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Originally Posted by JCB
Yes, I have seen many a hit below waterline with HE in my games. But does anyone know if it actually was possible IRL for a HE round to penetrate 2-3 meters of rock hard water (at the speed we are talking here...) and successfully explode upon impact with the hull? :hmm: My gut tells me that it won´t work as it does in game. However; it is still a game, so it doesn´t really matter. Any naval ordanance experts here? If my suspicions are true I will bring AP rounds for waterline shots as flavour.  |
JCB,
In my experience HE shells don't usually explode when they strike the water. (At least not the Russian and Chinese ones.) Whether it explodes when it hits the hull depends on the downward angle of the shot and the depth when it strikes the ship. I used to hear the 105's bounce off the hull all the time. You'd hear a big 'Ker-Plunk' followed by a 'ting' when the shell hit the hull and, maybe, a delayed 'boom' if it did actually explode. However, most of these rounds were shot near maximum range - not close in like your deck gun is. So the angle of the strike on us was nearly vertical. If you were unlucky enough to be on deck when they came in you'd see a 80' high plume of water followed by a huge 'KER - PLUNK'.
Bob