INQUIRY IDEA F - WARSHIPS TO BUILD!

Consult these excerpts linked to the Web activity Inquiry Idea F "Warships to build!."

45. On what scale was Canada involved in shipbuilding during the Second World War?
46. What was the city of Vancouver’s involvement in wartime industry?
47. What steps are involved in designing a ship?
48. What was the assembly process for ships?
49. What main materials were used to build a cargo ship?
50. Building a cargo ship required what facilities and core equipment?
51. How did the building of a cargo ship begin?
52. What principal technique is used to assemble the metal plates?
53. What was the final step in building a ship?

 45) On what scale was Canada involved in shipbuilding during the Second World War?

“All tolled, between 1939 and 1945, 21 Canadian shipyards produced 383 warships and 395 merchant ships. By region, the greatest number were built on the Pacific Coast, followed by the St. Lawrence, the Great Lakes and, lastly, the Maritimes.”

Wilson, Garth Stewart. A History of Shipbuilding and Naval Architecture in Canada, Ottawa, National Museum of Science and Technology, Transformation Series, 1995, p. 53.

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 46) What was the city of Vancouver’s involvement in wartime industry?

“Vancouver – with as its economic satellite – was chosen as one of the principal centres in Canada for building the great number and variety of ships and other craft needed by both the navy and the merchant marine. Apart from the shipyards where the boats were constructed, numerous factories grew up to manufacture various components used in shipbuilding, which at the peak of war production employed more than thirty thousand people.”

Woodcock, George. British Columbia, a History of the Province, Vancouver/Toronto, Douglas & McIntyre, 1990, p. 227.

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 47) What steps are involved in designing a ship?

“Allowing for trend towards more sophisticated and specialized designs, as well as a general evolution towards more sophisticated techniques, basic ship design can best be understood as involving five principal steps:

1)    operations analysis;

2)    ship characteristics and basic design;

3)    preliminary design;

4)    contract specifications design, and;

5)    detailed working plans.”

Wilson, Garth Stewart. A History of Shipbuilding and Naval Architecture in Canada, Ottawa, National Museum of Science and Technology, Transformation Series, 1995, p. 67.

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 48) What was the assembly process for ships?

“The transition from wood to steel as the primary material in ship construction increased the scale, cost and complexity of modern ships. The assembly process was also much more complicated -increasingly so as the century progressed – with the traditional stages of laying the keel, erecting the frames, setting the cross-beams, and planking significantly altered to address the characteristics of heavy, complex steel structure and specialized forms. In addition, the considerable capital investment associated with the construction of large modern ships greatly encourages careful planning and organization to maximize construction economy and work force efficiency. This systemization is well reflected in the trend towards prefabrication, whereby the form and the structure of the ship is designed and then abstracted into component parts, each of which is independently constructed and then transferred to the launch ways for assembly.”

Wilson, Garth Stewart. A History of Shipbuilding and Naval Architecture in Canada, Ottawa, National Museum of Science and Technology, Transformation Series, 1995, p. 69-70.

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 49) What main materials were used to build a cargo ship?

“The quantity of materials involved in the construction of a modern steel ship is indeed impressive. For example, even a very modest cargo ship of only 15 000 dwts. (some tankers today measure 500 000 dwts) contains approximately 5 000 tons of steel (sufficient for about 10 000 automobiles), enough paint to cover 200 houses, 20 miles of electrical cable and some 10 miles of piping”.

Wilson, Garth Stewart. A History of Shipbuilding and Naval Architecture in Canada, Ottawa, National Museum of Science and Technology, Transformation Series, 1995, p. 70-71.

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 50) Building a cargo ship required what facilities and core equipment?

“Aside from the launch ways and/or drydock, easily accessible storage areas for materials were essential. While the waterfront location of the shipyard would allow some delivery by water, rail lines to and from these storage areas were typical. Large enclosed shop areas for the fabrication of frames and fashioning of steel plates (the principal structural components) were also required: further arrangements had to be made for the carriage of materials between storage and shop, and between shop and launch ways. The principal features of this system would be lifting machinery, heavy derricks and, wherever feasible, large cranes. Indeed, cranes became increasingly important with the move toward prefabrication. Ancillary shop facilities were also provided for forges, casting, pipe fitting, anglemaking and carpentry. As with the design process, the industrialization of the shipyard meant that many of the tools techniques and trades involved were common to other types of heavy industry, and mirrored general developments in power, automation and efficiency”.

Wilson, Garth Stewart. A History of Shipbuilding and Naval Architecture in Canada, Ottawa, National Museum of Science and Technology, Transformation Series, 1995, p. 71.

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 51) How did the building of a cargo ship begin? 

“When the keel structure was set, the bottom of the “box” was assembled with floors (transverse girders) and bottom shell plates, stiffened internally with longitudinal girders. Internal plating was then laid over this framework creating a  double bottom. The vertical frame sections were then attached to the floors and, using battons and cables, the resulting structure was thoroughly aligned and faired. This work was conducted by the yard’s shipwrights. Once this process was complete, the deckbeams could be fastened on top of the frames, thus completing the skeleton of the box. Next came the transverse bulkheads and other major structural elements like stem and stern frames. As the work progressed, scaffolding was erected alongside the hull to provide easy access to the evolving structure at all levels. This was particularly important in the application of the hull plating. The metal plates were fastened to the hull in a series of longitudinal strips beginning amidships, about half-way up to the side and working to either end.”

Wilson, Garth Stewart. A History of Shipbuilding and Naval Architecture in Canada, Ottawa, National Museum of Science and Technology, Transformation Series, 1995, p. 70.

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 52) What principal technique is used to assemble the metal plates?

“Prior to World War II, the principal fastening technique for shipbuilding was riveting. The use of rivets required that each structural member and plate be prepared in advance of assembly, a labour-intensive process which, like the act of riveting itself, required planning, organization and effective teamwork. The production of ship’s plates from steel sheets required tools and machinery for punching, shearing, planning, drilling, rolling, flanging and scarfing. While this equipment was largely generic to heavy industrial production, the organization of plate preparation and prefabrication was strictly governed by the ship assembly plan.”

Wilson, Garth Stewart. A History of Shipbuilding and Naval Architecture in Canada, Ottawa, National Museum of Science and Technology, Transformation Series, 1995, p. 71.

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 53) What was the final step in building a ship?

“Beyond the basic hull structure itself, various large scantling girders and foundations were required to reinforce and secure the propulsion system and its related elements. In addition, modern ships also contain a complicated matrix of bulkheads, tanks, machinery, pipes, wires and accommodation spaces, all of which must be built and installed in proper sequence. Much of the fitting out and finishing work, however, was performed after the launch.”

Wilson, Garth Stewart. A History of Shipbuilding and Naval Architecture in Canada, Ottawa, National Museum of Science and Technology, Transformation Series, 1995, p. 70.

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