technicality
 

so when we set up a fast 90 attack, keep the periscope pointed at the target and watch the gyro-angle update as bearing and AOB are automatically updated by the TDC, that's historically how the machine worked, yes?

next question: the only important number which comes out is the gyro-angle, because that's needed by the torpedo. how did that value get transferred into the torpedo? was there a guy in the torpedo room who read the gyro angle off a gauge and 'programmed' the torpedo just before shooting or was it done automatically?

I frequently set speed and AOB to 0 and aim the periscope at a 15-20 lead angle for shooting at destroyers etc, would that have worked like that in a real boat?

thanks,

Bosje

It was done automatically. There was an interface in the torpedo tube that was linked to the TDC. As you changed the values in the TDC, it was relayed automatically to the torpedo in the tube.

I just got Anatomy of the Ship: The Type VII U-Boat last week and they have a pretty good detail of the torpedo tubes. It looks like there is a way that it could be done manually as well at the tube in the event the automatic means failed through mechanical linkage.

I've always thought that some of the holes you see in the side of the torpedoes are where the mechanisms for making settings are inserted and then withdrawn at the time of firing.

:)

cool, thanks for the interesting info

what will they think of next :know:

Homing torpedoes http://www.psionguild.org/forums/ima...ies/pirate.gif

Nahh you read to much fantasy books, next you will say they will invent computer witch will fit in your suitcase and will run on batteries, pleaseee :hmmm: