The Naval Undersea Museum in Keyport, Washington includes an exhibit on the use of torpedoes in undersea warfare.
According to the Museum:
“Historically, undersea warfare has involved seeking better ways to deliver large, ship-destroying weapons without being seen.”
There are two basic kinds of undersea weapons: mines, which are stationary, and torpedoes which are self-propelled. The history of torpedoes begins in 1866 when Robert Whitehead invented his automotive (self-propelled) torpedo. According to the Museum:
“The term torpedo was derived from the torpedo fish, which stuns its victim with an electric shock. The fish’s name comes from the Latin torpere, which means ‘to stun’.”
The torpedo began as a surface-ship weapon. The torpedo boat—a small speedy vessel—was designed to attack the large ships of a battle fleet. During World War II, torpedoes were dropped from aircraft, launched from surface ships, and fired from submarines. According to the Museum:
“During World War II, the submarine-launched torpedo was a fearsome weapon. German U-boats nearly defeated Great Britain, and American submarines were a principal reason for the defeat of Japan.”
The Spar Torpedo
One of the earliest torpedoes was the spa torpedo which was simply an explosive devise at the end of a spar (a long rod) which was attached to the bow of a small vessel. According to the Museum:
“The vessel that delivered the spar torpedo to its target counted on being invisible, either by moving in the dark or under water. If detected, the attacking vessel and her crew were very vulnerable to defensive fire from the intended target. Exploding on contact, the spar torpedo was as likely to destroy the boat that delivered it as its target.”
During the Civil War (1861-1865) both sides used spar torpedoes. In 1866, the self-propelled torpedo was invented, and the spar torpedo disappeared from use.
1890 Howell Torpedo
In 1890, the U.S. Navy adopted the torpedo invented in 1871 by Lieutenant Commander John A. Howell (1840-1918). This torpedo was powered by a 132-pound flywheel spinning at 10,000 rpm. It had a range of 400 yards, and a speed of 24 knots. It was 11 feet long, weighed 350 pounds, and was in service from 1890-1898.
U.S. Whitehead Mk 1 Torpedo
It had a range of 800 yards, and a speed of 26.5 knots. It was nearly 12 feet long, weighed 845 pounds, and was in service from 1894-1913.
German G7e Torpedo
At the start of World War II, German submarines used a steam-driven torpedo, the G7a. The G7e was an electric torpedo that left no wake, or tell-tale bubble trail. In 1943, the Germans developed a version of the G7e that homed in on propeller and engine noises. The G7e was in service from 1939-1945, had a range of 6,000 yards, and a speed of 30 knots. It was nearly 24 feet long and weighed 2,491 pounds.
Mk 18 Torpedo
Westinghouse Electric Company designed and built the Mk 18 in 1942, using a captured German G7e torpedo as a model. Prototypes were built in a few weeks, but it was a year before this weapon was put into use. More than 9,000 Mk 18 torpedoes were built between 1943 and 1945.
The Mk 18’s lead-acid batteries produced 151-155 volts and supplied power to a 90 horsepower direct current motor. From time to time the batteries had to be topped off (given charge) in order to provide peak power when fired.
Mk 14 Torpedo
During World War II, this was the standard anti-shipping torpedo used by U.S. submarines. It had a range of 4,500-9,000 yards, and a speed of 46-31 knots. It was nearly 21 feet long, weighed 3,209 pounds, and was in service from 1938-1980.
Mine Mk 24
Developed during World War II, this was the Navy’s first passive homing torpedo. According to the Museum:
“An aircraft-launched anti-submarine (ASW) torpedo, the Mk 24 homed in on the noise generated by the U-boat targets.”
It went into action in 1943 and, in 204 attacks, it sank or damaged 27% of the U-boat targets.
It had a range of 4,000 yards, and a speed of 12 knots. It was 7 feet long, weighed 680 pounds, and was in service from 1942-1948.
Mk 37-2 Torpedo
The Mk 37 is a two-speed electrically powered torpedo with active and passive homing. It had a range of 8,000-18,000 yards, and a speed of 24-16 knots. It was 11 feet long, weighed 1,430 pounds, and was in service from 1956-1983.
Mk 46-5 Torpedo
This is a lightweight homing torpedo which can be launched from aircraft or surface ships. It has improved electronics that enable it to more successfully engage target submarines coated with sound-absorbing materials or employing difficult countermeasures. It has a range of 12,000 yards @ 45 knots. It is more than 8 feet in length and weighs 508 pounds. It has been in service since 1963.
Mk 50 Torpedo
This is a lightweight anti-submarine torpedo launched from an aircraft. Since this torpedo is still in use its range and speed are classified. It is more than 8 feet in length and weighs 750 pounds. It went into service in 1992.
More museum exhibits
Naval Destroyer Museum: Guns and torpedoes on the Turner Joy(photo diary)
Naval Destroyer Museum: Living on the Turner Joy (photo diary)
Naval Undersea Museum: Mines (photo diary)
Naval Undersea Museum: Working Underwater (photo diary)
Museums 101: A couple of deep diving vessels (photo diary)
Lewis Army Museum: The Korean War (photo diary)
Veterans Memorial Museum: Military Weapons (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: World War I Ship Building (Photo Diary)