Weather limitations in carrier aviation in the interwar and WWII eras

Thumpalumpacus · 2024-07-12T21:48:45-0400

RCAFson said:
The Wasp damage report (posted previously) suspects that only two torpedoes struck her.

According to USNI Proceedings, it was indeed three:

The Wasp had just taken in planes and all her gasoline lines were running when at 1442 she reached a position only 500 yards from I-19. The submarine fired four torpedoes, three of which hit the carrier in almost the same place, on the starboard side forward.

The Loss of the "Wasp"

Most military actions are t

www.usni.org

Note that if they're wrong and you're right, that only reinforces my point about torpedo vulnerability.

RCAFson · 2024-07-12T23:54:47-0400

Thumpalumpacus said:
According to USNI Proceedings, it was indeed three:

The Loss of the "Wasp"

Most military actions are t

www.usni.org

Note that if they're wrong and you're right, that only reinforces my point about torpedo vulnerability.

By 'if you're right' I hope you mean the USN damage report.

To add to the damage report, here's Lundstrom's assessment:

"While circling the carrier, Ens. Millard "Red" Thrash, a VF-71 CAP pilot, looked goggle-eyed at "two water spouts rearing high above the superstructure; smoke and flame bursting out amidships."7 The first torpedo slammed into the Wasp's starboard bow, ruptured aviation gasoline tanks, and let the sea into the five-inch gun handling room and powder magazines. A few seconds later the second fish struck the hull under the forward 1.1-inch gun mount just ahead of the island, tore open more aviation gasoline storage tanks, and flooded the bomb magazines. Twenty seconds later a third explosion traveled up the bomb elevator trunk and blew its armored hatch cover onto the flight deck. Gasoline vapor from leaking tanks triggered this blast, which many incorrectly thought came from another torpedo..."

Thumpalumpacus · 2024-07-13T00:35:05-0400

RCAFson said:
By 'if you're right' I hope you mean the USN damage report.

To add to the damage report, here's Lundstrom's assessment:

"While circling the carrier, Ens. Millard "Red" Thrash, a VF-71 CAP pilot, looked goggle-eyed at "two water spouts rearing high above the superstructure; smoke and flame bursting out amidships."7 The first torpedo slammed into the Wasp's starboard bow, ruptured aviation gasoline tanks, and let the sea into the five-inch gun handling room and powder magazines. A few seconds later the second fish struck the hull under the forward 1.1-inch gun mount just ahead of the island, tore open more aviation gasoline storage tanks, and flooded the bomb magazines. Twenty seconds later a third explosion traveled up the bomb elevator trunk and blew its armored hatch cover onto the flight deck. Gasoline vapor from leaking tanks triggered this blast, which many incorrectly thought came from another torpedo..."

And eyewitness reports are surely always right?

RCAFson · 2024-07-13T00:40:43-0400

Thumpalumpacus said:
And eyewitness reports are surely always right?

This is from the USN damage report:

"16. About 20 seconds after the torpedoes struck, a third
explosion - somewhat less severe - was felt. This was reported
by the Commanding Officer to have been a torpedo, but
it is believed to have been of internal origin inasmuch as
the flight deck cover to bomb elevator A-423-ET was blown
violently upward and flames appeared in the shaft. The cause
of this explosion is unknown, but possibly gasoline vapors
from the gasoline tank A-l3-Gas passed through the bomb magazine
and into the bomb elevator trunk A-7ll-ET where they
might have collected. Or possibly, they might have collected
in the bomb arming stations A-309-L and A-310-L. The explosion
was witnessed by a survivor who was on the first platform
deck in trunk A-6l9-T..."

Thumpalumpacus · 2024-07-13T00:55:14-0400

RCAFson said:
This was reported by the Commanding Officer to have been a torpedo, but
it is believed to have been of internal origin inasmuch as
the flight deck cover to bomb elevator A-423-ET was blown
violently upward and flames appeared in the shaft. The cause
of this explosion is unknown, but possibly gasoline vapors
from the gasoline tank A-l3-Gas passed through the bomb magazine
and into the bomb elevator trunk A-7ll-ET where they
might have collected.

I've emphasized the crucial portion of your quote for you.

RCAFson · 2024-07-13T01:04:36-0400

Thumpalumpacus said:
I've emphasized the crucial portion of your quote for you.

Wasp's sinking was analyzed, in detail, by the experts from BuShips, after a review of crew and external witness accounts and the probable survival characteristics of the ship with 2 or 3 torpedo hits. The fact the Wasp continued afloat until scuttled argues for 2 hits. In any event, you're arguing with the USN and Lundstrom, not with me.

Weather limitations in carrier aviation in the interwar and WWII eras

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