Nearly killed by my own torpedo (Mk 27)

[Zero Niner]

So I was attacking this convoy of 3 passenger liners escorted by a corvette in Sagami Wan. I was being hunted by the corvette so I launched my last Mk 27 at him at a range of about 1000 yards or so then went deep.
I was tracking the progress of the torpedo on the attack map when the dang thing looped back and started tracking me! Crash dive, flank speed and thank goodness the torpedo stayed on the surface but on the attack map you could tell it was tracking me until I went below the thermal layer at 200' and went quiet.
That was certainly interesting!
https://i.ibb.co/3htK8xd/Mk27.png (https://ibb.co/MNqdjzS)
image posting (https://imgbb.com/)

[soloshrov]

Yeah its great and really terrifying especially if youre working solely off of your hyrdo. It happened a lot with early homing torpedoes like the German ones and American ones.

[1Patriotofmany]

That's why you dive and stop moving in reverse order is best. SOP with acoustic torps on all sides, German, Jap and US.

[KaleunMarco]

So I was attacking this convoy of 3 passenger liners escorted by a corvette in Sagami Wan. I was being hunted by the corvette so I launched my last Mk 27 at him at a range of about 1000 yards or so then went deep.
I was tracking the progress of the torpedo on the attack map when the dang thing looped back and started tracking me! Crash dive, flank speed and thank goodness the torpedo stayed on the surface but on the attack map you could tell it was tracking me until I went below the thermal layer at 200' and went quiet.
That was certainly interesting!
have you experienced the same situation and watched the Mk27 cruise past your intended DD/DE target?

[Bubblehead1980]

So I was attacking this convoy of 3 passenger liners escorted by a corvette in Sagami Wan. I was being hunted by the corvette so I launched my last Mk 27 at him at a range of about 1000 yards or so then went deep.
I was tracking the progress of the torpedo on the attack map when the dang thing looped back and started tracking me! Crash dive, flank speed and thank goodness the torpedo stayed on the surface but on the attack map you could tell it was tracking me until I went below the thermal layer at 200' and went quiet.
That was certainly interesting!
https://i.ibb.co/3htK8xd/Mk27.png (https://ibb.co/MNqdjzS)
image posting (https://imgbb.com/)

It happens lol. Long ago I let two loose in 1945 (shallow waters about 120 ft depth), hit a destroyer, fouled its props and rudder and got away, other escort lost me in confusion but the other torpedo never found a target and I forgot about it, was busy listening for escorts. I heard torpedo noise. Checked attack map and it was turning right into me and maybe 20 seconds later BAM right into conning tower. I considered myself sunk (as game should have but its flawed in that way) and ended career there) Best is to launch them out of forward tubes, but can safely launch the from aft tubes as well.

"Cutie" needs to be fired from ranges further than 1000 yards...they have a programmed strait run of about 1000 yards if I recall, before the sound gear kicks in and it starts looking for target. After firing, should immediately go deep and on silent running. I typically fire them at 1500-2500 yards. They are slow so need to be able to meet the target for a high chance of success, once in a while a "let it fly and hope it hits something" shot will work on escorts or slow merchants.


If I recall, the procedure was to fire it and go to 150 feet, silent running. Some would go all stop until needed some speed.

[Zero Niner]

have you experienced the same situation and watched the Mk27 cruise past your intended DD/DE target?
Not quite but I've seen one just go straight, not bother to turn to track any target.
I've not used them very often but it seems to me that the chances of them hitting anything are like 50/50.

"Cutie" needs to be fired from ranges further than 1000 yards...they have a programmed strait run of about 1000 yards if I recall, before the sound gear kicks in and it starts looking for target.
Thanks, I didn't know that. I tend to launch them between 500 - 1000 ft as its low speed is of concern - practically anybody could outrun one lol.

[KaleunMarco]

Not quite but I've seen one just go straight, not bother to turn to track any target.
I've not used them very often but it seems to me that the chances of them hitting anything are like 50/50.

ok, so, if that happens and the DD/DE is still bearing down on you, hit the gas in an effort to get the torpedo to detect you and then change course to hunt you. if that happens, you go deep and slow down with the hope that the recently distracted torpedo will now switch targets again and will now hunt the DD/DE.
i have definitely used this technique, from time to time.

