European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 03, 1968, Darmstadt, Hesse Waves Batter Model of coast guard vessel in the 140-foot towing tank under simulated Stormy sea conditions. Naval architect perched on moving Tow Carriage looks for flaws in Hull design. Electric Carriage straddling 3,078-foot-Long tank is one of four used for towing Model ship hulls. By Marc Huet is Washington Bureau chief although it s always a Good idea to think big the Navy has found that thinking Small also has a lot of Merit. The Small thinkers in Blue Are located12 Miles from Washington at the David Taylor Model Basin Carderock my. There scale Model ships submarines missiles and air planes Are raked by wind water heat vibration and explosion to see that they have the Best possible design features before they go into production. The $74 million Carderock installation largest of its kind in the world has a history that goes Back to the establishment of a Model Basin at the old Washington Navy Yard in 1898 by rear adm. David w. Taylor. At that time the Navy was growing in size to match the coming of age of the United states As a world Power. The facility was expanded in 1939 an moved to the Maryland suburbs be cause of the presence of solid Bedrock required for the foundation of the test facilities and an abundant Supply of fresh water needed for its Large towing tanks. Two years ago the Marine Engineer ing Laboratory at Annapolis md., and the mine defense Laboratory at pan Ama City fla., joined the Model lab oratory to form the research and development Center also located at Carde Rock making this the world s Leader i fundamental and applied research. The Center is commanded by capt. Manuela Costa Vincent. He Carderock facilities make it possible to conduct almost any test imaginable from underwater explosions to the amount of Shock a proposed ship or submarine can take to the heat problems facing a Polaris missile. Key to the Center Are its three test basins. One is 2,775 feet Long 51 feet wide and 22 feet deep another 3078feet Long 51 feet wide and 10 feet deep and the third for Hish Speed tests is2,968 feet Long 21 feet wide and 10 to 16 feet the deep water Basin models up to 32 feet Long 5 feet wide and Weighi Gas much As 5 tons can be tested. The Basin has a pneumatic wave maker that permits testing models in head on Waves and following Waves of uniform length and height random Long crested seas and transient Waves. Waves up to 2feet High and 40 feet Long can be pro shallow water Basin is used to test Man Euver capability and Check models of future Small Craft. The High Speed Basin is used for High Speed hulls hydrofoils submarines torpedoes and other underwater object requiring speeds up to 60 knots. In a typical operation a destroyer knifes through the Waters of one of the larger basins with the delicacy of a surgeon s Scalpel. Suddenly geysers of water Spring up on either Side of the ship and tons of water smash Down like giant fist driving her Bow under worse than real desperate Man Euver takes her off on a Long turn to Larboard making the ship Heel Over As she tries to escape from the explosions. She lurches drunk enly As a wave slams into her Broad Side. Suddenly the explosions end the heavy seas Abate and the destroyer continues on her destroyer of course is Only a Model. No one is Hurt no damage i done and no one is even seasick. Of Doy May 3, 1968 the stars and strips Page 11
