LW Torp Usage in the Med

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Brady
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LW Torp Usage in the Med

#1

Post by Brady » 12 Oct 2019, 16:50

LW Torp Usage in the Med, does anyone know how many Torps the LW dropped operationally in the med?

I recall a list someplace of the ships they claimed, that would also be use full, along with the locations of the ships claimed

I am particularly interested in the Ships attacked in and around the Suez cannel

Thanks...

Carl Schwamberger
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Re: LW Torp Usage in the Med

#2

Post by Carl Schwamberger » 23 Dec 2019, 20:24

Hate to reccomed Wiki, but there are a couple entries that would give you a good start on 80% of the combat air torpedo strikes. For a definitive accounting others shoul be able to make recommendations.


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Natter
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Re: LW Torp Usage in the Med

#3

Post by Natter » 24 Dec 2019, 01:01

Yet another topic on luftwaffe torpedoes?

The proper source for this would probably be the KTB's and battle reports for the torpedo-carrying LW units (ie records kept at BaMa and/or NARA).

You could also consult another book: Luftwaffe Aerial Torpedo Aircraft and Operations in World War Two (Harold Thiele, 2004. Hikoki Publications. ISBN 1 902109 42 2 ). No exact number of torpedoes given there of course, but a list of attacked ships and locations (only by region though) and coverage of all operations (hence the title).

Number of torpedoes dropped operationally = Total number produced - total number in stock by the end of the war.
Finding this number is probably impossible, as you would need to find all records involved (ie KTB's and german battlereports + all stocks for munition taken over by the allies after the war), and all of this have not survived.

You might be able to make an approximation by examining all relevant operations considering number and types of aircraft, and wether they were carrying one or two torpedoes + the likelihood of some planes returning without dropping their load.
The number of torpedo-strucken ships might also be helpful, considering the "hit-rate". Unfortunately, I don't think that information exists either (at least I have yet to see a proper analysis of the success of german torpedo attacks in WW2, with exeption of the naval acoustic-seeking torpedoes, that had by far the best record with 54% hits of all launched).

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Urmel
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Re: LW Torp Usage in the Med

#4

Post by Urmel » 02 Apr 2020, 19:28

Just to make it more difficult, the LW also bought quite a few Italian torpedoes.
The enemy had superiority in numbers, his tanks were more heavily armoured, they had larger calibre guns with nearly twice the effective range of ours, and their telescopes were superior. 5 RTR 19/11/41

The CRUSADER Project - The Winter Battle 1941/42

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