Mell How do ww2 torpedoes work?
In the “steam” torpedo, air, fuel, and water are simultaneously fed into the combustion pot. The fuel burns and the water reduces the temperature of the gases produced by combustion. The water turns into steam, thus increasing the mass of the gas.
How do torpedoes track targets?
Acoustic homing torpedoes are equipped with a pattern of acoustic transducers on the nose of the weapon. The torpedo will start with passive sonar, simply trying to detect the submarine. Once the torpedo’s passive sonar has detected something, it will switch over to an active sonar and will begin to track the target.
How do torpedoes explode?
The force of the explosion is bending the hull as the center section of the ship is lifted out of the water. First, the torpedo detonates under the target’s hull. The pressure of the detonation creates a giant bubble under the ship. As this bubble rises, it lifts the ship out of water placing huge stress on the hull.
How do torpedoes aim?
There are various types of aimed torpedoes in use by the Navy today, but they are all basically the same in that they contain an explosive charge, a drive mechanism, and gyroscopic control devices. Aimed torpedoes may use either an air-steam or an electric drive mechanism.
What happens to torpedoes that miss?
Once a torpedo was out of fuel it was buoyant. Therefore any torpedo that missed its mark (which was a lot!) would become a random and deadly hazard to navigation. The easiest solution to this was to detonate the torps at the end of run when the fuel ran out.
Why were American ww2 torpedoes so bad?
The mechanical ones were faulty thanks to heavy firing pins that couldn’t achieve the right momentum when the torpedo was at full speed, so they were replaced with a lighter metal alloy. Ironically, the alloy chosen had made it into U.S. arsenals after it was discovered in a Japanese fighter shot down at Pearl Harbor.
Can torpedoes be detected?
Modern submarine torpedoes have sound silencing built into their design and, unless they use their active sonar modes, they may not be detected until the moment before detonation.
What happens miss torpedoes?
the sensor of the torpedo senses the miss and immediately detonates itself. Even if the other vessel manages not to get hit it’s going to get hit by the shockwave and perhaps the shrapnel from the exploding torpedo. The smart torpedoes of today know when they’re supposed to have struck the target.
How do torpedoes know when to explode?
When the target is directly above the weapon, the magnetic field of the ship’s hull will be sensed by the electronics in the torpedo and it will explode, This sudden appearance of a bubble of energy in the water causes an upward shift of pressure(a shockwave) to flow up through the sea to the keel of the target often …
Can you survive an explosion underwater?
In an explosion surrounded by air, the atmosphere will compress and absorb some of the explosive energy. However, an underwater explosion transmits pressure with greater intensity over a longer distance. If you stood outside of shrapnel range for an exploding hand grenade, you’d likely remain unharmed.
Can torpedoes miss?
Modern torpedoes have sensors and if the torpedo should happen to miss its Target because the target managed to evade it . the sensor of the torpedo senses the miss and immediately detonates itself.