Thanks, I didn't know that. I tend to launch them between 500 - 1000 ft as its low speed is of concern - practically anybody could outrun one lol.

i used to think this technique (firing at >1000 ft) was worthwhile but i have experienced differently.
first, i set my arming distance much shorter than 300 yds (~1000 ft) because in most instances, the DD/DE is closing on my position.

secondly, there is good chance (50/50?) that the weapon will strike the DD/DE on the first pass when it is fired at relatively close range. if the weapon misses at the first pass, you are probably in deep trouble of taking damage because it will a long chase for it to catch your tormentor.

thirdly, i have found that the Mk27 does not perform very well in stormy seas. however, neither does the enemy hydrophone/sonar stack. better to go deep and let them lose you in the stormy water than to waste ammo and take damage to-boot.

fourthly, i have found that the Mk27 does not perform as well as its German counterpart. i believe this is due to a long-standing belief that there are two code sets in Sh4, one for the US and an slightly modified SH3 code set for the German side. i have no hard evidence of this (code/documentation) but i have experienced two different performances. but i digress.
:Kaleun_Salute:

[Bubblehead1980]

Not quite but I've seen one just go straight, not bother to turn to track any target.
I've not used them very often but it seems to me that the chances of them hitting anything are like 50/50.


Thanks, I didn't know that. I tend to launch them between 500 - 1000 ft as its low speed is of concern - practically anybody could outrun one lol.


Yes, I will look up the distance in the file when back in port( dont want to exit to windows when at sea, fouls things up) but its about 1000 yards ,which from what I recall is historically accurate. This was a safety feature obviously, to give the sub that launches this thing time to dive and torpedo time to get away before starts seeking targets.

Yes, they are slow so it requires some consideration when firing them. Have to plot it so has time to "meet" the target and of course want it to run close to the props so can pick up the noise.

In a desperate self defense situation...I fired it "down the throat" 0 degree shot, itll make its run, arm as it passes under the target and make a turn, im deep rigged for silent running, torpedo comes back and finds the target, which is now mostly going slow above dropping depth charges and hunting, torpedo finds him and bam. Saved myself in shallows around Java in 1945 this way. Basically what torpedo was designed fire, to hit the props and rudder to disable ASW vessels, maybe even sink them.

They will not change depth dramatic amount so I always set them shallow , usually shallow as possible , since aiming at shallow draft escorts anyways.

[Red Devil]

This happened in real life to the Tang

[propbeanie]

Ahhhh... but the Tang's incident was a Mark 18 electric with a stuck vane doing a circular run - their last shot, to boot... same result though... :o

[Aktungbby]

a stuck vane ...illustrating perfectly that all warfare is ultimately "in vain"! :shucks: In the 20th century and in Ukraine currently...largely promulgated by pompously vain legacy-focused dictators who (with apologies to Richard III): "are not in the giving vein":opting for warfare over negotiations...and friendly-fire is always an issue!:hmmm:

[Red Devil]

...illustrating perfectly that all warfare is ultimately "in vain"! :shucks: In the 20th century and in Ukraine currently...largely promulgated by pompously vain legacy-focused dictators who (with apologies to Richard III): "are not in the giving vein":opting for warfare over negotiations... :hmmm:

Richard III was much maligned by Shakespeare who was currying favour with the Tudors. He was not as history alleges.

