h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I'm mildly surprised that there's no mention of Magnus Geoffrey Pyke's WWII proposal to build an unsinkable aircraft carrier from pykrete - a composite made from sawdust and ice. Geoffrey Pyke was the first cousin of Magnus Pyke. This project was called Habbakuk.

Pykrete was said to have some interestingf propertiers, notably its low thermal conductivity meant that it didn't thaw quickly. Furthermore, it was tougher and stronger than normal concrete. The idea was that, even if holed by a shell, the hole could be sealed by with cardboard, spraying with cold water and re-freezing.

I believe that a prototype was tested on a lake in Canada.

I seem to remember, some years ago, a BBC Radio 4 play called Project Habbakuk.

*shakes snowglobe*




Do I see another Entry in the making, Big Al?


Well Done, Nbb!


lil x

Actually, I think the BBC play was called 'Habbakuk of Ice'

Indeed, your memory serves you well


>>Habakkuk of Ice - BBC Radio 7 Play - January 31st 2009<<

Well, I wasn't aware of that performance. The one I recall was 5 years ago or more!

Amazing what can be learned when Researching

hope u make an entry on that, not sure im feeling up to it.

Completely missed this when i logged on
First scavenged entry and first pic, wooooo

I seem to remember that the Canadian lake was called Pyramid Lake, near Jasper in Alberta.
Several years ago I read all about this aircraft carrier project on a plaque at the lake side. It seems they successfully tested the theory but for whatever reason it never got any further.

i think the problem with it was that it slowly slid around unless you kept it at -16c - requiring alot of refrigeration (and therefore power).
It was considered but I think d-day got in the way of further experimentation. :S

It was Patricia Lake that a scale model was built. A full-size one was never built.
It was nearing the end of the war and the cost (estimated $100M) was spiralling. Also, aircraft ranges were increasing and conventional aircraft carriers were increasing in number. So the project was scrapped.