January-February - Air Defense Artillery

1943 IDENTIFICATION OF MERCHANT SHIPS 31
cO\lIITER
CRUISER
CRUISER-SPOOl<
2A 2B 2C
Figure 1O.--Steros.
SPOON
Funnels appear in both classification groups. Thin
funnels are usually associated with old coal-burning
vessels.Squat medium-sized raked funnels are usually
seen on more or less modem ships. Personnel should
remember that dummy funnels are often placed on
ships for the sake of appearance or for camouflage.
Characteristic funnel types are shown in figure 11.
Note: The square funnel is a peculiarity of French
naval construction.
I
THIN
3A
J
-RAKED
..
38
SQUAT
3E
•-RAKED
3F
Figure n.-Funnels.
MEDIUM
3C•
SQUARE
20
-RAKED
3D•
In figure 12, superstructures are shown as they are
used in the construction of commercial vessels. The
development of funnels is also portrayed. The trend
in recent years has been toward squat funnels.
~~~ ~ TI~
OLD TANKER
4G
~ ...~ ... ~~
~
MODERN TANKER
4H
OLD STEAMER- SPLIT S
4A
~L
3G
OLD MOTORSHIP- SPLIT S.
48
MODERN MOTORSHIP-COMPOSITE S.
4E
~
MODERN MOTORSHIP- SPLIT S.
4C
STEAMER - COMPOSITE S PASSEN GER
40 4F
Figure I2.--Superstructure types.
Merchant ship deck construction is usually termed
Hush-deckedor well-decked. Flush-decked ships are
those in which the line from bow to stem appears to be
unbroken the entire length of the ship. Well-decked
shipsare those which, when viewed in profile, have the
line of the deck broken by one, two, or perhaps three
wells or indentations in the deck line. Flush-decked
shipswith three islands may appear from the distance
to be well-decked ships. If from a distance they appear
thus, they are to be considered well-decked and so designated.
The tanker in figure 13 (lower right) is an
example of well-decked construction. All types that
do not have a distinct flush weather deck from bow to
stem are \\'ell-decked. A ship with a high forecastle
structure built in the hull is usually termed a ship \\'ith
a broken deck line. The same term is applied to ships
with a high aft or poop section built into the rear part
of the hull. However, if the hull construction shows
either or both bow or stem side plates raised slightly
above the line of a continuous weather deck, the ship
is considered flush-decked.
FLUSH-DECK
5A
Figure B.-Decks.
I
1
WELL-DECK
58
WELL- DECK
A good rule to follow in typing factors and in designating
characteristics of a ship is that the factors and
characteristics are not to be considered as they actually
are, but as they appear to the eye of the observer.
TYPE NOF - MKKM
Figure I4.-Motor ship, flush-decked.
Merchant ships do not have any outstanding national
characteristics, although certain construction of such
features as ventilators and electric cranes may be found
in ships of certain natilfnalities. At other times ships
of the same nationality are lacking in such peculiarities.
Figure 15 shows ventilators and electric cranes and the
manner of designating them. The illustration indicates
the peculiar characteristics and, in some cases, the nationality
of the construction.
5B
r 1
1 1
VENT
U
KINGPOSTS
W
FRENCH
R
MUSHROOM
e
VENTILATORS
GERMAN
~
GERMAN
~
COWL
"
GERMAN DUTCH BRITISH DUTCH
7A 7B 7C 70
ELECTRIC CRANES
Figure I5.-Types of electric cranes and ventilators.
Figure 16 shows the complete application of this
method of indicating the characteristics of a ship. A full
description of the characteristics of the ship illustrated
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