X-Class Midget Submarines Originally an Italian innovation, these tiny four-man British subs could reach distances of 1,200 miles, dive to a depth of 300 feet, and travel at a speed of 6 knots. Each mini-sub displaced about 30 tonnes of water when submerged. It only had one access hatch, which proved to be a major headache during emergencies. Military Factory explains how it worked: The desired method of operation concerning the X-craft was to position the submarine as close to the target using one of two delivery systems developed: the boat could be either towed by a conventional submarine to be suspended underneath the target enemy ship or launched from the deck of a submarine to make its way to the target ship under its own power. The Admiralty chose two 3,570 lb conjoined mines of a high explosive nature to be attached to the sides of the boat via a bolt. These mines were then released by way of a hand crank when the vessel was positioned below the hull of an enemy ship. The explosive was equipped with a delayed fuse timer that allowed the boat to retire out of the blast area within time. The explosive used was Amatex, a standard and stable military explosive comprised of 51% ammonium nitrate, 40% TNT, and 9% RDX. https://youtube/channel/UCQqC4Mhh3AwELltRp5Toj3g
Posted on: Fri, 12 Dec 2014 10:53:30 +0000
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