SUBSIM Radio Room Forums - View Single Post - Stationary Carrier avoids Torpedo. How???????

melnibonian · 10-12-06, 08:54 AM

Hello everyone

I’m in March 1940 on a VIIB sneaking through Scapa Flow, only to find the HMS Formidable (Illustrious Class Aircraft Carrier) and the HMS Queen of Bermuda (Auxiliary Cruiser) moored in the bay!!!!!

After the initial shock I’ve started planning an intercept course.

Both ships were stationary, so I assumed they were easy pickings. First I went for the Carrier. I’ve approached the HMS Formidable (in silent running at 3 knots at periscope depth) to 600m. There I stop the engines and fired a salvo of 4 torpedoes. To my big surprise the Carrier started moving at 9 knots instantly after I fired the salvo!!!!!!! One torpedo hit and the other three missed. I was firing from 600m away at an angle of 91 deg with fast torpedo settings. There are two questions here:

a) How on earth they could hear the torpedoes as they do not have hydrophones. It’s an aircraft carrier and not a destroyer!!!

b) How on earth they managed to go from stationary to 9 knots instantly and avoid the torpedoes???? The laws of physics talk about inertia and it’s mighty difficult to start moving a ship (especially a pretty big one) from a stationary position.

I don’t know I’m lost here. I just cannot understand how they’ve managed to avoid being hit, to hear the firing salvo and to start moving at top speed so quickly. I just don’t get it. Any ideas anyone?????

Thanks a lot. I’m playing GW by the way

P.S. In the end both the Illustrious and the Queen of Bermuda went down but not without using all my torpedoes.

10-12-06, 08:54 AM	#1
melnibonian Ocean Warrior Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Reading UK Posts: 3,473 Downloads: 90 Uploads: 0	Stationary Carrier avoids Torpedo. How??????? Hello everyone I’m in March 1940 on a VIIB sneaking through Scapa Flow, only to find the HMS Formidable (Illustrious Class Aircraft Carrier) and the HMS Queen of Bermuda (Auxiliary Cruiser) moored in the bay!!!!! After the initial shock I’ve started planning an intercept course. Both ships were stationary, so I assumed they were easy pickings. First I went for the Carrier. I’ve approached the HMS Formidable (in silent running at 3 knots at periscope depth) to 600m. There I stop the engines and fired a salvo of 4 torpedoes. To my big surprise the Carrier started moving at 9 knots instantly after I fired the salvo!!!!!!! One torpedo hit and the other three missed. I was firing from 600m away at an angle of 91 deg with fast torpedo settings. There are two questions here: a) How on earth they could hear the torpedoes as they do not have hydrophones. It’s an aircraft carrier and not a destroyer!!! b) How on earth they managed to go from stationary to 9 knots instantly and avoid the torpedoes???? The laws of physics talk about inertia and it’s mighty difficult to start moving a ship (especially a pretty big one) from a stationary position. I don’t know I’m lost here. I just cannot understand how they’ve managed to avoid being hit, to hear the firing salvo and to start moving at top speed so quickly. I just don’t get it. Any ideas anyone????? Thanks a lot. I’m playing GW by the way P.S. In the end both the Illustrious and the Queen of Bermuda went down but not without using all my torpedoes.