Kursk

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: Terminus




Any sort of shaped charge would negate the advantage the ADCAP gets by exploding under the keel of the target ship. The damage potential of the bubble formed by the detonation of the warhead in the water is far greater than the hole that would be punched in the side of the ship by a shaped charge.

An impact detonation makes a hole in the side, the detonation under the keel breaks the back of the ship. And I'm pretty sure that this fuse setting is standard for fleet ADCAP's.

Agreed, the most elegant way to make a big bubble underwater would be a spherical explosion.

[mlees]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

ORIGINAL: Neilster

Have a look at page one of this thread to see that.

Cheers, Neilster

I think that is a contact fuse. Note the smoke and black debris coming out from inside the hull. You can also see the debris impacting the water behind the ship in the early frames.

No, I don't think so. Look at picture number 2... The explosion "plume" of water is coming up both side of the ship. That explosion is under the hull, not on one side of the ship.

The debris is from the stuff knocked loose by the shock of the explosion. I have seen training videos of the insides of such a hit, and all kinds of piping comes loose, and hull weld seams open up. It's just a pretty big bang, after all, and water makes a much better conductor of explosive shock than steel or air.

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: mlees

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

ORIGINAL: Neilster

Have a look at page one of this thread to see that.

Cheers, Neilster

I think that is a contact fuse. Note the smoke and black debris coming out from inside the hull. You can also see the debris impacting the water behind the ship in the early frames.

No, I don't think so. Look at picture number 2... The explosion "plume" of water is coming up both side of the ship. That explosion is under the hull, not on one side of the ship.

The debris is from the stuff knocked loose by the shock of the explosion. I have seen training videos of the insides of such a hit, and all kinds of piping comes loose, and hull weld seams open up. It's just a pretty big bang, after all, and water makes a much better conductor of explosive shock than steel or air.

You could be right. I thought that might be debris blown out the opposite side of the hull or a shock wave created ast the hull was displaced laterally? Also the smoke blowing out the stack seems to be very early in the process, but that could be from an external shockwave compressing some air-filled space with soot in it.

[rhondabrwn]

I continue to revisit this thread and have found it fascinating and educational.

I did find the following site dedicated to the Kursk. It is well done with a good collection of photos. My apologies if someone has already posted it.

Lost Liners - The Kursk