Bullethead
Storm Eagle Studios
SUMMARY
After exhaustive study of the issue of Brit magazine explosions in WW1, we have come to the conclusions stated below. This is essentially a restatement of the long section on magazine explosions found in the summary chapter of Campbell's Jutland: An Analysis of the Fighting. Of all that has been written on the subject, we think this is the best argument.
Brit ships blew up due to the extremely volatile nature of their cordite, which basically would explode (as in very rapid combustion releasing vast quantities of high-pressure gas in an extremely short time) even when not contained within the breech of a gun. In effect, the pile of cordite in the magazine was analogous to the filling of a shell, and the hull of the ship was analogous to the shell's body, becoming fragments when the filling exploded. The rapid build-up of gas pressure from the burning cordite ripped the ships to pieces.
This was in sharp contrast to the German propellant, which burned slower and did not release such huge amounts of high-pressure gas in such a short time. Thus, while German propellant would burn spectacularly, it was incapable of creating the over-pressures necessary to rip a ship to pieces.
Because all British ships carried the same cordite, all of them could potentially explode this way, even DDs. However, the only ships that suffered catastrophic explosions were those that were hit somewhere on or near their main turrets/barbettes. Thus, only Brit ships with main turrets are subject to the special "advanced critical hit" (ACH) that causes magazine explosions over and above the rare regular critical hit explosion that can happen to any ship on either side. That means ALL Brit BBs, BCs, and ACs, but nothing else, are subject to the ACH.
For most of the ships that exploded, witnesses observed hits on or near the turrets. It seems reasonable to assume that these hits penetrated the armor of the turret, barbette, or associated magazine. Therefore, in the game, the to cause an ACH explosion, the shell must not only hit the turret (which includes the barbette and magazine) but also penetrate it. Only then does the 20% chance of explosion come into play.
DISCUSSION
After exhaustive study of the issue of Brit magazine explosions in WW1, we have come to the conclusions stated below. This is essentially a restatement of the long section on magazine explosions found in the summary chapter of Campbell's Jutland: An Analysis of the Fighting. Of all that has been written on the subject, we think this is the best argument.
Brit ships blew up due to the extremely volatile nature of their cordite, which basically would explode (as in very rapid combustion releasing vast quantities of high-pressure gas in an extremely short time) even when not contained within the breech of a gun. In effect, the pile of cordite in the magazine was analogous to the filling of a shell, and the hull of the ship was analogous to the shell's body, becoming fragments when the filling exploded. The rapid build-up of gas pressure from the burning cordite ripped the ships to pieces.
This was in sharp contrast to the German propellant, which burned slower and did not release such huge amounts of high-pressure gas in such a short time. Thus, while German propellant would burn spectacularly, it was incapable of creating the over-pressures necessary to rip a ship to pieces.
Because all British ships carried the same cordite, all of them could potentially explode this way, even DDs. However, the only ships that suffered catastrophic explosions were those that were hit somewhere on or near their main turrets/barbettes. Thus, only Brit ships with main turrets are subject to the special "advanced critical hit" (ACH) that causes magazine explosions over and above the rare regular critical hit explosion that can happen to any ship on either side. That means ALL Brit BBs, BCs, and ACs, but nothing else, are subject to the ACH.
For most of the ships that exploded, witnesses observed hits on or near the turrets. It seems reasonable to assume that these hits penetrated the armor of the turret, barbette, or associated magazine. Therefore, in the game, the to cause an ACH explosion, the shell must not only hit the turret (which includes the barbette and magazine) but also penetrate it. Only then does the 20% chance of explosion come into play.
DISCUSSION
1. Why SES Believes Cordite was the Culprit
In both WW1 and WW2, German ships had propellant fires inside their magazines yet did not explode. Brit ships did explode, apparently from propellant igniting in the magazines, but nobody survived to tell exactly what went on there. However, clearly the different outcomes strongly suggests a fundamental difference in the combustion properties of the 2 propellants.
The best data on internal Brit cordite fires comes from Lion's Q turret at Jutland. There, 8 charges between the magazine and the turret ignited from a smoldering ember some minutes after the hit. The combustion was nearly instantaneous, effectively an explosion. Just these 8 charges created enough gas over-pressure to blow big armor plates off the turret above and seriously distort the magazine bulkheads and hatches below. The flash killed everybody still in handling rooms and even some people in the surrounding area, and produced a huge mushroom cloud seen in photographs. Campare this to Seydlitz at Dogger Bank, where a much greater propellant burned, some of it inside the magazines, yet there was no damaging over-pressue.
In both WW1 and WW2, German ships had propellant fires inside their magazines yet did not explode. Brit ships did explode, apparently from propellant igniting in the magazines, but nobody survived to tell exactly what went on there. However, clearly the different outcomes strongly suggests a fundamental difference in the combustion properties of the 2 propellants.
