[TorpX]

Originally Posted by Stealhead

Doing some scanning around on Uboat.net I found several discussions on hydrogen peroxide powered torpedoes from what I can gather they if properly operating did not leave a wake because the hydrogen peroxide was completely consumed and did not leave behind a bubble generating by product as an air,oxygen,or kerosene powered torpedo would.

Basically H2O2 completely consumes O2 so no bubbles.

Hydrogen peroxide is an oxidizer and while it could be used by itself (undergoing rapid exothermic decomposition), it is likely it was used with some kind of hydrocarbon fuel, like so:

(fuel) + H2O2 > H2O (steam) + CO2

So you get steam and carbon dioxide. The steam will condense quickly, and supposidly most of the CO2 will also. I've read most of the bubble trail of steam torpedoes comes from the nitrogen, as air supplies the oxygen for the combustion and 80% of air is nitrogen.

In spite of what I've read, I find it hard to believe any fuel torpedo is completely trackless. Honestly, I think the whole wake business is very much overblown. Many ships were sunk by steam torpedoes, so the bubble track didn't seem to do the target ships much good.