homing torpedo
 

I am on a secondary objective to photo carriers in Manila Harbour. I am approaching from the coast when 3 passenger liners come along no escort! So I fire 2 torpedoes at each forgetting that tube 1 has one of these small homing torpedoes loaded ( first saw it end of last patrol must try this) suddenly huge bang and after torpedo room is destroyed and bulkhead breached. I search frantically no enemy. Then it dawns on me ,I was on the surface moving 14 knots I surmise the homing torpedo homed on me!

So I'm thinking what are those homing torpedoes for? , should you be going very slow if you use them. Also in real life could you open a torpedo tube and fire at flank speed

I believe the guidelines were to launch them from 199 feet, the torpedo would then make its way up to it's operating depth (it being unable to get back down to 199 feet). You could in real life open a torpedo tube and fire at flank speed, but it would make the torpedo tumble, making it go stupid.

Try putting them in your stern tubes and fire them when a destroyer is circling you.

never use it when surfaced and never have engines running anything over ahead standard or you make too much noise and risk it coming after you. just to be safe i go to silent running when using them on nearby ships and try not to use them on a group of ships if you want a certain target. there is nothing worse than firing at a BB in a task force only to have it turn and lock onto one of the escorts instead.

I dont know about the 199 feet thing. Seems kind of deep or too close... whatever.

I do know that when you launch one you want to make sure your making less 'noise' than your intended target. If you are and it misses said target chances are its going to target you. I believe it even tells you this in the description text of the weapon.

Lastley the main use for those types of torpedoes is to attack the pesky destroyers as already mentioned. Its fairly easy to hit a merchant doing 8 knots in a straight line. DD's steaming at 12 knots and constantly changing courses is another matter.

Keep better track of your munitions sailor :arrgh!: :rock:

homing torpedoes
 

thanks I felt they might have been for use when cornered by destroyers

Yes, 199 feet was the recommended minimum depth for deployment of a Cutie. And they were designed for use against escorts. Chances are that Battleship up there is going more than the 10 knot max of the Cutie and you have no chance of hitting him anyway. Even escorts dropping depth charges are most of the time moving faster than 10 knots. So Cuties are a limited opportunity destroyer.

Now if their speed was 20 knots, like the German model, we'd be talking about a SERIOUS escort killer.:huh:

Hrm... dont think the game will let you open the torp doors that deep :hmm:

Me thinks too. The torp doors or any kind of door in general! :doh:

The game only allows you to open doors down to 99ft but like RR said, in RL, 199 was the preferred depth.

Can I ask when these homing torpedos become available?

I've made it to November '43 and only had Mk 10,14,18, and 23s. :-?

It's a Xmas present! :yep:

You are absolutely wasting your time using it against any warship larger than a destroyer. Good grief, it's a modified-anti submarine torpedo with a small payload. Do you really think it's going to do anything against a battleship? :rotfl:

There is a description of the special mission where the cuties were tested is here:

http://www.usshawkbill.com/366/366patro.htm

Scroll right down to the bottom to read it. The only detail I found strange was the description of the dimension of the cutie being half the normal diameter.

I came across this page a while ago whilst looking for info about USS Lagarto and Hatsutaka, the sinking of which is also on that page and is a fascinating read.

Nice story there. I like this one, also about the Mark 27, when it was in testing at Keyport:

:rotfl:

Maya Heavy Cruiser sunk by Cuties.
 

Luke, I just came across this thread today 'cause I wanted to know more about these Cuties. I was curious after using them on a Maya heavy cruiser. I shot THREE of them with a 5 deg spread at approximately 1200 ft range. I immediately bolted outta there to 300 ft deep and flank speed, then switched to silent running before the DDs reached the area. While diving, I heard the torpedoes impacting the Maya, all three of them in series. About eight minutes later, the Maya sank.
Just for the hell of it, I switched to the camera view: the fish hit the stern of the Maya at different angles, but all of them around the same area, very close to the props. Probably homing on the noise of the props at 12 kts.
Soooooooooooo..... tell me: what's up with the "small payload"??? It worked nicely for me, just three of them Cuties, slow but effective... Maybe lucky shots? :D