Torpedo Bombing for Dummies

[Zoe Brain]

From http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?84275-Vildebeest-versus-Swordfish&p=1296815#post1296815

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f224/DaveHomewood/f91.jpg
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f224/DaveHomewood/f92.jpg
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f224/DaveHomewood/f93.jpg
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The dive to drop altitude was at 60-70 degrees dive angle. This made the Swordfish, Albacore, Vildebeest etc quite capable dive bombers when carrying bombs not torpedoes... provided there was no fighter opposition. Good ASW aircraft outside enemy fighter cover. Same with ground attack.

[Jager]

Interesting bit of history.
Thanks Zoe.
(and remember to buy some custard powder;)).
karl

[Marechallannes]

So you get this manual when buying something at Jimmie Allen's Shop? :lol:

Great document, Zoe.

[Flying Officer Kyte]

A very interesting and useful piece of information Zoe.
I like the in line abreast attack and spread of torpedoes in order to get the best chance of a hit.
Rob.

[Lt. S.Kafloc]

I thought this was like Braddock of the ??? (Beaufighter?) Squadron, out of the Victor Comic or Commando War Books. Nice read.

[csadn]

I'll stick with skip-bombing, thanks. :)

[Diamondback]

Yep. Torping in a nutshell... "fly low, slow, straight and level, and pray like it was for your very soul."

Me, I'd rather try to drop the damn thing down their stack like a bomb, use the fuel and oxidizer for extra BOOM. LOL

[csadn]

Me, I'd rather try to drop the damn thing down their stack like a bomb, use the fuel and oxidizer for extra BOOM. LOL

That, or use water-hammer effect to crack the hull open. >:)

[Diamondback]

Then again, it also helps to consider at least one professional NAVAIR expert I know (he restored the last surviving Dauntless from Midway for Pensacola) once described US WWII air torps as "CRIMINALLY DEFICIENT"...

[Naharaht]

I believe the Japanese surrounded the target ship with a squadron of torpedo bombers in a circle and then they all attacked together to prevent the target being able to avoid the torpedoes by 'combing the tracks'.

[Diamondback]

Yeah, but Japanese torps, like their Brit counterparts, usually WORKED. American torpedoes were a waste of good pyro, and their designers at the feckless and incompetent Bureau of Ordnance a waste of good biomass...

[Carl_Brisgamer]

Looking at the cover I really hope a Shapeways designer makes a Beaufort torpedo bomber before too long.

It is the last of the major RAAF combat types I need for the SW Pacific.

104478

[csadn]

Yeah, but Japanese torps, like their Brit counterparts, usually WORKED. American torpedoes were a waste of good pyro, and their designers at the feckless and incompetent Bureau of Ordnance a waste of good biomass...

It would have helped if one of them understood: Not all seawater is identical.

[Diamondback]

That and they tended to design things to be babied like lab samples, not to work under Field Deployment Conditions.

Though far and away the worst of it was their policy of "When in Doubt Blame the Stupid User" and "Any Reports From Outside Our Lab Don't Count..." hence the story about Mush Morton firing a full spread of torps into a cliff to see if ANY would go off, then having the dead fish retrieved to take back to COMSUBPAC for him to ream on BuOrd with.

[richard m schwab]

Zoe

Very interesting. Eat that instant custard!
Rich

[richard m schwab]

A good torpedo attack should be part of a combined attack with dive or level bombers! Split the AA fire and give the Low Slow Targets a chance! The definition of a good design is, one that works in the Lab every time! In the Field anything can happen!


Rich