Changing Torpedoes rear tube to front

[kungfuserge]

Hello
Thanks for your help
I would like to know if it's possible to change Torpedoes rear tube to front tube or vis-versa ; like in the real submarine , when amunitions were missing on one side it was possible to move them .
If its possible how could I move them ?, (clic & drop doesn't work)
http://www.iconarchive.com/icons/mad-science/yellow-submarine/Yellow-Submarine-icon.gif

[Rockin Robbins]

I'd be real curious to see where that was done in a real submarine. I don't know of any examples of this exceedingly dangerous and low payoff routine. If I were Lockwood and somebody tried it I'd export the sub skipper to the Japanese and let him work for them.

[MonTana_Prussian]

I'd be real curious to see where that was done in a real submarine. I don't know of any examples of this exceedingly dangerous and low payoff routine. If I were Lockwood and somebody tried it I'd export the sub skipper to the Japanese and let him work for them.


Agreed. I don't believe this would be possible. Much easier to just turn the boat...:cool:

[seafarer]

Hello
Thanks for your help
I would like to know if it's possible to change Torpedoes rear tube to front tube or vis-versa ; like in the real submarine , when amunitions were missing on one side it was possible to move them .
If its possible how could I move them ?, (clic & drop doesn't work)
http://www.iconarchive.com/icons/mad-science/yellow-submarine/Yellow-Submarine-icon.gif

How on earth would they do that in a real submarine :o How do you move a 3280lb mk.14 torpedo down the entire length of the boat, through narrow hatchways and over high hatch combings, with no lifting gear, overhead rails or winches?

It's certainly not possible in game (wasn't in any of the Silent Hunter series).

[AVGWarhawk]

I believe the Germans did by letting he water do the carrying while it was pulled.

[Raptor1]

Don't forget that had it been possible (And the Torpedo wouldn't have blown the sub in half because of it), such a thing would make so much noise you might as well have gone flank speed, turned on every radio and phonograph on the boat and stuck up your periscope with a big flag saying "I'M HERE, KILL ME" while screaming at the top of your lungs...

[Nuc]

I have read of at least two wartime accounts where this was done. I will have to look them up, but in both cases it was an all night evolution done in calm seas. The hoisting rigs were set up aft; the torpedoes (at most two) were lifted out and lowered on to the boat's rubber rafts and floated forward. The rigging was broken down and reassembled forward. The torpedoes were lifted and stowed forward.

[M. Sarsfield]

Do you remember why they would have gone through that much trouble? If a tube was damaged and all other ordnance was expended, then I would have just sailed the boat home.

[Platapus]

\
How on earth would they do that in a real submarine :o How do you move a 3280lb mk.14 torpedo down the entire length of the boat, through narrow hatchways and over high hatch combings, with no lifting gear, overhead rails or winches?


Even if you could, you would end up with a Mk XIV in the forward torpedo room with the torpedo facing aft! Launching them props first would be interesting :oops:

Not only would getting the torpedo from the aft racks to the forward racks be tough but how do you flip that sumbitch around?:hmm:

[M. Sarsfield]

As Nuc said, they used the torpedo loading hatches in the deck and some rafts, but it still sounds like more trouble than it's worth. Maybe the crews were asked to do it to study the feasibility. I'm still wondering how a few life rafts were able to hold up something that heavy.

[Torplexed]

I must confess I also fail to see the point of such an exercise.. Got only stern torps left? Then think out your approach and attack with that in mind. Firing from the stern tubes does make for a quicker getaway. You're already pointing in the right direction.

[Powerthighs]

Anyone know the specifics of how did the Germans remove the torps from their external storage tubes? Just curious.

[Rockin Robbins]

I have read of at least two wartime accounts where this was done. I will have to look them up, but in both cases it was an all night evolution done in calm seas. The hoisting rigs were set up aft; the torpedoes (at most two) were lifted out and lowered on to the boat's rubber rafts and floated forward. The rigging was broken down and reassembled forward. The torpedoes were lifted and stowed forward.Can you provide references so we can read about it? Such an amazing and dangerous procedure HAS to have a great story behind it.

