Saturday, February 22, 2020

Skyhawks. I have no idea why that one ship is smoking so much in the background.


17 comments:

  1. That ship is, most likely, "blowing tubes"; a process of blowing live steam up the stack to remove the accumulated soot off the economizer. The economizer is a tube bank in the stack above the boiler exhaust. The economizer preheats the water being fed to boiler using the waste heat going up stack. OR, they're lighting a boiler, and there is too much fuel in the fuel-air mix. This was a common condition a right after the fuel caught fire. [More than you wanted to know- most likely :) ]

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You Pussers always have interesting stuff RJ.

      Delete
    2. If the BTs didn't watch the fuel air mixture, you get that as well. Had it happen numerous times on Courtney. The lookouts delighted in calling "smoking black" when the Chief Snipe had the deck.

      Delete
  2. We used to do this on Liberty and Victory ships, 70 years ago...

    ReplyDelete
  3. And they're Argentine Skyhawks.
    Back when they could afford a military, and before PM Thatcher redecorated theirs hither and yon in the South Atlantic.

    - Aesop

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    2. Could also be that they just cut in sdditional burner(s) in anticipation of an order to increase speed (changing station, frex.) The initial surge of fuel will not be conpletely burned.

      Delete
    3. Well, that too! Fuel-air mix too rich; burning black

      Delete
  4. I figured that ship was helping China burn the bodies of the uncounted dead from the Kung Flu.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Obviously, the smoking lamp was lit!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "Smoking lamp is lighted."
      FIFY
      OMG! I love being pedantic!

      Delete
  6. they are anticipating a Warren president so they are learning smoke signals?

    ReplyDelete
  7. Destroyers or destroyer escorts used to make smoke intentionally during battle to screen and draw fire away from the more valuable ships. Just another possibility.

    ReplyDelete