X is for X-Craft

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X is for X-Craft

You can imagine how delighted I was to find something beginning with X for the Blogging from A-Z challenge.  Thank goodness for my father's Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea.  It has truly saved my bacon.
"Hazards of the Royal Navy" Chronicle (Adelaide, SA : 1895 - 1954) 29 May 1952: 12. Web. 25 Apr 2016 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article93924842>.
X-craft were miniature submarines of 40 feet (12m) in length and operated by a crew of four.  As it was impossible within this overall length to handle a normal torpedo or to mount a tube through which to fire it, they carried instea tow large detachable side charges each containing two tons of explosive fired by a time fuse.  (p. 946 of the Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea)

 You can read another interesting story about X-craft here. 

 This has been my contribution to the Blogging from A-Z challenge.

Comments

Wendy said…
Look how little! I guess they were the Smart car of submarines.
April 28, 2016 at 9:04 AM
abetterjulie said…
That's kinda crazy! You'd think the firing would cause problems for the craft. Thanks for teaching me something new! @abetterjulie from www.persephoneknits.blogspot.com
April 28, 2016 at 10:37 AM
Suzanne McClendon said…
This was very interesting! It made me think of the little Confederate submarine called the Hunley. It only had 8 crew members. You can learn more about it here:
http://www.hunley.org/

Our oldest son is in the submarine corps of the US Navy. It isn't something that I could ever handle. I am extremely claustrophobic. I don't know how they stand staying under for months on end.

Thanks for such an interesting post. Have a blessed day. :)
April 28, 2016 at 12:59 PM
Dianne said…
Good one Wendy!
Actually 40' is quite long and roomy, our Motorhome was 40'. The guys must be standing on a portion that was not submerged.
April 28, 2016 at 1:27 PM
Weekends in Maine said…
I don't think I could ride on one of those or really on any submarine. They make me a little nervous.

@WeekendsinMaine
Weekends in Maine
April 28, 2016 at 2:13 PM
betty said…
I learned something new today! I hadn't heard of X-Crafts. Must be a bit small (and catastrophic) with only a crew of four!!!

congrats for almost being done with the challenge!

betty
http://viewsfrombenches.blogspot.com/
April 29, 2016 at 2:22 AM
GeniAus said…
You passed X with flying colours. The X-Craft reminds me of my Fiat 500.
April 29, 2016 at 10:45 AM
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