Human torpedoes

[MarkT79]

A few pics of British and Italian Human torpedoes in North Yorkshire, Not in the best places for pictures but here they are - http://outandabout.fotopic.net/c1196308.html

[Letum]

I used to work at that place! :D

[The Munster]

@MarkT79 .. Hi, is the Esk Valley Line still running ?

[Polak]

What was the purpose of those torpedoes?
They look like transportation vessels.

[ASWnut101]

you put a person in it and tell him to ram the target boat, casuing the manned torpedo to detonate.:yep:

[Polak]

Okey, I am asking because they look alot like underwater transport vessels from WW2, like some SDV's:D

[ASWnut101]

well, if you consider they 'transport' the driver to his fate, then me was correct.:D :lol:

[Polak]

You are actually wrong Sir. :)
I tried my fiend wikipedia and this is what I found out.
Human torpedoes or manned torpedoes were secret naval weapons of World War II (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II). The name is most commonly used to refer to the weapons that Italy and later Britain deployed in the Mediterranean and used to attack ships in enemy harbours. It is a type of Diver Propulsion Vehicle (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diver_Propulsion_Vehicle). See also frogman (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frogman) and wet sub (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wet_sub).
These were electrically propelled torpedoes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torpedo) with two crewmen equipped with diving (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diving) suits riding astride. They steered the torpedo at slow speed to the enemy ship. The detachable warhead (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warhead) was then used as a limpet mine (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naval_mine#Limpet_mines). They then rode the torpedo away.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_torpedo

So they actually worked as SDV's:D, I know that Poland had real kamikaze torpedoes before the war, the diver/driver had very small chances of surviving though(you had the option of survival). You basically chose the heading and then bailed in the last second. But I guess that it's not to fun to emerge infront of enemy ships...

[ASWnut101]

ahh, right. wikipedia.:roll:



Anyway, I guess I was thinking of the German and Japanese Suicide Torpedos. Just got done reading a book on them.:oops: Thanks.:)