[bammac3]

I cannot recall at the moment the book I read it in, but I have read of this done, and in one case I recall, and I will try to look up the reference tommorow, in one case caused EXTREME friction between the C.O. who ordered it done in a perilous situation and the subordinate officers who thought it was madness in the state the boat was in at the time...it involved being surfaced in this case and dragging the torps over the deck to a hatch in the front, setting up some kind of frame....the details escape me...I will see if I can locate it.

[Nisgeis]

As Nuc said, they used the torpedo loading hatches in the deck and some rafts, but it still sounds like more trouble than it's worth. Maybe the crews were asked to do it to study the feasibility. I'm still wondering how a few life rafts were able to hold up something that heavy.

I remember from the manual on torpedo tube operation that the weight lost by firing the torpedo would be compensated for by the weight of water taking its place in the torpedo tube after firing. I just did a rough calculation and based on a density of sea water of 1.025 kg per litre and a cylinder 21" in diameter and 20'6" long and that comes out to 3,148 pounds for the weight of sea water displaced. Take a bit off that for the roundness of the nose and the stubby propeller at the end and really roughly that's about 3,000 sea water displaced by a torpedo, so the weight of a 3,280 mark 14 torpedo in the water would be about 280 pounds. So, if the torpedo were suspended from rafts, or rafts slung underneath as buoyancy aids and lightly inflated, it should be possible, if a bit risky if one of the rafts slips round the torpedo.

[Patboot]

Theoretically possible.
Practical? No. (unless extreme circumstance)
In game? nope.
Hope that answers the OP's topic.

[Buffalo9]

Wow!!! I come up with 85,870 lbs of water with a SG@1 filling a tube of those dimensions, seawater being of higher SG value it would be more.


I can't see the practicality of trying to shift torpedos while on patrol, you'd leave yourself very vunerable to attack with not many options of departing the area in a smart manner.

[Nuc]

I have read of at least two wartime accounts where this was done. I will have to look them up, but in both cases it was an all night evolution done in calm seas. The hoisting rigs were set up aft; the torpedoes (at most two) were lifted out and lowered on to the boat's rubber rafts and floated forward. The rigging was broken down and reassembled forward. The torpedoes were lifted and stowed forward.Can you provide references so we can read about it? Such an amazing and dangerous procedure HAS to have a great story behind it.

Looked all day :damn: Finally found one of the two accounts. Rasher's 4th patrol in May of 44 recounted in

Red Scorpion: The War Patrols of the Uss Rasher (http://www.amazon.com/Red-Scorpion-War-Patrols-Rasher/dp/1557504040/ref=pd_bbs_sr_6?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1207510222&sr=8-6) by Peter T. Sasgen

In this account it is not clear that they used the rafts. I know I have read specifically about using the rafts. I'll look some more this week.

[Nisgeis]

Looked all day :damn: Finally found one of the two accounts. Rasher's 4th patrol in May of 44 recounted in

Red Scorpion: The War Patrols of the Uss Rasher (http://www.amazon.com/Red-Scorpion-War-Patrols-Rasher/dp/1557504040/ref=pd_bbs_sr_6?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1207510222&sr=8-6) by Peter T. Sasgen

In this account it is not clear that they used the rafts. I know I have read specifically about using the rafts. I'll look some more this week.

Thanks for taking the time to look Nuc. Does it say why they moved the torpedo? Other than to get it to the other end of the boat.

