• Submit A Nut
KnowledgeNuts
ADVERTISEMENT
  • Home
  • Facts
  • Finance
  • Misconceptions
  • Differences
  • Bizarre
  • Other
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Facts
  • Finance
  • Misconceptions
  • Differences
  • Bizarre
  • Other
No Result
View All Result
KnowledgeNuts
No Result
View All Result
Home Facts

The British Planned To Make An Aircraft Carrier From Ice

The British Planned To Make An Aircraft Carrier From Ice
201
SHARES
1.5k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
“I have a block of a new material that I would like to put in your bath.” —Lord Louis Mountbatten, to Sir Winston Churchill

In A Nutshell

During World War II, the British needed a way to hunt German U-boats in the Atlantic Ocean because their land-based planes didn’t have the range. Since steel and aluminum was in short supply, they needed a different material with which to make their aircraft carriers. The proposed material was pykrete, a mixture of wood pulp and ice.

The Whole Bushel

Related articles

Your Money’s New Ally: Public Banks and Their Advantages

September 25, 2023
From Loans to Lifestyle: How Bad Credit Can Impact Your Life

Gender and Finances: The Averages in Bank Account Balances

September 14, 2023

In 1942, during World War II, German U-boats were sinking merchant ships with impunity because the Royal Air Force didn’t have the range necessary to scout for the Germans. In addition, they couldn’t afford to make conventional aircraft carriers because the steel and aluminum necessary for construction was in short supply. Geoffrey Pyke was a researcher who worked for Combined Operations Headquarters (COH) in Britain and suggested making an aircraft carrier out of ice because it required much less energy to produce and was plentiful. His proposal was passed along to Lord Louis Mountbatten, the Chief of COH, who then showed it to Prime Minister Winston Churchill, who was very enthusiastic about the idea. It was approved and given the code name “Project Habakkuk,” a reference to the biblical verse which reads: “Behold ye among the nations, and see: wonder, and be astonished: for a work is done in your days, which no man will believe when it shall be told.”

After researching his idea further, Pyke came to the realization that ice was an unsuitable material because it would melt too quickly and, after observing natural icebergs, noticed they had a tendency to roll over. The project would have been discontinued if a team of researchers had not come up with a new material, named “Pykrete” in his honor. Using a frozen mixture of wood pulp and water, he found it would melt much slower than ice and was considerably stronger as well. The only drawback was a large slab of pykrete would go through something called plastic flow or creep if the temperature exceeded -16° Celsius (3.2° F). To remedy this problem, Pyke proposed a series of insulating materials for the surface and a complicated refrigeration system. Happy with the research, the COH ordered a scale model built in Canada.

Article Continued Below
ADVERTISEMENT

In 1943, an 18-meter by 9-meter prototype (60 ft by 30 ft), weighing in at 1,000 tons, was produced. It was kept frozen with just one single-horsepower engine. A full-size ship, measuring 600 meters (2,000 ft) long and weighing 1,800,000 tons, was ordered and scheduled to be completed in 1944. Complications involving the plastic flow problem, as well as supply issues, delayed the project, pushing the estimated finish date to 1945. Churchill, after discussing it with his advisors, as well as the Americans, concluded it wouldn’t be necessary that late in the war and would cost much more than originally anticipated (an increase of over £2,500,000.) In addition, the manpower it would take to build the ship could be used elsewhere more effectively and Portugal had agreed to let Britain use some of its airfields so Project Habakkuk was scrapped.

Show Me The Proof

Strange Story of H.M.S. Habbakuk
The Floating Island

Post Views: 1,192
Share80Tweet50
ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

Your Money’s New Ally: Public Banks and Their Advantages

by Knowledge Nuts
September 25, 2023
0

  Are you tired of high banking fees and hidden charges? Public banks, government-owned institutions focusing on community benefit over...

From Loans to Lifestyle: How Bad Credit Can Impact Your Life

Gender and Finances: The Averages in Bank Account Balances

by Knowledge Nuts
September 14, 2023
0

  Managing money can be a daunting task, regardless of who you are. Did you know that there is often...

Student Financial Aid Beyond Loans

Affordable Student Housing: Your Handbook

by Knowledge Nuts
September 14, 2023
0

Finding affordable student housing can be a daunting task for many. The "Affordable Student Housing: Your Handbook" is here to...

Your Mortgage Hack for Financial Freedom

Your Mortgage Hack for Financial Freedom

by Knowledge Nuts
September 8, 2023
0

Mortgage payments can feel like a burden that lasts forever. Did you know however, that it's possible to pay down...

An Easy Financial Aid Roadmap for College Funding

An Easy Financial Aid Roadmap for College Funding

by Knowledge Nuts
August 10, 2023
0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1266t2ee7CY Heading to college is exciting, but figuring out how to fund it can be overwhelming. With "NavigatingFinancial Aid: Your...

Load More
ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

Your Money’s New Ally: Public Banks and Their Advantages

September 25, 2023
Breaking the Mold: Unconventional Women’s Income

Breaking the Mold: Unconventional Women’s Income

September 25, 2023
Secure Your Summer Finances with the Best Banks of 2023

Secure Your Summer Finances with the Best Banks of 2023

September 25, 2023

KnowledgeNuts.com: Your go-to source for insightful information and financial guidance. Explore, learn, and empower your future with us.

Categories
  • Artist
  • Artwork
  • Attitude
  • Bizarre
  • Business
  • Creative Insight
  • Design
  • Differences
  • Facts
  • Finance
  • Forgotten
  • Forgotten Horrors
  • Innovation
  • Inspiration
  • Learning
  • Listicles
  • Market
  • Misconceptions
  • Other
  • Personal Finance Tips
  • Places
  • Thinking
  • Uncategorized
Tags
aid bad credit Business car insurance cash flow credit debt difference disability Education family Finance finances Financial Aid food government assistance Health healthcare help history home home loans housing how to make money how to save insurance Invest Japan jobs loan loans make money Misconceptions Money myths personal finance quick cash saving money savings side hustle side hustles student student aid Superstitions taxes
Lost your password?
  • About
  • Contact Us
  • Mobile Privacy Policy
  • Mobile Terms & Conditions
  • SMS Opt-in

© KnowledgeNuts.com – A Division of Media Comms Networking.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Facts
  • Misconceptions
  • Differences
  • Finance
  • Bizarre

© 2023 KnowledgeNuts.com