DC explosion effect on vessel

[CZ_RAF]

Hi all,

I would like to consult the effect of a DC explosion on a fishing vessel? I expect only a shake in case of close explosion, but that would be all.
Any comments would be much appreciated.

TIA

Pavel

[Resmoroh]

Pavel, Hi,
This is just intuition, but I suspect that the effects of a nearby significant explosion (at whatever depth) would be different on a wooden hulled vessel, then on a metal hulled vessel. Both would probably lose some incandescent light bulbs, but I would bet some of your money that the metal hull would spring more leaks than the wooden one!!!!!!!!!!
HTH. Stay safe.
Peter Davies

[CZ_RAF]

Hi Peter, thx for your reply. Your opinion fits with my own expectation that the vessels would not suffer fatal damage in any way.

Pavel

[Graham Boak]

i think you are being optimistic, though it would depend very much on just how near. A near miss by a bomb could very well do severe damage to any vessel, and the shock could also cause internal damage such as causing the engine to shift on its mountings. A similarly close depth charge would have the same effect. It is worth recalling that wooden vessels were considered preferable for early minesweepers because of their non-magnetic hulls, not for the possibility of lesser structural damage.

[CZ_RAF]

Thanks for your comment Graham, well as the attack was made in the night and the report stated only there were dropped 3 DCs at each side of vessels and that is all. No further sightings, no report how close they hit the water, etc. So I am trying to establish what can be the result of the attack. Now I suppose it can be anything from nothing - via shaken vessels with some possible leaks - to serious damage like engine shifted on its mountings (considering they have an engine). Am I right?

TIA

Pavel

[PeteS]

Engines loosened/lifted from mountings, steam boilers/high-pressure pipes fractured and leaking, hull plates tested to the limit particularly with welded seams, etc.

[CZ_RAF]

Thank you Pete, I think I will make just a general remark about possibility which damage may be caused depending on the distance from explosion.

Many thanks to all once more.

Pavel

[PNK]

The size of the DC should give an indication of the blast to be expected, compared to a standard bomb. Also the depth setting on the charge would make a big difference to the result on a surface vessel. It should also be borne in mind that the RAF dropped "B" bombs against ship and these were designed to be buoyant and explode underneath or close to a ship. Maybe someone has a copy of the relevant TNA files on the "B" Bomb.

My guess is that a close detonation with a standard DC would either split the ship or severely buckle it, depending on construction, with the water on the seaward side cushioning the blast towards the ship. I haven't seen anything on DC vs Ship but I suspect the effect is similar to that of Upkeep.

[Don Clark]

There are separate Chapters on both the Buoyant ('B') bomb (Ch 2) and on Depth Charges (Ch 4), plus Appendix 2 Aircraft Depth Charges, in the once Secret Document SD719, Armament (AHB 1952), in Vol I Bombs and Bombing Equipment.

As Armament Vol I and Vol II together, digital copies are available for download from MLRS Publishing at £25.88:
see https://www.mlrsbooks.co.uk/bookstor...t/item973.html

MLRS Publishing is a small family firm which has made a marvellous contribution to making otherwise fairly rare, detailed or obscure original wartime armed services documents available.
Since the death of founder David Westwood five years ago, MLRS continues, as Ros Westwood explains here: https://www.mlrsbooks.co.uk/about_mlrs

They have provided me very good service over quite a number of years. David was a good bloke.

[CZ_RAF]

PNK - thank you for your comment. Well it seems to me it would be better to avoid any speculations and simply state that no results have been observed.

Don - thank you for interesting link.

Pavel