Naval Mining and Degaussing Exhibition ,Science Museum ,London

[Big Dave]

Sorry forgot to put in the title this was held in 1946 ,just picked up the leaflet ,sadly only one line drawing and no pictures but loads of short descriptions of the items on show.Opened to the public ,so which members fathers /grandfather's went ? Looks to have been a good afternoon out

 

[spotter]

Anyone got a simplified explanation of wgat degaussing is ?

 

[Slick]

Demagnetizing

Makes ships less "attractive" to mines

 

[spotter]

Thanks Rick

 

[HAZORD]

Degaussing means "demagnetizing". Gauss is the scientific term for magnetic field. All iron objects on earth become magnetized from the earth's magnetic field. Magnetic influence mines detect the magnetic lines of force around a ship, and detonate when it is overhead. The original method of degaussing a ship was to run electricity through large copper cables. Electricity through a wire makes a magnetic field around the wire. The cables were then dragged over and around the ship, temporarily removing the ships magnetic field. The magnetic field would eventually build back up, and the ship would need the treatment over again.

Later on it was discovered that placing electromagnets around the ship would neutralize the ship's field, so the ships traveled over the water with the coils charged all the time. The coils were even powered when the ships were in dock. One captain thought it was BS, keeping the coils charged in port. He turned the switch off, and his ship blew up! There was a mine under it in dock.