Do Battleships move sideways when they fire?

jumpy · 05-02-07, 06:15 AM

The internet is really great sometimes; so much information and useful stuff, so many naked women

But in case you ever wanted to know if battle ships move sideways when firing a broadside, the answer is apparently 'no'. To refine that somewhat "theoretically, a fraction of a millimeter".

http://www.navweaps.com/index_tech/tech-022.htm

the first picture is great

danlisa · 05-02-07, 06:29 AM

Nice find & good question.

I always assumed the answer to be NO because the barrels recoil and absorb the force after each round. Glad I was right.

If they didn't I would suspect the force from a 'broadside' could quite likely capsize the ship.

The Avon Lady · 05-02-07, 06:42 AM

You should warn people to wear earplugs before looking at that first pic.

JSLTIGER · 05-02-07, 10:32 AM

::sigh:: Why did we decommission them again?

The Avon Lady · 05-02-07, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jumpy

But in case you ever wanted to know if battle ships move sideways when firing a broadside, the answer is apparently 'no'. To refine that somewhat "theoretically, a fraction of a millimeter".

Maybe the planet shifts from its orbit when they fire.

Prove me wrong.

Sailor Steve · 05-02-07, 11:12 AM

According to Newton's Third Law of Motion, the Earth moves every time we take a step. Not so you'd notice, of course.

As for the battleship question, it was photos like that one that prompted people to make that mistake in the first place. Sometimes so much water is pushed away by the blast that it looks like the ship is moving and leaving a wake.

That link is from Tony Digiulian's NavWeaps site, and it goes to the old Warships 1 site by Tony D and Guy Derdall. I used to post there a lot. Look at some of the other Technical links; they also debunk the '45-knot nuclear carrier' myth.

Oh, never mind, I'll get it for you:
http://www.navweaps.com/index_tech/tech-028.htm

Heibges · 05-02-07, 11:59 AM

Is it true if they fired all 9 guns simultaneously, that the ship would flip over?

Dowly · 05-02-07, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heibges

Is it true if they fired all 9 guns simultaneously, that the ship would flip over?

Haha, dont know but if it's so, I'd love to see that! :rotfl:

JSLTIGER · 05-02-07, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heibges

Is it true if they fired all 9 guns simultaneously, that the ship would flip over?

No. Not true. Full broadsides were fired from time to time.

ASWnut101 · 05-02-07, 03:23 PM

Supposedly (Superstition), the USS Iowa, when firing a full broadside, would move about one foot to the side when standing still.

Etienne · 05-02-07, 03:28 PM

Because of the height of the guns, I'd expect a broad side to have more of an heelling effect than a swaying effect. Althought one would expect the ship to move sideway a bit as well.

But I really don't know about recoil absorbing guns and such.

One would also expect that naval architect would build BBs with enough of a MSS to counteract the firing of a full broad side.

Etienne

Sailor Steve · 05-02-07, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dowly

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heibges

Is it true if they fired all 9 guns simultaneously, that the ship would flip over?

Haha, dont know but if it's so, I'd love to see that! :rotfl:

Look at the pictures again!

I just noticed: both pictures say the ship in question is firing a 15-gun broadside. With only nine guns?

It was speculated that the 7-turret, 14-gun battleship HMS Agincourt would turn turtle if she fired a full broadside. At the Battle of Jutland she fired several, with no ill effects.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ASWnut101

Supposedly (Superstition), the USS Iowa, when firing a full broadside, would move about one foot to the side when standing still.

That's what the thread is about! Read the article!

05-02-07, 07:01 PM

I know! We must prove this ourselves... lets start construction of our own Battleship!!

fatty · 05-02-07, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

I just noticed: both pictures say the ship in question is firing a 15-gun broadside. With only nine guns?!

Read the article! :p

Quote:

Now, look very closely at Iowa in the top photograph. Note the small "puff balls" of smoke in the center of the photograph. These are from the six starboard 5"/38 secondary guns. In other words, Iowa and Missouri are firing all guns that can bear on the broadside - nine 16-inch guns and six 5-inch guns or 15-guns total.

On another note, I've been told that when firing full broadsides, the Iowas would stagger the shots by a split second to avoid any unpleasant vibration damage that happens when firing all guns at the exact same time.

kurtz · 05-02-07, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dowly

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heibges

Is it true if they fired all 9 guns simultaneously, that the ship would flip over?

Haha, dont know but if it's so, I'd love to see that! :rotfl:

Look at the pictures again!

I just noticed: both pictures say the ship in question is firing a 15-gun broadside. With only nine guns?