[Aktungbby]

Richard III was much maligned by Shakespeare who was currying favour with the Tudors. He was not as history alleges....true enough but QE I was handy with the axe (her own annointed cuz, Mary!?); so what's a lowly bard-propagandist (or possibly John deVere: QE I's ward??) to do if he would keep his Globe unscathed!?:O:

[propbeanie]

... and he did use some good humor to poke some propaganda fun at the "royalty", all to keep his "globe-world" in its properly assigned place uponeth his shouldereths... No need to go all "vive la France" too soon, and spin out of orbit for being politically "incorrect"... "Whoops dearie, sorry... missed the basket! Imagine that!" ... and Mary? she wouldn't marry QE's cousin years before, and she had that 'horrid' "Queen of Scots" title, which she surrendered at Fotheringhay Castle... :o - of course, being of (almost) quarter Scottish descent (and 3/8 Irish), it is not difficult to find fault with anyone of "royal" blood... :arrgh!: - on both sides of the Borders Region... lol :D


btw... how did we get on Shakespeare from a homing "Cutie"... which I'd like to find... :hmmm:

[Red Devil]

sorry, 80% my fault. Shakespeare was the 'homing cutie' of his day using the power of word. Oh yes, and there was a british sub named after him. :yeah:

[KaleunMarco]

sorry, 80% my fault. Shakespeare was the 'homing cutie' of his day using the power of word. Oh yes, and there was a british sub named after him. :yeah:

this is a very interesting POV on Shakespeare...one i have never seen previously. :03:

[Red Devil]

I recall a rumour a few years ago that claimed Shakespeare did not actually write a lot of the stuff, but he plagurised it from some guy in Manchester area. But, as I always say, history is the opinion of the writer. It need not and frequently is, be fact.

[KaleunMarco]

I recall a rumour a few years ago that claimed Shakespeare did not actually write a lot of the stuff, but he plagurised it from some guy in Manchester area. But, as I always say, history is the opinion of the writer. It need not and frequently is, be fact.

i remember being told that when i was in English Lit in high school.
revisionist BS.
more than likely, The Bard converted some stories or parts of stories that were related to him in a gin mill, but that is not plagiarism.
+++
now, do not read anything into my comments other than what they say.
i am no fan of Shakespeare. i find him as difficult to read as Milton or Burns or Blake, although he was more of an artist than a poet.

[Red Devil]

cheers Kal; many a truth hidden in legend :arrgh!:

[propbeanie]

Read some Homer KaleunMarco, and that will make even menu ini seem like elementary school work... :o lol

[KaleunMarco]

Read some Homer KaleunMarco, and that will make even menu ini seem like elementary school work... :o lol

i translated Homer in high school.
and Ovid.
and Julius Caesar.
and Virgil.
and Livy.
it was no big deal.
those guys were only a few years ahead of me in school

:D

[Aktungbby]

...illustrating perfectly that all warfare is ultimately "in vain"! :shucks: In the 20th century and in Ukraine currently...largely promulgated by pompously vain legacy-focused dictators who (with apologies to Richard III): "are not in the giving vein":opting for warfare over negotiations...and friendly-fire is always an issue!:hmmm:

sorry, 80% my fault. Shakespeare was the 'homing cutie' of his day using the power of word. Oh yes, and there was a british sub named after him. :yeah:

this is a very interesting POV on Shakespeare...one i have never seen previously. :03:

... and he did use some good humor to poke some propaganda fun at the "royalty", all to keep his "globe-world" in its properly assigned place uponeth his shouldereths... No need to go all "vive la France" too soon, and spin out of orbit for being politically "incorrect"... "Whoops dearie, sorry... missed the basket! Imagine that!" ... and Mary? she wouldn't marry QE's cousin years before, and she had that 'horrid' "Queen of Scots" title, which she surrendered at Fotheringhay Castle... :o - of course, being of (almost) quarter Scottish descent (and 3/8 Irish), it is not difficult to find fault with anyone of "royal" blood... :arrgh!: - on both sides of the Borders Region... lol :D


btw... how did we get on Shakespeare from a homing "Cutie"... which I'd like to find... :hmmm:We R an erudite group of men.:yeah::yep::shucks: 'specially when Boomering, brewing, barbering, or...Barding:know:

[propbeanie]

We is ed-ju-muh-kated now... :salute:

[Red Devil]

Who'se erudite???? I'll have you know I am english!! :doh:

[KaleunMarco]

Who'se erudite???? I'll have you know I am english!! :doh:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-oqgIZGhbU