[Nuc]

Click thumbnail for copy of page

http://thumbnails6.imagebam.com/470/373f204697456.gif (http://www.imagebam.com/image/373f204697456)

[gimpy117]

Hello
Thanks for your help
I would like to know if it's possible to change Torpedoes rear tube to front tube or vis-versa ; like in the real submarine , when amunitions were missing on one side it was possible to move them .
If its possible how could I move them ?, (clic & drop doesn't work)
http://www.iconarchive.com/icons/mad-science/yellow-submarine/Yellow-Submarine-icon.gif
How on earth would they do that in a real submarine :o How do you move a 3280lb mk.14 torpedo down the entire length of the boat, through narrow hatchways and over high hatch combings, with no lifting gear, overhead rails or winches?

It's certainly not possible in game (wasn't in any of the Silent Hunter series).

there isn't a track for one, stuff is in the way and how would they turn it around to put it in another tube...

[Rockin Robbins]

Click thumbnail for copy of page

http://thumbnails6.imagebam.com/470/373f204697456.gif (http://www.imagebam.com/image/373f204697456)
OMG! Would I ever love to read Admiral Lockwood's comments on that one. But it sounds more likely he was one of Admiral Christie's. Either way, that is a career endangering move! I can't imagine the possible advantage of risking the boat like that. How would you have liked to be a torpedoman in the ATR getting that kind of vote of confidence from your captain, "I'd rather be sunk while doing this ill-advised five hour transfer than trust you to shoot straight." Yup, that's leadership.

I propose we trade him and Ensign Lunkhead to the Japanese for a future draft pick.:up:

[Buffalo9]

Click thumbnail for copy of page

http://thumbnails6.imagebam.com/470/373f204697456.gif (http://www.imagebam.com/image/373f204697456) OMG! Would I ever love to read Admiral Lockwood's comments on that one. But it sounds more likely he was one of Admiral Christie's. Either way, that is a career endangering move! I can't imagine the possible advantage of risking the boat like that. How would you have liked to be a torpedoman in the ATR getting that kind of vote of confidence from your captain, "I'd rather be sunk while doing this ill-advised five hour transfer than trust you to shoot straight." Yup, that's leadership.

I propose we trade him and Ensign Lunkhead to the Japanese for a future draft pick.:up:


I concur.

[Nuc]

Would I ever love to read Admiral Lockwood's comments on that one. But it sounds more likely he was one of Admiral Christie's. Either way, that is a career endangering move! I can't imagine the possible advantage of risking the boat like that. How would you have liked to be a torpedoman in the ATR getting that kind of vote of confidence from your captain, "I'd rather be sunk while doing this ill-advised five hour transfer than trust you to shoot straight." Yup, that's leadership.

I propose we trade him and Ensign Lunkhead to the Japanese for a future draft pick.:up:
Willard Laughon was under Christie's command and the book describes Christie's reaction to the transfer as "incredulous". Christies endorsement of the patrol report was highly favorable. Blair's listing of top captains by number of ships sunk has him at 29 with 9 JANAC sinkings. He was awarded two Navy Crosses (one of them for this patrol). He was the captain that brought the captured U-1407 back to the US for study.

[Nuc]

Do you remember why they would have gone through that much trouble? If a tube was damaged and all other ordnance was expended, then I would have just sailed the boat home.

So if they encountered a convoy they would have seven tubes (three forward and four aft) loaded rather than only five (one forward and four aft). In fact that was exactly the situation a few days later when Rasher attacked a convoy and fired all seven remaining torpedoes.

[bammac3]

I have read of at least two wartime accounts where this was done. I will have to look them up, but in both cases it was an all night evolution done in calm seas. The hoisting rigs were set up aft; the torpedoes (at most two) were lifted out and lowered on to the boat's rubber rafts and floated forward. The rigging was broken down and reassembled forward. The torpedoes were lifted and stowed forward.Can you provide references so we can read about it? Such an amazing and dangerous procedure HAS to have a great story behind it.

Looked all day :damn: Finally found one of the two accounts. Rasher's 4th patrol in May of 44 recounted in

Red Scorpion: The War Patrols of the Uss Rasher (http://www.amazon.com/Red-Scorpion-War-Patrols-Rasher/dp/1557504040/ref=pd_bbs_sr_6?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1207510222&sr=8-6) by Peter T. Sasgen

In this account it is not clear that they used the rafts. I know I have read specifically about using the rafts. I'll look some more this week.

