Development Updates

[elanaiba]

Originally Posted by Chromatix

All the data I can find says that U-boat captains "were able to choose" between magnetic and impact pistols, and not merely at port. Nor was it a question of not-officially-authorised modifications by skilled torpedomen, as it was in the USN; Dönitz famously sent orders for U-boats already on patrol to change their pistol settings forthwith.

However, an otherwise very detailed description of the U-boat torpedo fire control system completely fails to mention anything about setting the pistol type. There doesn't seem to be any such control on the boxes responsible for gyro settings, tube/salvo selection etc. It's harder to be sure about the tubes themselves, as they are positively festooned with valves and latches.

Reasonable possibilities, in increasing order of time required from decision to torpedo readiness:

- Remote control exists, hitherto unnoticed, in conning tower or control room. The captain would be able to set it himself.

- Controls exist on outside of tube, as with depth setting. (I consider this the most likely possibility for German torpedoes.) This would need only a few seconds after a verbal order.

- Control is accessible on outside of torpedo, but must be withdrawn from tube to set it. This would require several minutes per torpedo; difficult when already tactically engaged.

- Torpedo must be opened to access mechanism. (This is the case for USN Mark 14 torpedoes.) This would require as much as an hour per torpedo; totally impractical while in combat or even while pursuing a target.

As far as I remember (and Doenitz's memoirs confirm this), variant 3 is correct.

Also, I remember that the pistols were in general set between Contact-Only and Contact + Magnetic, so there was no "magnetic (MZ) only" option possible. At least not for regular T1-T3 torpedoes, I seem to remember it was slightly different for Accoustic torpedoes.

Food for thought - Pi-2 and 3 had an ON / OFF switch - I presume for the magnetic detonation: http://www.bulletpicker.com/pdf/Mine...20Part%204.pdf
(Pi-1 was an impact only pistol, which means early T1s didn't have magnetic detonation option).

[THOR-AGENA]

is Neal, Oscar and Einar playing/beta testing Wolfpack these days? I would like to see the game and hear the development discussions. If you could record your sessions that would be a great promotional tool. Marulken videos are more fun to watch than Hollywood productions

[Catfish]

Originally Posted by elanaiba

As far as I remember (and Doenitz's memoirs confirm this), variant 3 is correct.

Also, I remember that the pistols were in general set between Contact-Only and Contact + Magnetic, so there was no "magnetic (MZ) only" option possible. At least not for regular T1-T3 torpedoes, I seem to remember it was slightly different for Accoustic torpedoes.

Food for thought - Pi-2 and 3 had an ON / OFF switch - I presume for the magnetic detonation: http://www.bulletpicker.com/pdf/Mine...20Part%204.pdf
(Pi-1 was an impact only pistol, which means early T1s didn't have magnetic detonation option).

This is right, the torpedo had to be withdrawn to change the pistol setting or change the pistol itself, of course. All else like course and depth etc. was done via "remote" adjustments, mechanical shafts extending from the 'Zentrale' to the torpedo tubes, and through them into the torpedo.
Imho when a tube was locked to a target, the TDC submitted the running solution directly to the tube.
In case of failure the settings could be adjusted up front in the torpedo room, manually.