After the sinking of the RMS Titanic in 1912, the International Sea Patrol tried to destroy an iceberg floating mountain with heavy weapons and bombs, but all their efforts failed miserably. None of the iceberg to sink.
At that time, military officials puzzled, what would they use to secure the shipping lanes of the mountain this floating iceberg. But a man named Mr. Geoffrey Pyke think in unique ways, he believes the iceberg could not be drowned and this is a good material to make an aircraft carrier with the runway bombers on it. A brilliant idea but the extreme until now.
First Prototype
In 1943, located at Patricia Lake, Jasper Canada. In the wake of a barge as a test.The prisoners of war used as a worker at the time, they make a barge, the length of 18.2 meters wide and 9.1 meters draft (in) 6 feet.
Quebec Conference 1943
This discovery brought to the Quebec Conference in August 17, 1943 in Quebec City.Twelve-inch cube Pykrete on show to all the participants of the meeting, and then tested. Pykrete cube on fire twice, one bullet bounced off and hit the foot of the American Admiral. They also tested with a machete blow, Pykrete proved successful.The next day President Roosevelt ordered the U.S. Navy to participate in building the giant ice field in Corner Brook, Nfld.
HMS Design Habbakuk length 609.6 meters, 91.44 meters wide and a draft (in) 70 meter.Di driven by twenty-six motors at 7 knots, powered 33 000 HP (Horse Power) or about 25,000 KW with deadweight of 2.2 million tonnes.
Furthermore, naval architect build 3 The alternative version of the original concept Pyke.
1-Habbakuk I made with a mixture of wood materials. (Canceled construction)
2-Habbakuk II made closer to the desired design COHQ, are very large, slow moving and has a motor, the main ingredient mixture Pykrete and reinforcing steel.
3-Habbakuk III made smaller, able to move faster than version habbakuk II.
Ended Habbakuk
On December 16, 1943, the United States Navy to stop the project. The main reason is, allies began to achieve victory in the Battle of the Atlantic. Moreover note that the time required to build Habbakuk equal to the time required to build a ship Holding Conventional steel. In fact, if the German U-Boat to win in this war, then Habbakuk probably will sail the North Atlantic sea le.
After the war ended, Mr Pyke said to still propose this idea, but no one is willing to respond. On a winter night in February 1948, she swallowed a bottle of sleeping pills in his boarding room in London and found dead.
Well, if someone says Ship Ice is a myth, I suggest you go diving in Patricia Lake, Jasper Canada. For the first prototype The Ice Ship still have a depth of 12-30 meters at the bottom of the lake, is still a destination attractive pro divers today. Happy adventuring.