Nuc,

Thanks for posting this. I am unable to locate my reference-it may have been a library book-....and I was beginning to think I just imagined it. It was NOT the same incident, but I do recall the method involved rafts of some sort. The men were VERY unhappy at the order because of the surface time involved...possibly because of the aircraft threat. I will keep looking.

Bam

[Munchausen]

Mendenhall describes doing the same thing on page 83 of "Submarine Diary."

[Rockin Robbins]

Would I ever love to read Admiral Lockwood's comments on that one. But it sounds more likely he was one of Admiral Christie's. Either way, that is a career endangering move! I can't imagine the possible advantage of risking the boat like that. How would you have liked to be a torpedoman in the ATR getting that kind of vote of confidence from your captain, "I'd rather be sunk while doing this ill-advised five hour transfer than trust you to shoot straight." Yup, that's leadership.

I propose we trade him and Ensign Lunkhead to the Japanese for a future draft pick.:up: Willard Laughon was under Christie's command and the book describes Christie's reaction to the transfer as "incredulous". Christies endorsement of the patrol report was highly favorable. Blair's listing of top captains by number of ships sunk has him at 29 with 9 JANAC sinkings. He was awarded two Navy Crosses (one of them for this patrol). He was the captain that brought the captured U-1407 back to the US for study.

OK, we keep Lunkhead and take TWO future draft picks!:up:

[Buffalo9]

That's the problem with seat polishers.
If any scenerio turns out well and no one is lost you are commended and awarded.
If that same scenerio turned out disastrous your carrer is effectively over, but by then it may not really matter.

[clayton]

"Find 'Em, Chase 'Em, Sink 'Em"

USS Gudgeon

Pg 243 - 244

[Nuc]

Mendenhall describes doing the same thing on page 83 of "Submarine Diary."

Yes he does. I just looked at it. This is not the passage I remember so I think there is yet a third account documented somewhere :damn: . The interesting thing here is that it predates the Rasher transfer by two years yet Christie said he had never heard of such an action. Also the Sculpin had external torpedo stowage as described on page 59 so the evolution of having people on deck moving torpedoes was, if not a normal operating procedure, at least an anticipated evolution. I am thinking that this was a more common occurance than most of us had thought.

[Nuc]

"Find 'Em, Chase 'Em, Sink 'Em"

USS Gudgeon

Pg 243 - 244

Yes:up: that is the one I was trying to find. So at least three documented accounts.

[Rockin Robbins]

Who'da thunk it possible? And now three instances. Wonder if they were all under Christie. He had some weirdness about him, that's for sure! Captains loved him or hated him. There wasn't a lot of in between.

[CaptainHaplo]

Thats both unreal and amazing! I am astounded - I would have thought that a CO pulling that would be stripped of command as soon as he got to port - if not keelhauled! But then again - call it sad - but bold success is rewarded - in the military its only stupid if it doesnt work.

[Captain Vlad]

Thats both unreal and amazing! I am astounded - I would have thought that a CO pulling that would be stripped of command as soon as he got to port - if not keelhauled! But then again - call it sad - but bold success is rewarded - in the military its only stupid if it doesnt work.

Peacetime logic: "If something is dangerous, even if it helps you, don't do it!"

Wartime logic: "If it makes it easier to kill the enemy, and you think you can pull it off, go for it. Just don't screw up."

It's like being in a race versus driving your car normally. In one situation you'll take mad risks to get to where you want to go .5 seconds faster than anyone else. In the other, you get a ticket if you do the exact same thing.

[Thunder]

In the book "u boat war patrol" aptain "Teddy" Suhren managed it(in the Atlantic gap). The operation was not in any kriegsmarine manual. He rendevoued with a u-boat and her captin who was on his way home with a "belly" ache.:rotfl:Suhen wanted his torps.They attached (jury rigged) the hoist(used for removing the external torps) and lowered the torp into a life rart(or two).Even then i t was extremely heavy and had to be supported by life jackets.

