Any WW2 carrier aircraft deployed with with degaussing rings?

Ad: This forum contains affiliate links to products on Amazon and eBay. More information in Terms and rules

Admiral Beez

Major
9,358
10,677
Oct 21, 2019
Toronto, Canada
Here's a Wellington with a degaussing ring, used to safely detonate magnetic sea mines by mimicking a surface vessel's magnetic field.

welltn-19.jpg


And a Blohm und Voss BV138 similarly equipped.

733731e4517ea40d1594971d4384d161.png


Were degaussing rings ever considered for carrier aircraft? They'd need to either fit down the lift or have the loop installed on deck.
 
Here's a Wellington with a degaussing ring, used to safely detonate magnetic sea mines by mimicking a surface vessel's magnetic field.

View attachment 581991

And a Blohm und Voss BV138 similarly equipped.

View attachment 581990

Were degaussing rings ever considered for carrier aircraft? They'd need to either fit down the lift or have the loop installed on deck.
Probably not very useful on carrier A/C. Magnetic mines would be used in or near harbors and anchorages where the water was shallow enough for magnetic mines to be appropriate. Most carrier combat action would not be in waters shallow enough for magnetic mines to be a threat, not to mention constant changes in course/speed making any area to be mined too large to be practical. Just guessing here, though. If you find a pic or info on a carrier A/C with magnetic mine exploder please post as that would be interesting.
 
A think there's a problem with terminology here: from my reading on the subject, 'de-gaussing' was applied to ships to negate or balance the natural magnetism in a ship's hull, whereas the intention of the ring on the aircraft was quite the opposite! There probably is a correct name for the device, though I have a notion that the flight crew's name differed somewhat from the official one... And the idea of flying low enough to activate a ton or so of HE in shallow water can't have been overly enticing!
 
According to wiki, the Wellingtons were fitted with a Ford V8 (later a de Havilland Gypsy 6) and electrical generator, the method only works in shallow water.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back