https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/ ... pedo-44747
Good morning all,
Per ...
Note the author's "Torpedoes were the first totally autonomous guided missile". Current terminology would call them rockets. Missiles are something "adjustable" during their trip to target. For us of the muddy boots warfare, think of the post WWII TOW used by infantry. The new sequence: "Ready, fire aim". The WWII sequence of events was the traditional "Ready, aim fire".
Author Mark: Tell readers the actual location of the Newport Torpedo Station !
Article mentions "British Duplex" and "German magnetic mine design".
Note: "BuOrd was under a tight budget".
What the *** does "variations in the Earth's magnetic field" have to do with Newport's BuOrd ? The author does tell of Albert Einstein called in to help.
BLASPHEMY ! : "Some torpedo men ... the color of paint".
......
Popeye, Barnacle Bill, don't feel lonely with these design matters. The muddy boots people had to deal with the LAW - a post WWII version of the Bazooka, the Gama Goat, an attempt to improve on.....not sure what,........a sling for the M60 MG ?! The engineers haven't graduated yet.
Help me move one of those picnic tables in the intro picture and we can discuss visiting that converted torpedo factory somewhere around Georgetown, Washington, D.C.
~ Bob
eastern Virginia, USA
BuOrd and Mark 14 Torpedo
Re: BuOrd and Mark 14 Torpedo
Your definition of missile vs rocket is correct, but the authors general description of torpedoes being the first missiles is'nt wrong - although obviously not in terms of the traditionally straight-running unguided torpedoes, like the US Mk 14 (which, btw - like the UK's Mk IX - was a direct copy of the german G7e(TII) ).South wrote:Note the author's "Torpedoes were the first totally autonomous guided missile". Current terminology would call them rockets. Missiles are something "adjustable" during their trip to target.
There are many examples of controlled (guided) torpedoes from the british Brennan torpedo of the 1890's to the german WW2-torpedoes like G7es(TX) "Spinne" (wireguided) and the G7es(TIV) "Falke", G7es(TV) "Zaunkönig" and the G7es(TXI) "Zaunkönig II" (all with acoustic seekers).
The germans also had several other designs in development that never reached operational status during the war (for example the radiocontrolled and rocket-powered G7f NY, the combined wireguided/acoustic seeking G7es "Lerche" as well as magnetic seekers, wake-homing seekers ++).
What's the problem with this?South wrote:Article mentions "British Duplex" and "German magnetic mine design".
Nothing according to the article, but obviously it was crucial to the function (or rather failure) of the magnetic pistols - just as the germans also experienced in their own "torpedokrise" up north in 1939-41.South wrote:What the *** does "variations in the Earth's magnetic field" have to do with Newport's BuOrd ?
Re: BuOrd and Mark 14 Torpedo
Good morning Natter,
Great information - especially re the copy of the German G7 (TII).
I believe I saw a display of the British version of the wire guided torpedo. At the fort...now a museum...at Hong Kong's entrance to the Tathong Channel...at eastern side of Hong Kong Island, is a display plus some technical signs for the new invention.
Ref "British Duplex" and "German magnetic mine design" - had mentioned them as terms for further research.
This is my first intro to "wake-hunting seekers".
~ Bob
eastern Virginia, USA
Great information - especially re the copy of the German G7 (TII).
I believe I saw a display of the British version of the wire guided torpedo. At the fort...now a museum...at Hong Kong's entrance to the Tathong Channel...at eastern side of Hong Kong Island, is a display plus some technical signs for the new invention.
Ref "British Duplex" and "German magnetic mine design" - had mentioned them as terms for further research.
This is my first intro to "wake-hunting seekers".
~ Bob
eastern Virginia, USA
Re: BuOrd and Mark 14 Torpedo
Good morning Natter,
I just found some specifics to what I was rambling about earlier this AM.
Actually, I stumbled on to my accordion file folder while looking for something else.
I visited Hong Kong's Lei Yue Mun coastal fort...now a museum...located at eastern approaches to HK harbor.
One of their displays was the Brennan torpedo. It was patented in 1877 by the Irish-born Aussie Louis Brennan.
I've been told his torpedo was the first practical guided missile.
~ Bob
eastern Virginia, USA
I just found some specifics to what I was rambling about earlier this AM.
Actually, I stumbled on to my accordion file folder while looking for something else.
I visited Hong Kong's Lei Yue Mun coastal fort...now a museum...located at eastern approaches to HK harbor.
One of their displays was the Brennan torpedo. It was patented in 1877 by the Irish-born Aussie Louis Brennan.
I've been told his torpedo was the first practical guided missile.
~ Bob
eastern Virginia, USA
Re: BuOrd and Mark 14 Torpedo
Yes, it's generally regarded as the worlds first (practically) guided weapon.South wrote:I visited Hong Kong's Lei Yue Mun coastal fort...now a museum...located at eastern approaches to HK harbor.
One of their displays was the Brennan torpedo. It was patented in 1877 by the Irish-born Aussie Louis Brennan.
I've been told his torpedo was the first practical guided missile.
Note that the torpedo on display in Hong Kong is a replica made in recent years. The only surviving example of a Brennan-torpedo (serial number 18) is on display at the Royal Engineering Museum in Chatham, UK.
Although the patent was registered in 1877, the first successful test didn't occur until 1886, and production of the torpedoes for the shore installations in Britain, Malta and Hong Kong didn't start until 1892.