Originally Posted by Missileer

I don't see how a ram that catastrophic to one sub didn't take both down.

I have the same doubt. Plus, a friend of mine said he saw a film or something immediately after the event and he said the Kursk had no holes when it was brought out of the ocean.

We all know that the Russians didn't take care of any of their ships, and that most were in poor condition. So the argument that the ship was sank by an explosion in the torpedo room or by poor maitenence would be reasonable while the argument that it was attacke dis a little far fetched.

Check out these links for some picture information on Kursk.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/147500...orpedo_300.gif
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/photos...ursk-large.jpg
http://www.vg.no/pub/vgart.hbs?artid=3730487 (Norwegian only but check the photo)

The hole is dented inwards.

That is possibly due to the implotion. If something explode inside a submarine or anything else submerged, the heat from the fire and the shockwave by the explotion disrupt the metal structure - so the water pressure press the hull inwards.

Notice that Norwegian divers did cut the bow off the submarine before it was saved, in case you see pictures of the Kursk with no bow at all.

http://www.pulli.com/kursk/ provides an analyzis of the explotions and seismographic images. Quite interesting reading for those whose interested.

Reminds me of the rumours surrounding the Hunt for Red October. There was an urban myth floating about way back when that said Tom Clancy's book was so close to reality that he was "debriefed by the Pentagon" to find out his source. It wouldn't surprise me one way or the other as to its truth but my money is on some pr nitwit starting the rumour to drum up book and later movie sales.

There are many episodes that can be classified as myths of the modern time. For instance the trawler Gaul and the "Mehamn" accident where a civilian aircraft crashed and it was said that two UK Harriers were spotted in the no fly zone in the very north east of Norway. The second invenstigation enquirey has just been completed on that one (first one back in the mid 1980s).

In each episode there are many aspects that have to be taken into consideration. Some beyond our view of the world today...

Uh... has it been stated yet that everyone already agrees the Kursk went down because of the dangerous liquid peroxide fuel used to power its Torpedos? The Brittish already lost the HMS Sidon from the very same problem but the Russians kept using the fuel and with poor manaince the Kursk suffered. First torpedo went boom... then the whole torpedo room went off like the 4th of July.

Originally Posted by Italian Guy

The hole is dented inwards.

Snub is right on this one. Like when you do a cannon-ball of the high dive you get the big splash because of all the water pushing back against the hole your body made. Imagine that force sized up where you blow up the entire force of a torpedo room... the sea-water is going to push back at you with EXTREME force.

Sunb you're a mine of information on this. Thank you.