Torpedo Transfers

[iambecomelife]

I seem to remember that in "Aces of the Deep" you were able to move torpedoes from the bow to the stern and vice versa; it just took a really long time to do so. Was this historically accurate? If so, would it be possible to mod this into SH3?

[Evil Duckie]

I don't think it's historically accurate. Just think of the logistics involved of
- getting the torpedo out on the deck
- turning it around
- getting it loaded back in the other torpedo room

without heavy lifting equipment...

At best it would take a couple of hours on the surface.

[enigma-e]

It would be historically accurate and it was done. The torpedo was, of course, not lifted onto deck and turned, but it was floated, turned in the water and then loaded into the respective compartment.

All without heavy lifting equipment.

[Heffalump]

I find it ironic that I'm able to load my torpedos in all sorts of weather, but can't man the flak guns in anything more than a gentle breeze.

Wouldn't they have required relatively good weather for this sort of an operation?

(edit: never mind, I see my question answered in another thread running next to this one)

[Catfish]

Hello,
yes, it is unrealistic to be able to load torpedoes from the exterior cargo tubes in rough weather, this should be impossible as using the deck gun. You would need even calmer weather for this. In case of an attack you would at least lose the small tripod (making further reloading impossible), and closing the loading hatch would prevent diving for some five minutes.

Like said before loading a rear torpedo to the front and vice versa was certainly possible by fastening life jackets to the torpedo (making it float) and simply partially submerging the boat. Surfacing the boat the torpedo would then be hauled to a position beside the new loading position, followed by submerging again. The boat would only flood it's fore or aft tanks, so the crew would be on deck during the procedure.

So loading fore or aft spare torpedos to any new position should be allowed, but it should probably take longer than an hour.

Greetings,
Catfish

[SmokinTep]

That would take some serious time to accomplish.

[Evil Duckie]

It would be historically accurate and it was done. The torpedo was, of course, not lifted onto deck and turned, but it was floated, turned in the water and then loaded into the respective compartment.

All without heavy lifting equipment.

But you still need to get it out on the deck because that's where the loading tube is. Then you also need to get it from the water up on the deck again. Alternatively, you can let it out one of the regular tubes, float it to the other end and get it in through another regular tube (backwards). That sounds like an even more difficult task to me.

So... are torpedos neutrally bouyant?

[Catfish]

Huh ? I do not understand your question :doh:
Err, e.g. the fore spare torpedo IS directly beneath the deck planking in a water and pressure-tight container. You open the container and lift the torpedo out with a block and tackle fixed to the subnet deflector. You lower the torpedo to a small tripod screwed to the deck so the torpedo angle will match the angle of the forward torpedo room hatch in the deck. You let the torpedo glide into the forward torpedo room. Close the container, close the torpedo loading hatch, remove the tripod, remove block and tackle.
If you want to lift a swimming torpedo (life jackets fixed to it so it will swim) to the deck you simply surface the boat under it.
Greetings,
Catfish

[Drebbel]

This animation (source: http://www.u-boote-online.de ) of loading a fish from the deck tubes to the torpedo room might be interesting for the peoiple that do not fully understand how it was cone.

Click here --> http://www.u-boote-online.de/waffen/torpedo_laden.swf

Of course it is not fully related to the Q, but nevertheless it is a very interesting animation.

[Ula Jolly]

Neutrally buoyant means if the torpedo will be able to float on its own, without the engine on. The answer should be no.

[Drebbel]

Neutrally buoyant means if the torpedo will be able to float on its own, without the engine on. The answer should be no.

Only exercise torpedos had that option. After reaching the end of its run the compressed air would blow the water out of the warhead chamber and the fish would float to the surface.

But when the warhead is filled with kabooom stuff it will sink after running out of fuel.

[Catfish]

Hello,
very good animation ! Says more than a thousand words,
Thanks Drebbel
Greetings,
Catfish

[perisher]

I'm new around here and I realise that this is an old topic but I want to point out that torpedoes have buoyancy chambers, so floating isn't a problem. A G7e weighed in at 3,534 pounds, so life-jackets would not support it. The purpose of the life-jackets was to act as fenders so that the torpedo did not damage the submarine or itself. It is important to remember that torpedoes are big, long and heavy. They are, in fact, mini-subs in their own right. To move these monsters from deck to torpedo compartment, while on the open sea, was a demonstration of seamanship of an extremely high order.

[Heibges]

It's not even realistic to reload internal tubes on the surface in rough seas.