Capn_Sinky
02-19-08, 11:20 AM
Hi Guys, new here and wanted to "HI" and try to answer a question I saw posted a while back about why someone would want to use MK Xs as opposed to to new fangeldy MK XIV fish. Being an old salt (played Silent Service on the old Commodore 128) I know you can't give a reason without a story...
How the MK X saved my tonnage.
Before going out on patrol I always swap out at least half of my MK XIVs for MK Xs. Let me give you a perfect example of why I do this.
Having just been placed in command of the USS Drum I was given a patrol assignment in the Celebes Sea. On the way there I was having little luck catching convoys. I received several messages of convoys in my area only to never catch one, usually being forced to dive to avoid aircraft before being able to make a sound or visual contact. Checking over the charts I found myself fairly close to the Japanese held port Melekeok on the Isle of Lalau. Calculating the time and distance I figured from my current position I could arrive there shortly after dark. Doing a little research I also discovered it is a deepwater port and is not enclosed in a bay thus reducing the likelihood of mines and nets, another bonus.
Upon arrival after sunset I found a lone destroyer patrolling about 5000yrd out from the port all by his lonesome. Although it was well after sunset there was a moon so I went deep and ran silent. Passed under the unsuspecting destroyer undetected and came to periscope depth just 1400 yards from an all-u-can-eat merchant and tanker buffet. A large freighter was tied up along a pier to the south with its port side fully exposed. Directly in front of me were a large tanker nestled in between two short piers with about 75 yrds of his bow jutting out, and a medium tanker just off the port bow with its entire port side visible. Looking over my left shoulder I could see the destroyer was still making his rounds totally oblivious to the havoc I was about to unleash upon his charges.
My plan was to target the medium tanker first with three bow tubes and then target the large tanker with the other three bow tubes. The destroyer was to my south which meant the best escape route would be to the northeast allowing me to fire three stern tubes at the large freighter while I made my escape leaving one stern tube for the destroyer if I needed it or to deliver a coup de grace to any of the targets if necessary.
Having targeted the medium tanker I fired tubes one, two and four all MK XIVs. Once those fish were in the water I shifted targeting to the large tanker firing tubes three, five and six. These fish consisted of one MK XIV and two MK Xs. Once those fish were in the water I increased speed to fwd 2/3 and began the turn to the northeast to bring my stern tubes to bear on the large freighter. Gave a quick glance over my shoulder to see the destroyer still clueless. No moon out tonight so I figured he wouldn’t know what was going on, until the fireworks started anyway. Halfway into the turn I get the message that every sub commander in the Pacific in 41 and 42 hates (but usually expects) to get. “Torpedo’s a dud sir”, “Torpedo’s a dud sir”, “Torpedo’s a dud sir.” All three MK XIVs headed to the medium tanker were duds. All three were set to contact only and running at a depth of 12 feet. CRAP! And a few other expletives were hurled into the general vicinity of Norfolk. Then more bad news. “Torpedo’s a dud sir” the fish out of tube 5 targeting the large tanker had been a MK XIV also. Great! Could my day get any worse short of the destroyer dropping an ashcan right down my periscope well.
Then some good news, finally “Torpedo Impact”, “Torpedo Impact” Those trusty rusty MK Xs made their point to Mr. Heriheto and the large tanker. By this time I was lined up with a perfect stern shot on the large freighter. Having completed the turn I reduced my speed to ahead 1/3 and allowed my speed to stabilize. Looking at the stern tubes I noted nine and ten were MK Xs and eight and nine were MK XIVs. So having my fill of NEW TECHNOLOGY I fired tube nine and ten first at a depth of 12ft and then fired tube eight contact only, ten feet and speed slow.
More good news comes in, things might be going my way for a change. “Enemy Unit Destroyed” Stern fish in the water I turn the scope to see the large tanker stern up and bow in the mud. Glancing over my left shoulder I can see the destroyer is starting to get a little agitated. He now has his search light on, it’s beam is darting around this way and that looking for the American devil that sank his large tanker. Flip the scope back to the large freighter just in time to see three solid hits along his port side. Two near the stern and one under the stack. KABOOM! Up she goes right there next to the pier stern first to visit his brethren in Davy Jones Locker. Now the destroyer is really mad. Turning this way and that like a bloodhound looking for a scent. Search light frantically going this way and that Sonar pinging like mad. Secured from silent running the fore and aft crews are reloading the tubes but with one fish avail and it’s a MK XIV I’m not pressing my luck. New depth 300 heading 047, ahead flank speed, at least till I reach the 300ft mark and then I give the order ahead 1/3 and man the ice cream maker.
So to recap, out of 5 MK XIVs 4 were duds. Out of 4 MK Xs none were duds. Now granted 4 duds out of 5 is statistically a little high even for 1942, in reality it was around 50-60% dud rate. But, then again I have read of cases where 10 out of 10 MK XIVs were duds. That’s why I carry MK Xs. They may be 1930s technology, they may be slower and have a shorter range, and even a smaller warhead, but one MK X is worth more than a boatload of dud MK XIVs. Maybe when they get most of the bugs worked out of the MK XIVs by late 43 I might start carrying more of them, but until then I’ll continue to carry half MK Xs and half MK XIVs.
