Page 38: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (August 15, 1973)

Bell Aerospace Team Plans

World's First Oceangoing

Surface Effect Ship For Navy

The Bell Aerospace Division of Textron,

New Orleans, La., has disclosed its proposed plans to design and build the world's first oceangoing surface effect ship ('SES) for the

United States Navy.

Bell Aerospace president William G. Gisel said his company has been working with Avon- dale Shipyards, Inc. of New Orleans, and the

British Hovercraft Corporation (BHC) of East

Cowes, England, and that they will perform important roles in the project to develop the high-speed 2,000-ton SES.

Avondale and BHC join an outstanding team of major subcontractors which have been associated with Bell Aerospace since the initia- tion of the preliminary design study last No- vember. They are the Autonetics Division

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COMET MARINE SUPPLY CORP 157 PERRY STREET, NEW YORK, N.Y. 10014 • TEL. (212) $75-8776 of Rockwell International of Anaheim, Calif, (with Collins Radio Company of Cedar Rap- ids, Iowa), comibat system integration; Gi'bbs & Cox, Inc. of New York City, naval architec- ture; and Hydronautics Inc. of Laurel, Md., hydrodynamic design and waterjet inlet studies.

In addition, Bell is receiving technical as- sistance in the area of waterjet propulsion from the Rocketdyne Division of Rockwell

International, Canoga Park, Calif., and the

Aerojet Liquid Rocket Division of Aerojet-

General Corporation, Sacramento, Calif.

Avondale, one of the nation's leading mili- tary and commercial shipbuilders, will be des- ignated 'by Bell in its proposal to the Navy as an exclusive subcontractor for major fab- rication work.

British Hovercraft, international pioneer and leader in the development of air-cushion vehicles, will contribute its technological ex- pertise in flexible seal design and other engi- neering tasks.

British Hovercraft developed the 190-ton

SR.N4 Hovercraft, five of which have been in daily passenger service on the English Channel for the last 4y2 years. The SR.N4 seals are similar in geometry and approximately one- half scale of those which will contain the air cushion of the 2,000-ton surface effect ship.

Textron's Bell Aerospace Division is one of four companies conducting preliminary design studies for the development of a 2,000-ton op- erational prototype SES under contract to the

Naval Material Command's Surface Effect

Ships Project Office (PM-17).

John J. Kelly, vice president and general manager of Bell Aerospace New Orleans Op- erations, said the development of the 2,000- ton SES will represent "a major step forward in mobility and tactics for the U.S. Navy."

However, Mr. Kelly said, there are distinct differences between the large surface effect ship and conventional displacement ships. The most obvious ones, he explained, are that the

SES will feature all-aluminum construction, a highly efficient structural hull design, and a high-powered high-speed propulsion system. "Therefore," he continued, "Bell plans to balance the need for new techniques to meet the special design and performance require- ments of the SES with a recognition of the proven success of standard shipyard prac- tices."

Bell Aerospace, which has had 15 years of experience in the design, development, produc- tion and test of air-cushion/surface-effect ve- hicles in the United States and Canada, will devote its efforts to the total ship design and to the fabrication and installation of those systems and components which are peculiar to surface effect ships, such as the aluminum hull structure, the propulsion system and the air-cushion/flexible-seals system.

This work will be performed at the New

Orleans Michoud Assembly Facility, where the National Aeronautics and Space Adminis- tration has allocated environmentally con- trolled manufacturing space to Bell for work on the Navy SES project. This facility was specifically designed for the fabrication of high-integrity welded aluminum structures.

Avondale Shipyards, which has turned out almost 400 military ships and amphibious craft, as well as countless numbers of commercial vessels, ranging from oceangoing tugboats to supertankers, will contribute its established and proven shipbuilding techniques to the out- fitting of the Bell-built hull structure and the fabrication, installation and furnishing of the deckhouse.

Edwin Hartzman, president of Avondale, a subsidiary of the Ogden Corporation, ex- pressed his enthusiasm in working on the SES project. "We at Avondale are honored in working with this excellent team, and in putting our skills to work on this concept. Together with

Bell and the other members of the team, Avon- dale will use its production skills and technical knowledge to bring the world's first ocean- going surface effect ship into reality for the

U.S. Navy."

Peterson Delivers First

In New Line Of 58-Footers

The Kimber is powered by a Detroit Diesel Model 12V71N delivering 350 continuous horsepower through a Twin

Disc Model 514 reverse-reduction gear.

Peterson Boatbuilding Company has an- nounced completion of trials and delivery of the first in their new line of 58-footers, the

F/V Kimber, designed by naval architect B.F.

Jensen. The boat was constructed at the Peter- son 'facility on Taylor Way and outfitted at the firm's headquarters plant at 223 East F

Street, Tacoma, Wash. 98421.

Owner and captain of the new boat is Jeff

Pfundt of Petersburg, Alaska. He will fish crab, salmon, and herring for Petersburg Fish- eries.

Immediately on completion of trials, the

Kimber took on fuel and supplies and departed

Tacoma for Petersburg. Reports coming in are most gratifying to Peterson Boat, and her working speed of 10 knots should make her a real contender on the fishing grounds.

Propulsion is by a Detroit Diesel Model 12V7IN delivering its 350 continuous horse- power through a Twin Disc Model 514 reverse- reduction gear. This combination drives a 56 by 44 three-Made Olympic propeller. Engine controls are Mathers single lever, two station.

A Twin Disc Model SL-211 power take-off is fitted forward on the main engine to provide a source of power for hydraulically operated deck machinery.

Auxiliary power is supplied by a Detroit

Diesel 3-71 Model 3055C driving a 30-kw Delco

AC generator.

All Detroit Diesel equipment was supplied by Courtwright Diesel and Machine Company of Tacoma.

The Kimber is fitted with a Sperry Rand hydraulic steering system with two jog sta- tions and rudder angle indicator.

Deck machinery includes both a power block and pot puller by MARCO, Northern Line combination fishing winch and Bevis anchor winch. All deck machinery is hydraulically operated. The system was designed by Charles

M. Bevis & Associates.

The hold is fully insulated and fitted for fishing salmon, crab, bottom fish or tuna. The crab pump is a 5 by 4 Deming.

Hold refrigeration was furnished by Ander- son Refrigeration of Seattle. It included a 7J4-ton type RA St. Regis compressor driven by a Lincoln Electric motor.

The Kim'ber's suit of electronics includes the following: Decca Marine radar, Super 101;

Northwest Instrument Model NW-4 single side band radio; Messenger Model 242-153 citi- zens' band transceiver; Morrow S120A Fath- ometer, and Simrad Model EX38D Fathometer. 42 Maritime Reporter/Engineering News