight of her life with two torpedo hits. Of course, much would depend on the size of the torpedoes and the placement of the hits.
The Cruiser HMS Newcastle was hit once by an S-boat but managed to limp back to harbour
So on that basis Hood could be vulnerable to a single German S-boat....
Turning it around.........An S-boat was vulnerable to just about anything
Not the same but arieal launched torpedo's were the nasty buggers
Look what the first Japanese torpedo did to Prince of Wales
Look what a swordfish did to Bismarcks rudder
So on that basis Hood could be vulnerable to a single German S-boat....
Turning it around.........An S-boat was vulnerable to just about anything
Not the same but arieal launched torpedo's were the nasty buggers
Look what the first Japanese torpedo did to Prince of Wales
Look what a swordfish did to Bismarcks rudder
God created the world in 6 days.........and on the 7th day he built the Scharnhorst