The best data on internal Brit cordite fires comes from Lion's Q turret at Jutland. There, 8 charges between the magazine and the turret ignited from a smoldering ember some minutes after the hit. The combustion was nearly instantaneous, effectively an explosion. Just these 8 charges created enough gas over-pressure to blow big armor plates off the turret above and seriously distort the magazine bulkheads and hatches below. The flash killed everybody still in handling rooms and even some people in the surrounding area, and produced a huge mushroom cloud seen in photographs. Campare this to Seydlitz at Dogger Bank, where a much greater propellant burned, some of it inside the magazines, yet there was no damaging over-pressue.
2. Sloppy Brit BC Ammo Handling and Flash Protection Measures
Many people claim that the Brit explosions at Jutland were the result of the BC gun crews keeping magazine doors open, having too much cordite out of the magazines, and otherwise circumventing what flash protection they then had. Further, they say that this would not have happened to the BBs in the "by the book" Grand Fleet. We, however, do not think this was a significant factor.
In Lion's Q turret, the magazine doors were close and the only the proper amount of cordite was out of the magazines. All of that cordite was also in approved positions, either cages or waiting boxes, with their flash protection in place. Yet not only did all those charges ignite anyway, but they created enough over-pressure to damage the ship's structure. In fact, this damage was enough to expose the contents of the magazine to flash, due to the distortion of the magazine bulkheads. Had not the magazine already been flooded, it seems highly probable that Lion would have blown up from this flash. Thus, even if all then-existing safety procedures been followed, it would not likely have made a difference.
Of course, the structurale distortion of the magazine bulkheads was not necessary in 1916. Apparently at that time, Brit magazine doors were only flash-proof from inside the magazine going out into the handling room, but not going in from the handling room to the magazine. Thus, the ignition of a few charges in the barbette somewhere was capable of getting flash into the magazine even if the doors were closed, and even if the bulkheads weren't distorted by over-pressure.
While this was remedied after Jutland, however, the distortion of the bulkheads caused by even a few charges in the barbette negated this. This distortion no doubt would also have negated other Brit flash protection improvements of later years, as well. All these scuttles and better cages and such were just thin sheet metal, easily capable of being twisted open by the gas over-pressure of burning cordite. You needed something as thick as a gun breech to contain a cordite explosion without rupture or distortion.
Many people claim that the Brit explosions at Jutland were the result of the BC gun crews keeping magazine doors open, having too much cordite out of the magazines, and otherwise circumventing what flash protection they then had. Further, they say that this would not have happened to the BBs in the "by the book" Grand Fleet. We, however, do not think this was a significant factor.
In Lion's Q turret, the magazine doors were close and the only the proper amount of cordite was out of the magazines. All of that cordite was also in approved positions, either cages or waiting boxes, with their flash protection in place. Yet not only did all those charges ignite anyway, but they created enough over-pressure to damage the ship's structure. In fact, this damage was enough to expose the contents of the magazine to flash, due to the distortion of the magazine bulkheads. Had not the magazine already been flooded, it seems highly probable that Lion would have blown up from this flash. Thus, even if all then-existing safety procedures been followed, it would not likely have made a difference.
Of course, the structurale distortion of the magazine bulkheads was not necessary in 1916. Apparently at that time, Brit magazine doors were only flash-proof from inside the magazine going out into the handling room, but not going in from the handling room to the magazine. Thus, the ignition of a few charges in the barbette somewhere was capable of getting flash into the magazine even if the doors were closed, and even if the bulkheads weren't distorted by over-pressure.
While this was remedied after Jutland, however, the distortion of the bulkheads caused by even a few charges in the barbette negated this. This distortion no doubt would also have negated other Brit flash protection improvements of later years, as well. All these scuttles and better cages and such were just thin sheet metal, easily capable of being twisted open by the gas over-pressure of burning cordite. You needed something as thick as a gun breech to contain a cordite explosion without rupture or distortion.
3. Why Brit Battleships Can Explode
This should be pretty obvious by now: BBs had the same cordite as the other Brit ships. This cordite, obviously, had exactly the same combustion properties in a BB as in a BC or AC. Also, the BBs had the same standards of flash protection as the other ships. If these safety measures would not have saved Lion, they would not have saved a BB, either. Had the Brit BBs ever come under effective fire, some of them certainly would have blown up, too.
Therefore, the only advantage Brit BBs have over BCs in terms of magazine explosions is thicker turret armor. This will reduce the number of turret penetrations they will suffer, which means they have fewer chances of having an ACH explosion. However, most Brit BBs had only 11" on their turrets (compare to 9" on the "Splendid Cats") so would do well to engage at long range.
This should be pretty obvious by now: BBs had the same cordite as the other Brit ships. This cordite, obviously, had exactly the same combustion properties in a BB as in a BC or AC. Also, the BBs had the same standards of flash protection as the other ships. If these safety measures would not have saved Lion, they would not have saved a BB, either. Had the Brit BBs ever come under effective fire, some of them certainly would have blown up, too.
Therefore, the only advantage Brit BBs have over BCs in terms of magazine explosions is thicker turret armor. This will reduce the number of turret penetrations they will suffer, which means they have fewer chances of having an ACH explosion. However, most Brit BBs had only 11" on their turrets (compare to 9" on the "Splendid Cats") so would do well to engage at long range.
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