U-boat torpedo almost hits tanker 63 years after fired at the HMS Royal Oak!

Rhodes · 09-28-09, 07:09 AM

Talk about german engineering!

August · 09-28-09, 07:16 AM

Technically it's still a miss!

SteamWake · 09-28-09, 08:10 AM

This is the second time Ive heard this story and not sure I believe all the details. One 'hole' in the story that makes me scratch my head is this sentance.

Quote:

The 15 foot torpedo was towed away by a tug to safe waters a mile away where it was detonated by a Royal Navy bomb disposal unit. Although its warhead was missing

So... uhhh... what happened to its warhead?

Jimbuna · 09-28-09, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteamWake

This is the second time Ive heard this story and not sure I believe all the details. One 'hole' in the story that makes me scratch my head is this sentance.

So... uhhh... what happened to its warhead?

Fell off as a result of excessive corrosion maybe

SteamWake · 09-28-09, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimbuna

Fell off as a result of excessive corrosion maybe

So the biggest threat was a hot run... pretty unlikely after 30 some years. Why blow the thing up? It would have made a nice musieum piece.

GoldenRivet · 09-28-09, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteamWake

So the biggest threat was a hot run...

Compressed gas can prove explosive under the proper circumstances.

when you find an old explosive - even if it is missing its warhead - the best practice is usually to destroy it.

im sure they considered the pros and cons of gutting it and putting it in a museum - and decided the cons outweighed the pros and blew it up.

SteamWake · 09-28-09, 11:34 AM

When in doubt blow stuff up

BTW what makes them think this is one of Prien's fish? Surely there were others fired in this area.

nikimcbee · 09-28-09, 09:09 AM

Crazy! What did they do with the torpedo again? That's a great historical find!

Freiwillige · 09-28-09, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteamWake

This is the second time Ive heard this story and not sure I believe all the details. One 'hole' in the story that makes me scratch my head is this sentance.

So... uhhh... what happened to its warhead?

Could have hit its target and failed to detonate damaging the torp.

Could have lodged in the mud and the current broke the torpedo off of the warhead.

Could have rusted the warhead retaining bolts right off.

I remember a few years back the Navy found a Japanese long lance torpedo
stuck in the mud outside of pearl harbor and its warhead was barely hanging on and still live!

Wolfehunter · 09-29-09, 06:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rhodes

Talk about german engineering!

No kidding..

SteamWake · 09-29-09, 04:54 PM

Yup like I said the first time I heard this story, something is just not right.

They probably blew up a telephone pole for all we know

09-28-09, 07:09 AM	#1
Rhodes Silent Hunter Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Figueira da Foz, Portugal Posts: 4,516 Downloads: 110 Uploads: 0	Talk about german engineering! __________________ http://www.flickr.com/photos/16416646@N05/

09-28-09, 07:16 AM	#2
August Wayfaring Stranger Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 23,197 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Technically it's still a miss! __________________ Flanked by life and the funeral pyre. Putting on a show for you to see.

09-28-09, 11:34 AM	#7
SteamWake Rear Admiral Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 13,224 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	When in doubt blow stuff up BTW what makes them think this is one of Prien's fish? Surely there were others fired in this area. __________________ Follow the progress of Mr. Mulligan : http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=147648

09-28-09, 09:09 AM	#8
nikimcbee Fleet Admiral Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Patroling the Slot. Posts: 17,952 Downloads: 90 Uploads: 0	Crazy! What did they do with the torpedo again? That's a great historical find! __________________

09-29-09, 04:54 PM	#11
SteamWake Rear Admiral Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 13,224 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	Yup like I said the first time I heard this story, something is just not right. They probably blew up a telephone pole for all we know __________________ Follow the progress of Mr. Mulligan : http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=147648