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BlacktailFA β The Torpedo Scandal --- Part 1 of 4
Published: 2014-06-21 07:55:13 +0000 UTC; Views: 614; Favourites: 7; Downloads: 10
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Description
In World War 2, the US Navy's submarine fleet had a serious problem; the torpedoes issued to them wouldn't explode. Sub captains reported again and again that the Mark 14 Torpedo had an extremely-high dud rate, but the responsible parties stonewalled virtually every attempt at replacements, corrections, and even investigations.This is one of the darkest chapters in US history, and chances are that you've never even heard of it --- but now it's online for all to see. This is going to be a long one though, so I split it into 4 separate parts.
Part 1 is basically an introduction to the crisis, but still contains an extremely important piece of information. Namely, how the Mk.14 submarine torpedo performed in combat. Though the US Navy's torpedo troubles weren't limited to the Mk.14, this specific weapon was nonetheless the hub of the entire imbroglio.
As is usually the case, Screbel (who previously went by the moniker, meaninter03) has edited the script of this presentation for spelling and grammar (a herculean task for a presentation this long).
There's an awful lot of sources for this presentation, so I'm going to leave them for Part 3 and 4. Why the descriptions of both? Because I have so damned many sources, that's why!
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Comments: 12
You know, the fact that those torpedoes were faulty DESPITE having been in service for a long time is shocking. I'm almost inclined to wonder if US submariners wished that they had German, Japanese and British torpedoes instead. (Are there any examples of American submariners using British torpedoes out of curiousity? I know little enough about submarine design here)
But I DEFINITELY remember reading about the torpedo problem, years ago.
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They might have wanted British or German torpedoes instead --- but as it happens, they had the same problems!
This will be covered in greater detail in the other 3 parts of this presentation.
I doubt any US sub skipper would want to use Japanese torpedoes though, as it flatly assumed by most Americans at the start of the war that Japanese technology was hugely inferior. It was even assumed by many that they still relied mostly on Biplanes!
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I hear that. Circular Runs have claimed more than a few subs over the years.
Even modern torpedoes can malfunction to produce a circular run; it was a possible cause that was considered in the loss of both the Scorpion and the Thresher.
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Intesting watched though the clip . . . i heard that our ( the germans ) soldiers had big problems with their torpedos but reconsider that : any german submarine ace sunk more then the us sub fleet of several war years is just crazy .
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As a matter of fact, one of the pater parts of this presentation will shed more light on that --- there are more similarities between the US and German dud torpedoes than just the basic technical causes!
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Great weapon system isnΒ΄t it
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You know what? sounds damn familiar. :-P
Germany had EXACTLY the same problem in the 1920s/1930s. The TVA (Torpedoversuchsanstalt - Torpedo Testing Facility) was responsible for R&D of new torpedoes and warheads, AND they were responsible for providing quality management and approving their own work. In other words: they did NOTHING productive, just grabbed the cash, and dragged on for over a decade just before WW II broke out. They would have continued if someone hadn't kicked their butts and forced them to do their jobs (and that someone was at a VERY high rank, and no it wasn't that Austrian with one testicle. But it wasn't far away from him, which is why the responsible management was lucky enough not being shot on the spot. ^^).
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As it happens, that will be brought-up later in this presentation as well. British torpedoes had the same problems as well --- and for all the same reasons as US and German torpedoes.Β
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Kinda embarassing for the major powers who should have known better since they all were experts in torpedo combat at that time. :-P
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