Captain Sinky (aka Stinky)
O.I.C.I.C.
(Officer In Charge of Ice Cream)
and
Commander
USS Drum
How the MK X saved my tonnage.
Before going out on patrol I always swap out at least half of my MK XIVs for MK Xs. Let me give you a perfect example of why I do this.
Having just been placed in command of the USS Drum I was given a patrol assignment in the Celebes Sea. On the way there I was having little luck catching convoys. I received several messages of convoys in my area only to never catch one, usually being forced to dive to avoid aircraft before being able to make a sound or visual contact. Checking over the charts I found myself fairly close to the Japanese held port Melekeok on the Isle of Lalau. Calculating the time and distance I figured from my current position I could arrive there shortly after dark. Doing a little research I also discovered it is a deepwater port and is not enclosed in a bay thus reducing the likelihood of mines and nets, another bonus.
Upon arrival after sunset I found a lone destroyer patrolling about 5000yrd out from the port all by his lonesome. Although it was well after sunset there was a moon so I went deep and ran silent. Passed under the unsuspecting destroyer undetected and came to periscope depth just 1400 yards from an all-u-can-eat merchant and tanker buffet. A large freighter was tied up along a pier to the south with its port side fully exposed. Directly in front of me were a large tanker nestled in between two short piers with about 75 yrds of his bow jutting out, and a medium tanker just off the port bow with its entire port side visible. Looking over my left shoulder I could see the destroyer was still making his rounds totally oblivious to the havoc I was about to unleash upon his charges.
My plan was to target the medium tanker first with three bow tubes and then target the large tanker with the other three bow tubes. The destroyer was to my south which meant the best escape route would be to the northeast allowing me to fire three stern tubes at the large freighter while I made my escape leaving one stern tube for the destroyer if I needed it or to deliver a coup de grace to any of the targets if necessary.
Having targeted the medium tanker I fired tubes one, two and four all MK XIVs. Once those fish were in the water I shifted targeting to the large tanker firing tubes three, five and six. These fish consisted of one MK XIV and two MK Xs. Once those fish were in the water I increased speed to fwd 2/3 and began the turn to the northeast to bring my stern tubes to bear on the large freighter. Gave a quick glance over my shoulder to see the destroyer still clueless. No moon out tonight so I figured he wouldn’t know what was going on, until the fireworks started anyway. Halfway into the turn I get the message that every sub commander in the Pacific in 41 and 42 hates (but usually expects) to get. “Torpedo’s a dud sir”, “Torpedo’s a dud sir”, “Torpedo’s a dud sir.” All three MK XIVs headed to the medium tanker were duds. All three were set to contact only and running at a depth of 12 feet. CRAP! And a few other expletives were hurled into the general vicinity of Norfolk. Then more bad news. “Torpedo’s a dud sir” the fish out of tube 5 targeting the large tanker had been a MK XIV also. Great! Could my day get any worse short of the destroyer dropping an ashcan right down my periscope well.
Then some good news, finally “Torpedo Impact”, “Torpedo Impact” Those trusty rusty MK Xs made their point to Mr. Heriheto and the large tanker. By this time I was lined up with a perfect stern shot on the large freighter. Having completed the turn I reduced my speed to ahead 1/3 and allowed my speed to stabilize. Looking at the stern tubes I noted nine and ten were MK Xs and eight and nine were MK XIVs. So having my fill of NEW TECHNOLOGY I fired tube nine and ten first at a depth of 12ft and then fired tube eight contact only, ten feet and speed slow.
More good news comes in, things might be going my way for a change. “Enemy Unit Destroyed” Stern fish in the water I turn the scope to see the large tanker stern up and bow in the mud. Glancing over my left shoulder I can see the destroyer is starting to get a little agitated. He now has his search light on, it’s beam is darting around this way and that looking for the American devil that sank his large tanker. Flip the scope back to the large freighter just in time to see three solid hits along his port side. Two near the stern and one under the stack. KABOOM! Up she goes right there next to the pier stern first to visit his brethren in Davy Jones Locker. Now the destroyer is really mad. Turning this way and that like a bloodhound looking for a scent. Search light frantically going this way and that Sonar pinging like mad. Secured from silent running the fore and aft crews are reloading the tubes but with one fish avail and it’s a MK XIV I’m not pressing my luck. New depth 300 heading 047, ahead flank speed, at least till I reach the 300ft mark and then I give the order ahead 1/3 and man the ice cream maker.
So to recap, out of 5 MK XIVs 4 were duds. Out of 4 MK Xs none were duds. Now granted 4 duds out of 5 is statistically a little high even for 1942, in reality it was around 50-60% dud rate. But, then again I have read of cases where 10 out of 10 MK XIVs were duds. That’s why I carry MK Xs. They may be 1930s technology, they may be slower and have a shorter range, and even a smaller warhead, but one MK X is worth more than a boatload of dud MK XIVs. Maybe when they get most of the bugs worked out of the MK XIVs by late 43 I might start carrying more of them, but until then I’ll continue to carry half MK Xs and half MK XIVs.
Captain Sinky (aka Stinky)
O.I.C.I.C.
(Officer In Charge of Ice Cream)
and
Commander
USS Drum