The model ship in the typhoon seemed to be quite exaggerated compared to the interior scenes of the ship. If an actual ship was being tossed like that I think the crew would have been knocked unconcious
shareThe special effects of the ship in the typhoon were somewhat over done but considering it was 60 years ago it came off very well as high drama. There is a suggestion this film be remade which I agree with wholeheartly and the typhoon segement we know would now be computer generated.
shareFirst, the film is entirely a work of fiction. Nevertheless, certain events were modelled after actual history. It is thought the typhoon sequence represented the author's own experience in Typhoon Cobra, 1944 December 17. If you read about the actual event, I don't think you will believe there was much if any exaggeration in the film.
In the actual storm, Halsey's Task Force 38 sailed directly into the heart of the storm. Destroyer Hull capsized and sank with the loss of 202 of 264 aboard. Destroyer Monaghan capsized and sank with the loss of 256 of 262. Destroyer Spence's rudder jammed and she capsized with the loss of 317 of 340. Each of these destroyers were at least the size of fictional converted-destroyer minesweeper Caine. Aircraft Carrier Cowpens (heeled very hard over here http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c9/USS_Cowpens_%28CVL- 25%29_during_Typhoon_Cobra.jpg) suffered a hangar door torn open, and radar, gun mounts, whaleboat, jeeps, tractors, a crane, and 8 aircraft lost overboard. One of the heaviest US battleships ever built, Iowa, had a propeller shaft bent. 24 other ships were damaged, some heavily and requiring major repairs. A total of 790 lives were lost.
A court of inquiry found that Halsey committed an error of judgement in not clearing the track of the typhoon safely ahead of time. Though it did not impose any sanctions. Then, incredibly, in 1945 Halsey AGAIN sailed a fleet into ANOTHER massive typhoon. ANOTHER court of inquiry this time recommended "reassigning" (i.e., relieving) Halsey, but Nimitz demurred and did not carry this action out.
During the typhoon of 1945 June 4, heavy cruiser Pittsburgh, a massive 13,600 tons, had her bow LITERALLY ripped away by unbelievably violent seas. In an epic damage control struggle, the ship was saved with a missing bow. Incredibly, the drifting bow section was later salvaged.
ONE HUNDRED foot high waves were recorded in this typhoon.
Photo of Pittsburgh sans bow: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:USSPittsburghOops.jpg
Flat out amazing film of this storm and the aftermath: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X95kSfi1oSU
Any sailor who has ever been on the North Atlantic or in a bad storm aboard a naval vessel will tell you it can be pretty dicey. On the Lexington, a WWII era carrier we circled around the edges of a cat 4 and followed it in. Not even in the storm, we were walking on bulkheads at times. Waves broke over the flight deck. (Likely the reason the bows were enclosed after the war. They were even referred to as "Hurricane Bows.") We were not even in the bad part of the storm. Imagine being in the middle of a Pacific Typhoon like the one fnj mentions above! I hate remakes. I hope they never redo this movie.
Remember Rabbit Ears with tin foil?
As Patton says, compared to war all other forms of human endeavor fade to insignificance. But truly before the fury of nature man and all his works fade in the perspective.
The sea with its dander up is the most awesome experience there is.
Imagine the days of 40 foot sailing ships crossing open water. Those guys were some bold suckers.
Remember Rabbit Ears with tin foil?
I live in GTMO. The US Base is on both sides of the mouth of the Bay. In order to get from Windward, where most of the Base is and Leeward, where the air terminal is, we cross by ferry. It is not a large ferry, a couple of dozen vehicles fit on it. When the Bay is rough we get rather wet.
A few years ago my son's class went down to the ferry landing for Columbus Day because that was one of his first stops. The students had the length and width dimensions of the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria and used chalk to draw outlines in the parking lot. The ferry happened to come in while they were doing this and I asked the Captain if he knew the dimensions of the ferry off the top of his head. He gave them to me and I passed the information on to the students. Only one of Columbus' ships was larger than our ferry. The middle one was a bit shorter, but also a bit wider. Those guys were NUTS! (and lost).