Australian Torpedo Test

KING111 · 07-14-07, 10:22 PM

Australian Torpedo Test.
A torpedo tears this Destroyer in two.
Were torpedos as powerful as these in WW2?

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=aad_1183458039

Von Manteuffel · 07-15-07, 07:25 AM

From the brief clip you get of the (presumably) firing sub, it looks as though the torpedo was a Mk 48, or equivalent. It carries roughly the same weight of explosive charge ( around 650 lbs ) as the WW II equivalents ( chiefly the Mark 14 ) but in the intervening years, the science of effectively blowing things up as developed hugely. Pound for pound the explosive effects from modern torpedoes are, I believe, significantly greater than from WWII torpedoes. But it was possible that a WWII torpedo could break a ship in two if it detonated in the right place ( usually amidships immediately beneath the keel ). The effect is similar to taking a stick and bending it as quickly as you can. It will snap in two - even though you could probably bend the stick slowly without it breaking. It's the sudden massive flexing of the ship - caused by the force of the explosion forcing the centre section upwards ( aided by the weakening structural damage caused by the explosion ) which causes ships' backs to break.

Light warships such as destroyers, which relied on speed for protection, rather than armour could easily have been snapped in two by a correctly placed torpedo.

John Channing · 07-15-07, 07:47 AM

Further to that a modern torpedo creates an explosion under the keel which causes a large "air bubble" to appear. The ship no longer has the bouyancy of the water to support it so it sags downwards into the bubble, breaking the keel in half. Microseconds after that the explosive force, transmited by the water which has rushed back into the void, pushes the ship upwards completing the destruction.

JCC

Mr.Elendig · 07-15-07, 09:33 AM

Here is a video from a norwegian torpedo test, fiered from a (Super-)Hauk class FPB
(I served for a year on one of these sexy little things)

http://www.22mtb.com/norsk/index.htm (click on torpedo...)

07-14-07, 10:22 PM	#1
KING111 Planesman Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 181 Downloads: 245 Uploads: 0	Australian Torpedo Test Australian Torpedo Test. A torpedo tears this Destroyer in two. Were torpedos as powerful as these in WW2? http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=aad_1183458039

07-15-07, 07:47 AM	#3
John Channing Sea Lord Join Date: Sep 1998 Posts: 1,846 Downloads: 163 Uploads: 5	Further to that a modern torpedo creates an explosion under the keel which causes a large "air bubble" to appear. The ship no longer has the bouyancy of the water to support it so it sags downwards into the bubble, breaking the keel in half. Microseconds after that the explosive force, transmited by the water which has rushed back into the void, pushes the ship upwards completing the destruction. JCC Last edited by John Channing; 07-15-07 at 10:44 AM.

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07-15-07, 07:25 AM	#2
Von Manteuffel Commander Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: UK Posts: 473 Downloads: 411 Uploads: 0	From the brief clip you get of the (presumably) firing sub, it looks as though the torpedo was a Mk 48, or equivalent. It carries roughly the same weight of explosive charge ( around 650 lbs ) as the WW II equivalents ( chiefly the Mark 14 ) but in the intervening years, the science of effectively blowing things up as developed hugely. Pound for pound the explosive effects from modern torpedoes are, I believe, significantly greater than from WWII torpedoes. But it was possible that a WWII torpedo could break a ship in two if it detonated in the right place ( usually amidships immediately beneath the keel ). The effect is similar to taking a stick and bending it as quickly as you can. It will snap in two - even though you could probably bend the stick slowly without it breaking. It's the sudden massive flexing of the ship - caused by the force of the explosion forcing the centre section upwards ( aided by the weakening structural damage caused by the explosion ) which causes ships' backs to break. Light warships such as destroyers, which relied on speed for protection, rather than armour could easily have been snapped in two by a correctly placed torpedo.

07-15-07, 09:33 AM	#4
Mr.Elendig Watch Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 20 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	Here is a video from a norwegian torpedo test, fiered from a (Super-)Hauk class FPB (I served for a year on one of these sexy little things) http://www.22mtb.com/norsk/index.htm (click on torpedo...)