No, getting it off the boat was no big deal, but bringing it on board a bit more difficult until Suhren hit upon the idea of using the boat itself, basically lowering the boat to decks "awash, bringing the torp over and the raising the boat again, voila, one torp on deck. if memory serves they did this with three torps, but the fourth wasn't attached to the life raft/jackets securly enough and it went to davy jones.

I really reccomment u boat war patrol, one of the best i have yet read, as the pictures were"liberated" from a base in france and have only recently seen the light of day, basicaly depicting life on board a u-boat during a cruise.

[basilio]

Anyone know the specifics of how did the Germans remove the torps from their external storage tubes? Just curious.
Just a little bit late.
Follow the link
http://www.u-boote-online.de/waffen/torpedos.php?location=uboote
and click on the green arrow.

[Torpex752]

Thats both unreal and amazing! I am astounded - I would have thought that a CO pulling that would be stripped of command as soon as he got to port - if not keelhauled! But then again - call it sad - but bold success is rewarded - in the military its only stupid if it doesnt work.

True, but then that was over 50 years ago..different times..diffrent circumstances.

[seafarer]

Mendenhall describes doing the same thing on page 83 of "Submarine Diary."

Yes he does. I just looked at it. This is not the passage I remember so I think there is yet a third account documented somewhere :damn: . The interesting thing here is that it predates the Rasher transfer by two years yet Christie said he had never heard of such an action. Also the Sculpin had external torpedo stowage as described on page 59 so the evolution of having people on deck moving torpedoes was, if not a normal operating procedure, at least an anticipated evolution. I am thinking that this was a more common occurance than most of us had thought.

I thought that pre-war, all the Sargo class boats had four external storage torpedoes. And that these were removed once war patrols started as they were deemed needlessly risky having the crews moving the fish at sea. I can't find a good picture of the pre-war stowage though, or what kind of rig they had available to move those torpedoes inboard (I assume since they were designed and built with the stowage on deck, they had something better available then jury-rigged tackle and life rafts :p ).

I know the one Salmon class boat, Stingray had two external forward tubes, but those were actually forward firing tubes (and only reloadable in port).

[Nuc]

I resurrected this antique thread because I just came across a fourth account of a US Fleet Boat torpedo transfer at sea. It was the USS Puffer in August of 1944. This is described in The USS Puffer in World War II (http://www.amazon.com/USS-Puffer-World-War-II/dp/0786432098/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1282302950&sr=1-1) by Craig R. McDonald (http://www.amazon.com/Craig-R.-McDonald/e/B001JRZ616/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1282302950&sr=1-1). It is interesting that in all the interviews conducted for the book no one remembered exactly how the transfer was done. The author suggest that they might "float the torpedoes across the deck with the submarine deck awash". Maybe using the inflatable rafts as described in one of the accounts above? The transfer was documented in personel records but the award citation for the 1st class Gunners Mate who was in charge reads " for important deck repairs at night". In any case that makes it a perfect 4 - 0 for successful transfers. ummm... May there are some unreported failures and "lost" torpedoes out there. I know some have looked into modding this capability into the game. What was the outcome? Can it be done?

[Urge]

I missed this thread first time around. I served on the USS Carp (SS 338) in the 60s and we fired dummy torpedos(no explosives) all the time. My job was to go into the water with a line and attach it to the torpedo, it would be floated over the boat while the boat was partially submerged. Basically, I would pull it over the deck with the deck 2-3 ft under water. After surfacing the torpedo loading hatch would be opened, the rigging set up and the torpedo would be lowered just as it was done in port. They would then set up the torp and fire it again.

Urge

[Platapus]

I resurrected this antique thread because I just came across a fourth account of a US Fleet Boat torpedo transfer at sea.


