For a good WWII torpedo check out the Japanese Long Lance torpedo.

WDA

end

"Kyle Boatright" wrote in message
...
I just finished the book "The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors" and it
raised some questions about the air dropped torpedoes (the Mk 13) in use
by
the US Navy in WWII.

What drove the range/speed trade-offs for the Mk 13? According to the
spec's I've found, it had a range of ~6,000 yards and a speed of 33
knots.
With a likely launch range of 1,000 yards or less, wouldn't it have made
sense to sacrifice the 6,000 yard range to get an increase in speed?
Wouldn't a 45 or 50 knot torpedo with a 1,500 or 2,000 yard range have
been a better compromise? I'd certainly think the higher speed would
have
increased the probability of a hit, because it would have reduced the
deflection at launch by 1/3 or so. Also, it would have given the target
1/3 less time to maneuver to avoid the torpedo.

A second question addresses launch speed. Early in the war, drop speed
and altitude were in the 110 knot, 150' range. Later, a couple of
plywood
fairings were added to increase drag, lift, and stability, and these
add-ons improved the drop parameters for the torpedo. The sources I've
found have contradictions about the launch envelope after these fairings
were added. Can someone point me to a reputable source for this
information?

Thanks,

KB





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