Let's talk torpedo tubes and back hauling them

[JTheotonio]

Be care with a forklift - weight is a big factor.  If the weight of the torpedo exceeds the weight lifting capability of the forklift it may tip over.  A crane is much safer.  I'd really like to see pictures of the boat's location and where your torpedo will be located from where it will be hoisted for loading. 

[Darrin]

Ask John and you shall recieve, these were pulled off of webshots and taken by Jim Flanders. I have no idea how old they are but the boat looks good in these pics

http://news.webshots.com/album/50650203OooSQP

[JTheotonio]

Thanks - task looks easier now.  I send you some thoughts.

[Ctwilley]

You guessed it. The Scamp was taken too. For those that don't know, we're talking about very large industrial type all terrain forklifts, not just the run of the mill commercial ones. A scamp is a light duty mobile crane that can lift the front of a 5 ton truck (I have pictures of that from Iraq when some idiot backed the 5 ton into a 3' deep gutter and got it stuck) and I would guess that lifting forward of the forward rear axle is, at the very least, 5,000 lbs. (granted the boom wasn't extended). Our problem is that the surrounding ground all around the boat is nowhere even close to level and is very soft river silt (part of the reason the boat's settled in the way she has). Most places present about a 15 degree angle down to the boat. It also collects water like a fish bowl so getting right up next to the boat with any kind of heavy machinery is just asking for trouble. The angle combined with the moist silt might present a problem.

Rick...or anyone else for that matter, how was the first torpedo loaded?

[JTheotonio]

Drive the forklift onto some planks or thick plywood to spread out the footprint of the wheels.  The angle of the ground still would not be much trouble as you left the torpedo as long as you can stabilize the lifting platform (forklift).

If you can get the torpedo flat on deck, you can rig a davit or .a-frame to lift the aft end of the torpedo into the loading angle.  You will be OK.

[MWALLEN]

maybe we should ask them:

http://www.cavallabase.org/AftTorpedoLoad.htm

Food for thought.

Mark

[JTheotonio]

Tap all sources for ideas and help.

[Darrin]

OK folks,
I have been biting my tounge here lately on this one because this whole evolution is DANGEROUS regardless of whom you ask and how they recommend that you do this one. JT and I have both talked off line about loading weapons and without the use of a crane you are limited to what you can do and how to do it....

Almost all of the loading you have seen has been done by crane with the exception of the Mk 45 Load out from Torsk... and that one was not fun by those whom did it (depends on who you talk to though )  You all are in a completely different area then ALL of the other boats, of the boats that are on dry land you are the only ones in a sand bowl and Correy can tell you how fast sand gives out under pressure. With Cavalla she is setting in the dirt but her dirt until recently was firm and level around her so it was a no brainer to get a crane and bring the weapons on the way that they used to do.

With you all you have are a number of problems that have to be tackled,
one of which is getting the weapons down to the boat without dropping them and then placing them on blocks so you can bring them onboard somehow. 
Two how are you going to bring them onboard safely and hopefully in one piece??
Three.. what is your best option??? Only you as a CREW can make that call

With your Mk 27, personally I would disassemble it and send it out for paint and then bring it onboard on a refrigerator truck(dolly)in pieces still and then bring it onboard (going right down your after gangplank) and put it into the ATR in pieces and reassemble it on the deck if that is where it is going to stay.

Your Mk 14, that one has bothered me for a while know..... JT you are right and have them GUT it completely out (to lighten it up) and then send it out for paint and either bring it onboard in pieces (the safest way) or put it together after it has been painted and then get your A frame or a substitute in it's place to bring the weapon on the way that it is suposed to be brought onboard. Making sure that you use 2'X12" planks for the forklift to ride on down to the boat so it doesn't sink or drop the weapon.

[Darrin]

OK folks let's revisit this block once more for the Cavalla crew and to you also whom are wanting to load your tubes or back haul them

Please remember that I was a TM3(SS) on 718,717,711,692 so for me these tubes are different then what I learned on and am having to relearn.... SO with that being said I have a couple of TM's whom have been more then happy offline to tell me that while I am correct in what I am telling you that I have missed a step or two or I.. didn't let you all know that there are things that the book doesn't talk about..

First things first, we NEED to readdress the rollers and how they work.. While I knew that IF they were up too high that they would bind up I did NOT realize that IF they were too low that they would do the same thing.. duh right... forgive me because on a 688 we didn't have tube rollers we had teflon guides in the tubes and we adjusted to the depth using the rollers on the weapons loading tray's. My advice for this is 1.) check the height of the rollers in the tubes as to what weapons you are trying to load regardless if it is back hauling them or just tube loading them... IF the height is right please carefully remove the rollers and DO NOT lose anything and check the amount of shims so they can go back together correctly..

IF they are too high remove a shim or two and recheck until the proper height has been obtained. Paul I mentioned to you that you can take the guide lug's loose to accomidate the problems but I did not know at the time that the weapons would bind up if there was too much room in the tubes, NEVER thought of that one..

Remember folks that the Stop bolt, Depth setting mechanism and the Gyro setting mechanisms have to be pulled back to ensure that there will be no damage to the tubes or the weapons. PLEASE review the tubes part of the manual to tell you how to reset these pieces of equipment