Good on you for doing the research in this thread. I did not think it was done, but evidently you was right. :salute:

Always good when I can gets some learnin from this site. :yeah:

[flatsixes]

Urge:

I'm laughing because I served on the "torpedo recovery team" aboard my DE/FF back in the 70's. It ususally wasn't that big a deal, unless you had some junior officer of the deck unfamiliar with the term "leeward."

But explaining it to my kids a thousand years later was a real hoot. "You mean you got off of the ship in the middle of the ocean to swim after a torpedo? What were you, nuts?"

And I'm thinking: "Holy sh*t, I used to jump off of ship in the middle of the ocean to swim after a torpedo? What was I, nuts?"

But what I'd say was: " Sure! We'd do it just for fun! But not before we ate a special meal of beans and bacon. Why? Because it gave us plenty of gas to ward off sharks. Sharks hate farts. You can look it up."

[Urge]

Well, I stood on deck while the sub submerged under me. OK, so it was only a few feet but still I always wondered what if...

Urge

I am so happy that I'm not a medic anymore.

[Stealhead]

Flatsix reminds me:

My great uncle served on the USS Minneapolis during WWII. He told me this story it might have been scuttlebutt who knows about a sailor getting washed over broad in rough seas of course back then in enemy territory if this happened you died because they could not risk picking you up but this guy by some very good luck got washed back onto the ships deck by a wave a minutes of two after he fell off.If that was a true story that was one lucky man.

If you ever sit down to eat with my great uncle he will say "Remember if it moves its not a raisin!" He and his ship mates used to say this at chow whenever they say a weevil on their plate.:rotfl2:

Surface ships did not have as good of chow as subs did on a sub weevil infested flour would have been tossed over board not so on a surface ship sometimes

[sergei]

But explaining it to my kids a thousand years later was a real hoot. "You mean you got off of the ship in the middle of the ocean to swim after a torpedo? What were you, nuts?"

And I'm thinking: "Holy sh*t, I used to jump off of ship in the middle of the ocean to swim after a torpedo? What was I, nuts?"


Good story Flatsixes, made me smile. :DL
The things we do when we're young eh?

[Sailor Steve]

The things we do when we're young eh?
The world is a far different place when you know you're going to live forever. :sunny:

[JoeCorrado]

The world is a far different place when you know you're going to live forever. :sunny:

Ain't it the truth! :rotfl2:

[Nuc]

we fired dummy torpedos(no explosives) all the time. My job was to go into the water with a line and attach it to the torpedo,

Great anecdotes:up: It probably should be noted that unlike a warshot, the exercise torpedos are designed to float (although they don't always).

I certainly would like to hear from the modders what if anything can be done to put this capability in the game.

[Jan Kyster]

Okay, been reading the War Patrol Logs to see if I could find reference in there. These are the results for the above mentioned boats...

________________________________

USS Rasher SS-269

No mention of transferring torpedoes in War Report.

Only a normal dock in Darwin for resupply. Noted that a complete load of 18 torpedoes, fuel, water and food took less than 7 hours...

Another sidenote: Rasher had logged 40 (forty) aircraft contacts for that month...
12 contacts on 5th of June alone btw... a total of 110 for the entire fourth patrol! :D


________________________________

USS Puffer SS-268

From Summary:
"After picking off an ammunition loaded freighter in the Sulu Seas area, the PUFFER was left with nine torpedoes aboard. These were awkwardly distributed with four forward and five aft, so she pulled clear of the coast and skillfully effected the hazardous shift of two torpedoes from after to forward torpedo rooms."

In War Report, Fifth War Patrol, pg. 216:
"7 August.
1245-55 Torpedo hit M.O.T. the only way to describe this sinking is that the target disintegrated in a cloud of smoke. He must have been loaded with gasoline or ammunition for he literally blow to pieces."
1904 Surface with SAMPOAK POINT bearing 134T, distant 12.5 miles.
2145 Commenced transfer of two torpedoes from the after torpedoe room to the forward torpedo room.
8 August
0107 Completed the transfer of two torpedoes to the forward room. This ticklish job was carefully planned and efficiently accomplished by Lieut. F. G. GOLAY, USNR and Lieut. W. M. PUGH, USN with volunteers from the deck force and torpedo force respectively, all under supervision of the EXecutive Officer, Lt. Cmdr. C. R. DWYER, USN."

