Conservation of the First Automobile Torpedo of the United States Navy
Author(s): Claudia Chemello; Paul Mardikian
Year: 2016
Summary
In March 2013, U.S. Navy-trained dolphins found a torpedo during a training session off the coast of San Diego, California. The middle and after body sections of the torpedo were recovered and identified by the Naval History and Heritage Command Underwater Archaeology Branch as a Howell torpedo, one of three known to exist in the world. This presentation describes conservation efforts to preserve this complex technological object. Partial disassembly of the torpedo allowed for effective cleaning and stabilization, including removal of the forward bulkhead of the mid section and excavation of 80 lbs. (36 kg) of compacted sediment that had collected inside. Due to the torpedo’s design, the 131 lb. (59kg) forged steel flywheel could not be disassembled and was cleaned and stabilized in situ. This was an extremely difficult task due to severely restricted access to each side of the flywheel and its complex support structure and gears.
Cite this Record
Conservation of the First Automobile Torpedo of the United States Navy. Claudia Chemello, Paul Mardikian. Presented at Society for Historical Archaeology, Washington, D.C. 2016 ( tDAR id: 434304)
This Resource is Part of the Following Collections
Keywords
General
Conservation
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Marine
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Torpedo
Geographic Keywords
North America
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United States of America
Temporal Keywords
19th Century
Spatial Coverage
min long: -129.199; min lat: 24.495 ; max long: -66.973; max lat: 49.359 ;
Individual & Institutional Roles
Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology
Record Identifiers
PaperId(s): 587