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[raflaunches]

Hi everyone

I have a question regarding water tight doors on warships. For example: if a ship was built in the 1930's but was refitted or modified in the 1950's would it have kept the original water tight doors as fitted or would they have replaced the lot with modern doors? I am currently building HMS Protector,a ship originally built in the 1930's but was changed into a Ice patrol vessel in the 1950's. These changes included a hangar being built on the aft deck behind the boat deck etc, but I wondered if they would have changed any other features such as water tight doors to bring the ship in the 1950's? Being a RAF techie I have no idea if they would change them or not!
Any ideas ?

[Beagle1831]

Hi Nick,

I was wondering something similar with my current build of HMS Suffolk- I noticed on some photos that structures added at refit in the 30s (eg. the a/c hangars on county class cruisers) had more 'modern' pattern doors- similar to those on the town class cruisers- compared to the original superstutures.

No idea if that was the practice post ww2 though!

James

[Colin Bishop]

The current Model Boats Plan Feature Special features an original article by Norman Ough on watertight doors and fittings - all the info you could ever want!

Colin

[Yarpie]

Nick, from my experience, any old style watertight bulkhead doors may not have been design changed unless the warship in question was a capital ship or front line vessel.

My reasoning behind this is as follows:

In order to change the watertight door to the more modern pressed steel three-panel door, the securing clip pattern would have to be changed as well as the aperture profile and the hinge locations. (The older doors had a squarer corner I believe).

For this to be completed successfully, it would probably be more effective if the new door be manufactured with the bulkhead surrounding it included. Then it would just be a case of burning-out the existing door/frame/bulkhead and inserting and welding in the new.

I don't know about the economy of this.

I know that SOME bulkhead doors on HMS CAVALIER for instance, were upgraded to the three panel pressed steel doors, but not all.

However, somebody may know different ............. 

Yarpie.

[dodes]

I shhould imagine when new structure or alterations are made to a vessel, then that part of the vessel would get new type fittings, if the older version had to be removed for the change, the Admiralty has never wanted to spend more than was it thought neccessary. I was o n the old St Margarets, she was an ex pusser boat and she was original right through from build, except for the chicken hutch built on top of the aft most structure for the Q.M's.

[raflaunches]

Hello everyone

Thank you for your advice and ideas, I have bought a copy of the latest of the Model Boats Magazine special but its stuck 8000miles away at home, might ask very kindly if Mum can send it out in the next package to the Falklands! Its ironic that every picture I have of the Protector is either too far away to see the superstructure in great detail or the pictures that are up close and very detailed are from the bows! If the Navy are anything like the RAF then I would guess that they would be very tight with their money too when it comes to replacing parts!
Once again thank you and I will continue with my research...

Nick B