New Torpedoes

[Ctwilley]

Rick,

I have a feeling that I'm going to piss some people off with this but I at least want to give you my opinion. The only reservation that I have on back-loading is this. If there are any warps, dents, or otherwise contorting features (like with the other torpedoes in the park), it may place the fish out of the tolerances it needs to be placed inside the tube. If you take into consideration the entire length of the torpedo, it would take less than a fraction of 1 degree of a bend (less than even the calibrated eye can detect) to throw it out of tolerance. Since the fit is so tight, we need to be absolutely certain that the torpedo hasn't shifted in it's dimensions before we manhandle it into the tube. It would really suck to get it in 3 or 4 feet and have it stick. You wouldn't be able to move it and you couldn't take away the support or it's own weight would tear it up.

Personally, I wouldn't recommend going this way at all but that's just my humble opinion. Necessity is the mother of all invention so let's see what other ideas we can come up with. We still have a few months to figure this out. I say, let's take it slow. We can always come up with more time but one screwup will cost us big.

Correy

[Mark Sarsfield]

Check out the pictures in this other thread... http://www.submarinemuseums.org/forum/index.php?topic=582.0

We have some or most of the "crane" assembly below the deck.  I always wondered what this stuff was for and now that we have photos, it makes sense.  Would anyone be opposed to going this route?  We might need to fabricate a few missing pieces and the stuff that we do have needs some TLC.

[Darrin]

Mark,
with the crane assy you also need the nose cone for the weapons, what this cone does is set on the nose of the weapon and a pin goes through the warhead assy to keep it inplace and allows for the block and tackle to attach to the front of the weapon and you will also need to attach lines to the back of the weapon (saftey factor for equipment over 60 years old). Please remember that these weapons weigh over a TON and that IF anything goes wrong it can go wrong quickly so you have to have a back up safety on the weapon so that no one gets hurt.
My recommendation for Batfish or anyone else to load weapons that don't have a crane close by is to break the weapons down and make them into reasonably managable pieces of equipment where really only a chainfall is needed once the pieces are brought onboard. With breaking the weapons down you can also send them out to a body shop and have them painted and then reassemble them onboard in the torpedo room.
Here is the link to Torsk bringing her MK 45 onboard in pieces, notice that there wasn't a chainfall required to do this just a good bit of muscle. This weapon was sent to a local body shop for restoration (if I remember correctly) and they didn't charge too much because that was such a unique job and it was something completely different then what they normally do.
http://www.usstorsk.org/volunteers/mk45load/mk4501.htm
Seeing how you don't have a weapons skid in the ATR that leaves you with a very unique situation.. Find a skid or make one and then load it onboard prior to loading weapons or you can back haul the weapon and what needs to happen is get as much of the safety's removed as possible in your tubes and on the weapon so that it goes reasonably well and hope like hell that nothing is warped at all.

[Darrin]

Rick,
I haven't given up on back hauling the weapons and right now I am going to confer with another TM or two and see IF we can't give you all  the best way to do it that way or at least the safest way to do from here on the internet.  Just remember there is no easy way to bring these things onboard, that is why the boat crews used to joke about us TM's having a strong back and a weak mind, most of us have evolved over the years and gotten smarter and not stronger

One question: do you have hydraulics onboard Batfish that work currently? because if you do getting your muzzle and shutter doors open will be a little easier, however IF they haven't been opened in a few decades you may break more stuff using the hydraulics then by doing it in manual.

[Ctwilley]

Darren,

None of the hydraulic systems work on the boat. After we sort out the electrical system we'll evaluate what can be restored but right now, it's a mess.

[Rick]

This is all good conversation.  I am always open to new idea.   The most difficult challenge we have is actually getting the fish onto the deck.  The biggest obstical is the location of the sub that we are dealing with.  We are on dry land and that means that the fish will have to be lifted from the keel to the deck.   Not to mention that we are located in sand and a bowl to boot.  I am not opposed to dismantling the torpedos and reassebling them in the FTR.  That was bypassed due to the difficulty involved.  (I still would like more information on this one).  As correy mentioned, the hydrolics do not work.  We are not even going to attempt to use them.  We also have 30 years of sitting stagnant to fight.   We are still exploring the posibility of opening the #3 tube to load it.   

Keep the info coming.  As with anything, I think we will know how to load it best once the job is done.

Rick

[Darrin]

Hey Rick,
I recieved an email about the torpedo lashing strap today and IF your curator will contact mine then we can make this happen, he will have to request that we loan the torpedo lashing strap to the Batfish and then the ball should move forward and we could send this out. I am waiting on his contact info and as soon as I get it I will send it too you.

[Rick]

One of my many titles hers is also Curator.   I will be looking for that information.  Do I need to be flowery or can I be short and sweet like I always am?

[Darrin]

Rick,
I was pretty sure that your "other" title was curator of the Batfish, I will track down Paul's conact information and send it too you. It is truly up to you as how to ask but being a volunteer the only thing that I can say is ask polietly for BMM/Constellation to loan you the straps.

[Darrin]

Check your PM Rick, I sent you BMM's curator's contact info

[Tom Bowser]

Rick

I can lone you a set of strps from the Drum if you have any problems getting the others, they may be a little different.
Tom

[Rick]

Thank you guys.  I am sorry for taking so long in getting back t you.  I have been busy last week traveling to Utah.