[LukeFF]

Originally Posted by bookworm_020

Well take comfort in the fact that it happened like that in real life. I think 16 duds in a row was the record!

Ah, yes, that would be the experience of the USS Tinosa. From Hellions of the Deep:

From "Report of War Patrol of U.S.S. Tinosa (SS283)..." The date is July 24, 1943. The torpedoes are Mark-14s, with magnetic exploders intact. At mid-morning Tinosa spots an immense Japanese oiler, found later to be the 19,000-ton Tonan Maru III, the largest tanker in the Japanese Navy. It fires six torpedoes with no results. Then this excerpt from the submarine's log:

1009: Having observed target carefully and found no evidence of sinking, approached and fired one torpedo at starboard side. Hit, heard by sound to stop at same time I observed large splash. No apparent effect. Target had corrected list and was firing at periscope and at torpedo wakes with machine gun and four inch [gun].

1011: Fired eighth torpedo. Hit. No apparent effect.

1014: Fired ninth torpedo. Hit. No apparent effect. Target firing at periscope, when exposed, and at wakes when torpedoes were running.

1039: Fired tenth torpedo. Hit. No apparent effect.

1048: Fired eleventh torpedo. Hit. No effect. This torpedo hit well aft on the port side, made splash at the side of the ship, and was then observed to have taken a right turn and to jump clear of the water about one hundred feet from the stern of the tanker. I find it hard to convince myself that I just saw this.

1050: Fired twelth torpedo. Hit. No effect.

1100: Fired thirteenth torpedo. Hit. No effect. Circled again to fire at other side.

1122: Picked up high speed screws.

1125: Sighted DD approaching from the east...

1131: Fired fourteenth torpedo: Hit. No effect.

1132 1/2: Fired fifteenth torpedo. Started DD range 1000 yards. Torpedo heard to hit tanker and stop running by sound.

Had already decided to retain one torpedo for examination by base.

Fun times, ain't it?