What went wrong??

[ddiplock]

I came across a brilliant target, a Huge European liner sailing alone. Worth some 18,000 tons. So, I move into a position, dive down to PD and begin collecting target data.

I do a speed estimate, after 3 minutes she's gone 1600yrds. So, I input the speed as 16 knots into the TDC and then do the firing solution, also my radar indicated the ship was moving fast, so 16 knots sounded a reasonable estimate. Wait until he gets to my desired angle and I fire. All torpedos in the spread ended up going AHEAD of the target!!!! by quite a margin.

Does that mean that he was infact going alot slower than my speed estimate?? Or did he reduce his speed after my calculation was done?? I was so infuriated I surfaced and blew him to hell and gone with both my deck guns, but i'm not satisifed in sinking him that way, i'll claim the kill, but I'm not happy. I wanted to sink the bugger the traditional way with the torpedo.

Maybe he reduced speed after my estimate calculation and threw everything into dissaray. I've had targets change course at the last minute and nearly ruin everything, so if he slowed down that might not seem too un-plausible.

[FIREWALL]

Hi ddiplock

I don't blame you for being mad.

I can't count how many times my fist has stopped 1inch from my Monitor. :rotfl:

Glad you got the bugger anyways.

[John Channing]

Originally Posted by ddiplock

I came across a brilliant target, a Huge European liner sailing alone. Worth some 18,000 tons. So, I move into a position, dive down to PD and begin collecting target data.

I do a speed estimate, after 3 minutes she's gone 1600yrds. So, I input the speed as 16 knots into the TDC and then do the firing solution, also my radar indicated the ship was moving fast, so 16 knots sounded a reasonable estimate. Wait until he gets to my desired angle and I fire. All torpedos in the spread ended up going AHEAD of the target!!!! by quite a margin.

Does that mean that he was infact going alot slower than my speed estimate?? Or did he reduce his speed after my calculation was done?? I was so infuriated I surfaced and blew him to hell and gone with both my deck guns, but i'm not satisifed in sinking him that way, i'll claim the kill, but I'm not happy. I wanted to sink the bugger the traditional way with the torpedo.

Maybe he reduced speed after my estimate calculation and threw everything into dissaray. I've had targets change course at the last minute and nearly ruin everything, so if he slowed down that might not seem too un-plausible.

It would seem that either your original estimate of 13 kts was correct (in which case you would miss ahead) or your range was wrong and he was further away than you estimated.

Or maybe both.

JCC

[Mush Martin]

15.25 kts is what I get there. still would be a miss ahead
but only just.
M

[FIREWALL]

What was your range to target ? :hmm:

[ddiplock]

Originally Posted by FIREWALL

What was your range to target ? :hmm:

Range to target was 1500 yards, not too far away. Makes me think the speed calc was off, either that or he dropped speed after i did the initial estimate.

[Orion2012]

Just to mention it...any chance he saw your scope?? What range were you when you first scoped him and what were the weather conditons?? I'd think on a calm day, or even a well-lit night the trail from your scope would be easy to spot, even for the untrained watchman.

[groomsie]

Originally Posted by Mush Martin

15.25 kts is what I get there. still would be a miss ahead
but only just.
M

Huh? How did you get 15.25? This is the one I learned:

http://navsci.berkeley.edu/ns12a/LES...71,16,Slide 16

[Pisces]

Did you mess with gyro angle offset before?

[Mush Martin]

Originally Posted by groomsie

Huh? How did you get 15.25? This is the one I learned:

http://navsci.berkeley.edu/ns12a/LESSONS/Lect%2005%20-Nav%20Inst.ppt#271,16,Slide 16

Bad math ... I looked at it again afterwards ......i was ...w...wr....(sob!) I was wrong.

[FIREWALL]

Possibly at that close of range they spotted your peri and slowed before even starting to zig zag.

Just a guess.