Quote:
Originally Posted by Hitman
1.- Eject the torpedo from the stern torpedo tube into the water, ensuring it is set to float
2.- Tow it along the hull forward and
3.- Submerge the boat until the bow torpedo tube aligns with water level
4.- Push it backwards in
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Actually, Hitman's procedure, even though totally and utterly impractical (sorry!), is technically doable. It just needs a little massaging. Torpedoes are designed to be neutrally buoyant, so you don't have to worry to much about them sinking, just very carefull. So, a modified procedure would look something like this:
1. Flood the tube and open the outer door. Attach a line to the nose of the weapon and
pull it out of the tube. If you eject it it will go a
long way, even if the engine doesn't start, then you would have to run it down. Pulling it out of the tube at sea will be a problem, though. Even though neutrally buoyant, it still has about 2000 pounds of mass, making it hard to move.
2.
Tow it along the hull forward. Pretty good, but you got to be careful not to bang it around.
3.
Submerge the boat until the bow torpedo tube aligns with water level. Oops. Remember, the forward tubes on a fleet boat are underwater at normal trim. Therefore, you would have to raise the bow to get the tube to surface level. On the surface all main ballast tanks are already dry, so it is hard to raise the bow. You would have to flood down the stern and pump dry the forward trim tank, and then probably move a lotta stuff aft to trim up the bow enough. It would be far easier to push the fish downward (remember, the fish is neutrally buoyant) until it lined up with the tube, flood down the tube, open the outer door, then...
4.
Push it backwards in. Perfect.
In 1985 on the Darter, we were in Pearl Harbor and had to unload some Mk 37 warshots to storage. The way our after torpedo room was arranged, it was a lot easier to just float them out of the tubes and hoist them to the pier with a crane. So with a couple of divers in the water we did just that. It took about a quarter of the time. We were alongside the pier at the submarine base, though and not at sea.
I have to say one more time that while the procedure described above is completely impractical and unnecessary, it is technically feasible.
