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Launching torpedoes

Posted: Fri Nov 29, 2013 1:59 pm
by Francis Marliere
Gentlemen,

when a torpedo is launched, is there a visible sign such as flash or smoke visible from other ships ?
If there is a visible sign, at which range can a ship can see it ?

Thanks for any help,

Francis

Re: Launching torpedoes

Posted: Mon Dec 02, 2013 6:42 pm
by tommy303
There were two methods--compressed air or a small cordite charge in a special pressure chamber. Normally the compressed air method left no signature of a launch at any particular range--you would be more like to see the fish leave the tubes if close enough. The same with the cordite charge--a small puff of smoke, perhaps, but not usually anything else unless there was oil accumulated in the tube which might be ignited giving a flash visible a night.

Re: Launching torpedoes

Posted: Tue Dec 17, 2013 7:42 am
by Rictar
The answers given by the last response are indeed correct. The surfaced launched torpedos (Mk9 in the RN) were fired using a small charge. There was no visible flash as I recall, this being captured in the expansion chamber. Submarine launched was by air. Now however they are launched by water discharge. A large hydraulic ram forces water into the tube thus ejecting the torpedo, as the ram travels in one direction forcing water into the tube it is refilling the otherside of the piston for the next shot. This is virtually a silent shot, and there is no need to have a bubble capture system so surface ships cannot see them when the rise to the surface.

Re: Launching torpedoes

Posted: Sat Dec 09, 2023 6:28 pm
by Natter
Francis Marliere wrote: Fri Nov 29, 2013 1:59 pmwhen a torpedo is launched, is there a visible sign such as flash or smoke visible from other ships
Yes, for sure. How much varies for different tubes/torpedoes though. Launching by pressurized air gives a limited puff of smoke/steam around the torpedo as it leaves the tube, but it dissipates immideatly and wouldn't be noticeable unles you're observing the torpedobattery directly.

Powder-discharge is another story, and - again depending on the type - could genereate a considerable amount of smoke (kriegsmarine used 2 x 650 g or 1 x 850 g charges and were on the upper end of the scale in terms of visibility - ref my attached example).
Obviously the smoke would dissipate depending on the vessels speed, weatherconditions etc, so how visible a launch would be depends on the conditions and wether you're observing the battery. You also must take into account that you're almost never launching a single torpedo from a surface shipm but salvos of typically 3-4 torpedoes with a slight interval depending on applied method/tactic. A 4-torpedo salvo with a 2 s separation launched by powder would generate quite a lot of smoke.

The flash from the powdercharge would never be visible as the charge detonates internally in the firing mechanism of the tube.

Re: Launching torpedoes

Posted: Sat Dec 30, 2023 10:43 pm
by OpanaPointer
UPDATE: The last time I was on a surface combatant with torpedo tubes, c. 1977, the torpedoes were launched with compressed air. These "air slugs" didn't give any clue there had been a launch.

EVIL NCO: I once told a striker to standby on the port side with they were testing the starboard side tubes by firing air slugs out of empty tubes.
"When you here 'Now must the air slug retrieval team' go over to the starboard tubes and report to the working party."

He was up there for hours. :cool: