Algebraic Firing Solution

[TorpX]

Originally Posted by msumpsi

But honestly, do you think the skippers had those equations in mind in the middle of a real patrol and playing with their lives? To start with, you need a calculator to solve the angle equations, which were non existence, or the TDC which was their calculator.

No, I certainly didn't mean to imply that RL skippers were doing geometry problems like this in the middle of an approach. But before they had the TDC, they had the Torpedo Angle Solver Mk VIII. (see link below) I'm sure the USN had instructors or mathematicians at the Naval Academy, who worked this out and used the knowledge to formulate attack procedures. I'm pretty sure they knew all this, and more, before the Mk VIII was developed. Otherwise, how could they have designed it?

Mk VIII Angle Solver:
http://www.hnsa.org/doc/banjo/index.htm

I don't know nearly as much about the details of USN torpedo attack procedures as I would like to, but I would guess that once they had the necessary data, they could calculate the lead angle and such in 1 to 2 minutes. Of course, if the target zigged in the meantime, they would have to start over, with no guarantee of success. With the TDC, the procedure would be much faster (obviously).

from jcope:

I would assume there were tables based on the math for quick lookup. Because it would be impossible to solve the equations by hand quickly enough to provide useful results.

I don't know what might have been used before the Torpedo Angle Solver Mk VIII. They might have used some sort of tables or the like. But you make a good point; the doctrine and procedures would have to allow an attack to be delivered in a reasonable time frame to be of any use. The limitations (or shortcomings of) the Mk VIII led to the development of the TDC.