No further detail in report.


Also found this little sketch in the report:

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z15/subject_rod/PufferHints.jpg


________________________________

USS Gudgeon SS-211

Sidenotes from "Summary":
"27. January. The Gudgeon sank a surfaced enemy submarine, making her the first U.S. submarine in history to sink an enemy combatant ship."

"28. March. at 0734 she recontacted the small armed merchantman which she had unsuccessfully attacked on 13 March. The sub closed the target and fired a brace of torpedoes, one of which passed under the now revealed "Q" ship. Swinging around she fired another torpedo, but the target was alerted and avoided the missile by manouvering.
The sub sought the oceans depths, rigged for depth charge attack and commenced silent running. The "Q"-ship dropped fourteen accurately placed depth charges, which caused extensive minor damage. Shortly thereafter the enemy ship was joined by a destroyer and following a prolonged search, the submarine was able to clear the vicinity undetected."
(see pg. 77 for tech. info)

The War Report also had this attached:

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z15/subject_rod/GudgeonQ-ship.jpg


Page 297-300 (in part I) have notes concerning a landing party. Page 1-4 in part II have evalution notes reg. same landing party... skipper not too happy...

Part II, pg. 51
"April 28, 1943
0104:20 Fired spread of four torpedoes, the last torpedoes we have forward.
April 29, 1943
1900 H Surfaced. Made all preparations for transferring torpedoes tomorrow night. It was necessary to rerig both forward and after kingposts which had been taken down. This job proved to be equally as hard and as long as the actual transfer of the torpedoes.
April 30, 1943
1900 H Surfaced. Completed special mission. *)
This evening under cover of darkness transferred three torpedoes from the after torpedo room to the forward torpedo room. This was accomplished by lashing three 7 man rubber boats together and using them to float the torpedoes forward. About four hours were required to complete the job but it is believed that this time may be materially reduced with a little practice as the last two were moved in abaout the same time as was required for the first one alone."


*) The "Special Mission Report" can be found on pg 82 onwards. Landing party, 4 men and 6000 pounds of equipment landed on Panay.

@Rockin Robbins: Lockwood signed the report. Apparently he must have approved it, no remarks whatsoever...

________________________________

USS Sculpin SS-191

No mention of torpedo transfers found. But some sidenotes:

25 February, 1942 hunting enemy submarine.... pg. 33 and 49.

Not often you see intelligence reports being mentioned, from pg. 133:
"4 October, 1942
Decripted CTF 42 dispatch 131310 (serial 91) which contains the aformation that a supply ship from Rabaul is expected to arrive at Aviong at noon today. Altered course to intercept."

Pg. 235, under "Remarks" it's noted:
"Enough has been said heretofore concerning the torpedo performance. At this writing it appears the the Commanding Officer exceeded his authority in inactivating the influence feature on the last eight exploders. This he deeply regrets. However from his viewpoint it seemed the only possible course of action. The exploders in question had been altered with a view to increasing their sensitivity. It would seem that this alteration is perhaps a shade too successful."

Pg. 276-280 is "The story of the last engagement of the USS Sculpin as submitted to Captain Hemsel (OP23C) on 1 October, 1945".
Pg. 282-285 is an excerpt from "United States Submarine losses" page 70-72.


________________________________

In the book "u boat war patrol" aptain "Teddy" Suhren managed it (in the Atlantic gap)....
http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z15/subject_rod/pic00059mb.jpg

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z15/subject_rod/transfer001.jpg

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z15/subject_rod/transfer002.jpg

________________________________ :ping: