Pucker'd me RIGHT up.

[troopie]

Originally Posted by TorpX

I guess you haven't seen the posts of people who have been sunk by the circle runners. In RL, Tang was lost for sure because of a CR, and I think at least one other sub. Before the war, the USN torpedos (Mk 14, I think) had a anti-circle running mechanism. However, it was eliminated for unknown reasons. It was a very unfortunate decision.

So, do you think IRL the sonarman would have been aware of circle runners? Seems quite possible.

[Armistead]

Originally Posted by troopie

So, do you think IRL the sonarman would have been aware of circle runners? Seems quite possible.

For the most part yes, why they would call out "hot, straight and normal". Still in the heat of battle, it could be hard to keep up with everything. As I recall, most circle runners hit subs why running the surface, such as Tang.
The evidence points out that the Wahoo probably got hit by a circle runner as well and was trying to make it home on the surface, but got caught.

[pabbi]

The evidence points out that the Wahoo probably got hit by a circle runner as well and was trying to make it home on the surface, but got caught.

Warfish scrapbook

"The Daylight Dash"


I can not agree with you on that matter. If you look at those links you can see on those pics that it was most likely an airial bomb that hit her. The second link was written before the sub wreckage was discovered.

[HertogJan]

Had one go 'BOOM' on me right after "Torpedoe in the water" any guess what that ment to that career

[Red October1984]

I had a torpedo hit me in SH3. It was set ahead of me on a Snake Search Pattern and i sailed right into the path of it while trailing a convoy. This was the look I had on my face.

Started with and then and then...

I don't use those torpedoes anymore...

[TorpX]

Originally Posted by troopie

So, do you think IRL the sonarman would have been aware of circle runners? Seems quite possible.

Yes, it's possible, but it's not guaranteed. If you launch a spread of torpedos, have a target to track, several escorts to monitor, can you listen to all of them at once? Will you be able to detect that one erratic fish, out of the salvo? The game attack map handles this issue in the usual gamey way, by giving you error-free, best case info every time.

[MarkCt]

Happened to me too. I fired 3 torpedoes at a lone freighter at PD. I was watching for a couple seconds after firing. Every now and then I switch to the attack map to pass the time and this time I noticed one of my torpedoes was circling around to the left. I was shocked as I never thought I would see something like this in the game. I dropped the pariscope and hit crash dive. I can tell you my heart was pounding a little as I watched it come around. All the while I'm saying to myself, go, go, go. Finally it passes right over me and two seconds after that I hear the two hits on the freighter.

I've read two books on the Tang and knew it happened in real life but never thought I would see it here. I run TMO an RSRDC. I think it's one of those little surprises that make this game that much more fun.

[Armistead]

Originally Posted by TorpX

Yes, it's possible, but it's not guaranteed. If you launch a spread of torpedos, have a target to track, several escorts to monitor, can you listen to all of them at once? Will you be able to detect that one erratic fish, out of the salvo? The game attack map handles this issue in the usual gamey way, by giving you error-free, best case info every time.

Great game isn't it.

I'm not sure how they tracked torps with sonar, I assume manual control of the heads, not letting them spin, but I would suspect even if they got it quick, a sub hardly had time. Plus, our subs are rather turbo like the ships.

[twm47099]

Originally Posted by Armistead

Great game isn't it.

I'm not sure how they tracked torps with sonar, I assume manual control of the heads, not letting them spin, but I would suspect even if they got it quick, a sub hardly had time. Plus, our subs are rather turbo like the ships.

In Flucky's book he has his sonar operator track the torpedoes to determine if there are any circle runners. I assume that the sonar operator can tell by the Doppler effect if the torpedo deviates from a straight run. I'm not sure how well the sub could evade if they heard a circle run.

Tom

[TorpX]

Originally Posted by Armistead

Great game isn't it.

I'm not sure how they tracked torps with sonar, I assume manual control of the heads, not letting them spin, but I would suspect even if they got it quick, a sub hardly had time. Plus, our subs are rather turbo like the ships.

Yes, just pointing the hydrophones along the torpedo track. They could track the bearing within the limits of the hydrophones precision, but could only infer the range based on the run time. I would guess, that some would run rough or slow and would make a sound of a different quality, but this would not really correlate with a circle runner. I think it would be easy to miss one CR out of a salvo if you had any distractions. After all, the remaining torps would be emitting noise and give one a false sense of security. It would be a much dicier proposition than just checking the attack map in the game.

I agree also that you wouldn't have much warning. It didn't take that long for a torp to circle around. We know that from the Tang experience.

I assume that the sonar operator can tell by the Doppler effect if the torpedo deviates from a straight run.

No, he would have to be following that torpedo and would notice (maybe?) at some point that it wasn't on the bearing it was expected to be on.




There may have been some incentive to use "straight fire" here. It would be easier to track torpedos on a straight course. "Curved fire" would be changing bearing and so an undesired deviation would be harder to pick up. Also, stern launches would be more difficult to track. I'm not sure what they might have done about this.

[Red October1984]

I had a circle run earlier. I was firing at escorts out of the stern tubes and as I was diving, a torpedo ran right over my bow. It was a close one. Turns out, I had messed up the TDC Settings and it ran in almost a circle and I had sailed into it....again.

Thank God it missed. I was passing 90 feet when it went over me.

[TorpX]

Originally Posted by Red October1984

Turns out, I had messed up the TDC Settings and it ran in almost a circle and I had sailed into it....again.

I don't see how this could result from any error on your part; there is a maximum gyro angle the torps will go (about 135 deg. for the Mk 14, I think).

[Red October1984]

Originally Posted by TorpX

I don't see how this could result from any error on your part; there is a maximum gyro angle the torps will go (about 135 deg. for the Mk 14, I think).

I was zig zagging at ahead flank to get away and the next thing I knew a torpedo went by. Not sure how...but it happened. I'm just guessing on the TDC fault. I THINK that's what happened...