Hi there,
Is there an official name for deep sea bombs? The ones that's sorta like land mines except made for sea.
Is there an official name for deep sea bombs? The ones that's sorta like land mines except made for sea.
Deep sea bombs
- Thread starter Calliopenjo
- Start date
Sarpedon
Banned
Do you just mean mines? Landmines are so called because they are a land based version of sea mines.
Or do you mean depth charges? These are the explosives dropped by ships or aircraft, that go off at a certain depth to destroy submarines.
Or do you mean depth charges? These are the explosives dropped by ships or aircraft, that go off at a certain depth to destroy submarines.
Just as Sarpedon mentioned there are two basic types.
1. Mines: a) contact mine (which would explode when a ship touches them. b) magnetic mines (dropped in shallow waters or rivers—they will be attracted by the metallic hull of a vessel going close by, rise, make contact and explode, or explode in the mud, without contact, and the shock breaks the ship’s back), c) time mines--dropped usually by aircraft into an enemy harbor and preset to explode at a certain time, d) remote detonated mines—same as time mine but set to explode when an operator presses the button, e) acoustic mines—made to explode by the engines signature of a capital ship.
2. Depth charges: a) clusters (small bomblets designed not necessarily to destroy a sub but more to scare it away—they are designed to explode at a preset depth or on contact), b) drums (large charges dropped by surface vessels or aircraft, meant to create a shock wave and rupture a sub’s hull—different sizes, power and depth). c) acoustic charges (exploded by the noise generated by a sub’s propellers).
3. Torpedoes (can be launched by a sub, ship, chopper or aircraft): a) the old contact type (currently phased out), b) acoustic or echo (homing on the noise signature of a ship or sub, c) magnetic (same as mines), d) wire guided (where a wire is used to control, direct and explode it), e) nuclear (no longer contact but proximity fused).
These days, guided missiles are the new trend. Some missiles can carry attack torpedoes, greatly increasing their range.
1. Mines: a) contact mine (which would explode when a ship touches them. b) magnetic mines (dropped in shallow waters or rivers—they will be attracted by the metallic hull of a vessel going close by, rise, make contact and explode, or explode in the mud, without contact, and the shock breaks the ship’s back), c) time mines--dropped usually by aircraft into an enemy harbor and preset to explode at a certain time, d) remote detonated mines—same as time mine but set to explode when an operator presses the button, e) acoustic mines—made to explode by the engines signature of a capital ship.
2. Depth charges: a) clusters (small bomblets designed not necessarily to destroy a sub but more to scare it away—they are designed to explode at a preset depth or on contact), b) drums (large charges dropped by surface vessels or aircraft, meant to create a shock wave and rupture a sub’s hull—different sizes, power and depth). c) acoustic charges (exploded by the noise generated by a sub’s propellers).
3. Torpedoes (can be launched by a sub, ship, chopper or aircraft): a) the old contact type (currently phased out), b) acoustic or echo (homing on the noise signature of a ship or sub, c) magnetic (same as mines), d) wire guided (where a wire is used to control, direct and explode it), e) nuclear (no longer contact but proximity fused).
These days, guided missiles are the new trend. Some missiles can carry attack torpedoes, greatly increasing their range.
I was thinking of something that would be used during WWII. The premise is, the Germans were planting sea mines to destroy enemy subs exploding as the enemy passed.
In WW II the Germans never had to contend with British subs. It was the other way around. The Germans had few capital ships, even fewer raider and most commercial vessels were interned in neutral ports by spring of ’40.
Starting in ’39 German aircraft were used to drop by parachute magnetic mines in the Thames and costal waters (around the major ports). A few German surface and fewer still subs were used to lay mines—not for British subs, but for navy and commercial vessels.
Overall, few British surface vessels were sunk by German mine (including those in the Normandy invasion), and as far as I know, only one British sub vent down (in home waters) because of a mine (and not a German but a British one).
Starting in ’39 German aircraft were used to drop by parachute magnetic mines in the Thames and costal waters (around the major ports). A few German surface and fewer still subs were used to lay mines—not for British subs, but for navy and commercial vessels.
Overall, few British surface vessels were sunk by German mine (including those in the Normandy invasion), and as far as I know, only one British sub vent down (in home waters) because of a mine (and not a German but a British one).
Sarpedon
Banned
that would be the magnetic type or acoustic type . The contact type was obsolete by the end of WW1. Degaussing technology was in use at that time to foil the magnetic mines, but it wasn't on all ships.
The Germans used mostly magnetic in British waters, a high number of contact and they didn't have acoustic until late '44. For defence (against invasion) the Germans used 90%+ contact mines.
There are also pressure mines, designed to explode when they feel the pressure of a capital ship overhead. They would ignore a destroyer, or even a cruiser, but a large cargo ship, or aircraft carrier would create enough pressure to detonate one. These bottom mines had to be laid in relatively shallow water. The actual depth limit is classified.
Bottom mines were first implemented near the close of WWII. The technology has improved to the point now, that they will only detonate when a particular ship passes over them.
Bottom mines were first implemented near the close of WWII. The technology has improved to the point now, that they will only detonate when a particular ship passes over them.