It was speculated that the 7-turret, 14-gun battleship HMS Agincourt would turn turtle if she fired a full broadside. At the Battle of Jutland she fired several, with no ill effects.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ASWnut101

Supposedly (Superstition), the USS Iowa, when firing a full broadside, would move about one foot to the side when standing still.

That's what the thread is about! Read the article!

Answers to all questions in the article, 15 guns is counting the secondary armanent which can be brought to bear on that side. so + 6 5inch guns.

05-02-07, 06:15 AM	#1
jumpy Admiral Join Date: May 2003 Location: Midlands, UK Posts: 2,139 Downloads: 22 Uploads: 0	Do Battleships move sideways when they fire? The internet is really great sometimes; so much information and useful stuff, so many naked women But in case you ever wanted to know if battle ships move sideways when firing a broadside, the answer is apparently 'no'. To refine that somewhat "theoretically, a fraction of a millimeter". http://www.navweaps.com/index_tech/tech-022.htm the first picture is great __________________ when you’ve been so long in the desert, any water, no matter how brackish, looks like life

05-02-07, 06:29 AM	#2
danlisa Navy Seal Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Cornwall, UK Posts: 5,499 Downloads: 45 Uploads: 1	Nice find & good question. I always assumed the answer to be NO because the barrels recoil and absorb the force after each round. Glad I was right. If they didn't I would suspect the force from a 'broadside' could quite likely capsize the ship. __________________

05-02-07, 06:42 AM	#3
The Avon Lady Über Mom Join Date: May 2005 Location: Jerusalem, Israel Posts: 6,147 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	You should warn people to wear earplugs before looking at that first pic. __________________ "Victory will come to us from the wombs of our women." - Houari Boumedienne, President of Algeria, Speech before the UN, 1974

05-02-07, 10:32 AM	#4
JSLTIGER The Old Man Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Parkland, FL, USA Posts: 1,437 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	::sigh:: Why did we decommission them again? __________________ Thor: Intel Core i7 4770K\|ASUS Z87Pro\|32GB DDR3 RAM\|11GB EVGA GeForce RTX 2080Ti Black\|256GB Crucial M4 SSD+2TB WD HDD\|4X LG BD-RE\|32" Acer Predator Z321QU 165Hz G-Sync (2540x1440)\|Logitech Z-323 2.1 Sound\|Win 10 Pro Explorer (MSI GL63 8RE-629 Laptop): Intel Core i7 8750H\|16GB DDR4 RAM\|6GB GeForce GTX 1060\|128GB SSD+1TB HDD\|15.6" Widescreen (1920x1080)\|Logitech R-20 2.1 Sound\|Win 10 Home

05-02-07, 11:12 AM	#6
Sailor Steve Eternal Patrol Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: High in the mountains of Utah Posts: 50,369 Downloads: 745 Uploads: 249	According to Newton's Third Law of Motion, the Earth moves every time we take a step. Not so you'd notice, of course. As for the battleship question, it was photos like that one that prompted people to make that mistake in the first place. Sometimes so much water is pushed away by the blast that it looks like the ship is moving and leaving a wake. That link is from Tony Digiulian's NavWeaps site, and it goes to the old Warships 1 site by Tony D and Guy Derdall. I used to post there a lot. Look at some of the other Technical links; they also debunk the '45-knot nuclear carrier' myth. Oh, never mind, I'll get it for you: http://www.navweaps.com/index_tech/tech-028.htm __________________ “Never do anything you can't take back.” —Rocky Russo

05-02-07, 11:59 AM	#7
Heibges Sea Lord Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: San Francisco, California Posts: 1,633 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	Is it true if they fired all 9 guns simultaneously, that the ship would flip over? __________________ U.Kdt.Hdb B. I. 28) This possibility of using the hydrophone to help in detecting surface ships should, however, be restricted to those cases where the submarine is unavoidably compelled to stay below the surface. http://www.hackworth.com/

05-02-07, 03:23 PM	#10
ASWnut101 Admiral Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: USA Posts: 2,021 Downloads: 9 Uploads: 0	Supposedly (Superstition), the USS Iowa, when firing a full broadside, would move about one foot to the side when standing still. __________________

05-02-07, 03:28 PM	#11
Etienne Seasoned Skipper Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 695 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	Because of the height of the guns, I'd expect a broad side to have more of an heelling effect than a swaying effect. Althought one would expect the ship to move sideway a bit as well. But I really don't know about recoil absorbing guns and such. One would also expect that naval architect would build BBs with enough of a MSS to counteract the firing of a full broad side. Etienne

05-02-07, 07:01 PM	#13
Rilder Stowaway Posts: n/a Downloads: Uploads:	I know! We must prove this ourselves... lets start construction of our own Battleship!!