How to determine running time of Torpedos

[Otto Heinzmeir]

..............and other useless information


I recently fired a torpedo that hit dead center from what I thought was 400m.
It made a big splash but no explosion. So I know this meant one of two things. Either a dud or I was closer to the target than I realized and the torp didn't arm.

How to find out I thought? Well I looked at the stop watch that was ticking off the running time of the fish and it had stopped at 13 seconds. Right away I though oh oh, since firing from 500m generally takes 22 seconds.

So I scour the internet and find that 1 kilometer = 0.514 meters per second. I fired my T1 fish at the fast setting. This meant it ran at a speed of 44kts (knots for you land lovers) so take 44 kts and convert that to meters per second. Here is where I broke out the calulator. Turns out that a T1 set at fast runs 22.616 meters per second. Now I multiplied this number by 13 seconds, which is how long my torpedo ran before it hit the target. 22.616 x 13 =294.008m The torpedo doesn't arm until 300m

But in my defense this was in 100% realism, no nav map and my typeIIA subs current flank speed in heavy seas was only 7kts, probably because I have malfunctions and sabotage turned on. Due to my top speed being no faster than the target. I had to make all my calculations of range by periscope and hydrophone in heavy seas where at times went over my periscope so I couldn't see the target. In fact during the last 10 to 15 seconds and had started forward at slow and hit 8m depth to try to get my periscope high enough to see the target to fire. This was probably just enough to be 6 meters too close to the target.

But its all good, because I enjoy the sim aspect and its occasions like this that make triumps taste more sweet.

I may use these calculations in the future when I fire at range to determine how much time I have to get away from the escorts before my torps give away my presence.

[GREY WOLF 3]

It was probble a dud

[klh]

Originally Posted by Otto Heinzmeir

I had to make all my calculations of range by periscope and hydrophone in heavy seas where at times went over my periscope so I couldn't see the target.

There's your clue. In heavy seas, the torpedo was not running under the waves and exploded once it was armed. It never made it to your target.

Try setting your pistol to magnetic and run it a little deeper, or wait until the seas calm down.

[Otto Heinzmeir]

Originally Posted by klh

There's your clue. In heavy seas, the torpedo was not running under the waves and exploded once it was armed. It never made it to your target.

Try setting your pistol to magnetic and run it a little deeper, or wait until the seas calm down.

Wow, I never gave that a thought. Glad I posted this as I learned something new. I thought it exploded early, because I am pretty good with range and I had been at a 90 degree angle sitting right on its track and then backed 400 meters off. I didn't think they had modeled this into the game. Amazing stuff. Magnetics are tricky in heavy seas also.

This was a small merchant which was bobbing up and down like a cork. So if it bounces up on a wave when a magnetic goes under it could easily be too deep. I had it set to 3.5 but the waves are at least 7' and probably close to 10'. Probably waiting would be best. Thanks for the tip