paravanes - Hutchinson encyclopedia article about paravanes Printer Friendly
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paravane
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paravane

Anti-mine device, used by the British in World War I for minesweeping.

It was towed from the bows of a ship and was so designed that at a preset depth it would pull the towing wire taut. When this wire struck a mine cable, the cable was deflected down the wire to the paravane where it met a powerful cutter blade.

This cut the mine free to float to the surface some distance from the ship, where it could be destroyed by gunfire.

One paravane on each side of a ship's bow virtually guaranteed safety against moored mines.



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