Submarine KURSK

[ceylon220]

A lot was written on the loss of the KURSK but nothing was said on how the disaster occurred,now the Russian government has finally admitted that a faulty torpedo caused the sinking of the boat,apparently she was armed with WW2 German designed Hydrogen Peroxide powered torpedoes which can run at a speed of 60knots and has a range of 10,000yards at 40 knots and one of these was at fault
On their journey by rail to the sub base they were transferred to another railcar and in the process one was dropped which may have fractured a pipe, there were no signs of damage when they were loaded aboard the KURSK after inspection, it does not say that the Russian Navy has withdrawn them since the KURSK inccident or if they are still in service.

What a wate of life.

[astraltrader]

Oh well here is an image of the Kursk for you all. Credit as stated.

[ceylon220]

Great photo Terry, would you mind me pinching it for my album,mate?

[astraltrader]

Pinch away Jim!

[Batstiger]

HMS Sidon,built by Cammell Laird,launched 4/9/1944.Sunk,accidental torpedo explosion,Portland,16/6/1955.Raised 1955;sunk as an asdic target,off Portland,6/1957.

HMS Sidon was an S class submarine of the Royal Navy, and part of the Third Group built of that class.

On the morning of June 16, 1955, Sidon was moored alongside the depot ship HMS Maidstone in Portland Harbour. Two experimental torpedoes, code-named "Fancy", had been loaded aboard for testing. Fifty-six officers and crewmen were aboard.

At 0825, an explosion in one of the Fancy torpedoes (but not the warhead) burst the number-three torpedo tube it was loaded into and ruptured the forward-most two watertight bulkheads. Fire, toxic gases, and smoke accompanied the blast. Twelve men in the forward compartments died quickly and seven others were seriously injured.

The submarine started to settle by the bows with a list to starboard, and her commanding officer, Lieutenant Commander Verry, ordered the ship evacuated from the engine room and aft escape hatches. Thanks to a rescue party from Maidstone, everyone not immediately killed escaped, except Maidstone's medical officer, Surgeon Lieutenant C.E Rhodes. He had gone aboard with the rescue party, assisted several survivors, and suffocated because he was using a DSEA set that he hadn't been trained to use. He was awarded the Albert Medal for putting his life in danger to save others. At about 0850 Sidon sank to the bottom of the harbour.

One week later the wreck was raised and towed into a causeway on Chesil Beach. The bodies of the 13 casualties were removed and buried with full honours in the Portland Naval Cemetery on top of the cliffs overlooking the harbour. A Court of Inquiry cleared anyone aboard Sidon for the loss of the boat. The direct cause of the accident was determined to have been malfunctioning of the "Fancy" torpedo, and that torpedo program was terminated.

A torpedo being readied for the morning test shot had begun a "hot-run" - its engine had started while it was still inside the submarine and was over-speeding, creating very high pressures in its fuel system. The "Fancy" torpedo used high test peroxide (HTP) as an oxidizer. When an oxidizer line burst, HTP sprayed onto the copper fittings inside the torpedo, decomposing into oxygen and steam. The torpedo's warhead did not detonate, but its hull burst violently, rupturing the torpedo tube and causing the flooding that destroyed the boat. Sidon was refloated, and sunk as an ASDIC target on June 14, 1957.

On the 50th Anniversay of the Sidon accident, 16th June 2005, the Dorset Branch of the Submariners Association erected a Memorial Stone to those who died. This is situated adjacent to the War Memorial at Portland, opposite the Portland Heights Motel. A number of survivors and relatives of those who died in the accident attended the ceremony

On 18 January 2003, Deepquest Sub Sea announced that they intend to raise HMS Sidon

Not on the same scale but a tragedy nevertheless!

Bob.