Human torpedoes

[MarkT79]

A few pics of British and Italian Human torpedoes in North Yorkshire, Not in the best places for pictures but here they are - http://outandabout.fotopic.net/c1196308.html

[Letum]

I used to work at that place!

[The Munster]

@MarkT79 .. Hi, is the Esk Valley Line still running ?

[Polak]

What was the purpose of those torpedoes?
They look like transportation vessels.

[ASWnut101]

you put a person in it and tell him to ram the target boat, casuing the manned torpedo to detonate.

[Polak]

Okey, I am asking because they look alot like underwater transport vessels from WW2, like some SDV's

[ASWnut101]

well, if you consider they 'transport' the driver to his fate, then me was correct.

[Polak]

You are actually wrong Sir.
I tried my fiend wikipedia and this is what I found out.

Human torpedoes or manned torpedoes were secret naval weapons of World War II. The name is most commonly used to refer to the weapons that Italy and later Britain deployed in the Mediterranean and used to attack ships in enemy harbours. It is a type of Diver Propulsion Vehicle. See also frogman and wet sub.
These were electrically propelled torpedoes with two crewmen equipped with diving suits riding astride. They steered the torpedo at slow speed to the enemy ship. The detachable warhead was then used as a limpet mine. They then rode the torpedo away.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_torpedo

So they actually worked as SDV's, I know that Poland had real kamikaze torpedoes before the war, the diver/driver had very small chances of surviving though(you had the option of survival). You basically chose the heading and then bailed in the last second. But I guess that it's not to fun to emerge infront of enemy ships...

[ASWnut101]

ahh, right. wikipedia.



Anyway, I guess I was thinking of the German and Japanese Suicide Torpedos. Just got done reading a book on them. Thanks.